I found a page on this subject yesterday, I did a search and can no longer find it. It was an older post from about a year ago. So please forgive me for re-posting this question. We have an 11week old Chocolate. Just this weekend both of her ears are no longer floppy. They have a fold. Does anyone know what could be causing her ears to stick up? It does not appear that there is anything wrong...scratching, dirt etc.... (Sorry, but I do not like the way they look) She is so much cuter when they are down.
Hi and welcome to the forum Normally Labradors can hold their ears in a lot of different positions. Are they 'up' all the time, no longer ever hanging straight down (even when asleep)? Or is it just sometimes? If it's just sometimes it might be just the way she's holding them at that moment. But if her ears are like that all the time, 24/7 then that's genetics. She's inherited that tendency from a parent (even if the parent didn't look that way) and ears will probably stay that way.
Here are a few threads I found where people have asked the same question: https://thelabradorforum.com/threads/ears.17500/ https://thelabradorforum.com/threads/puppy-changing-ears.17415/ https://thelabradorforum.com/threads/ears-will-they-go-back-after-teething.14740/ https://thelabradorforum.com/threads/weird-ears-on-my-lab.14019/
Thank you for the responses. The ears are up 24/7. I will take a look at the threads. Thank you for posting them.
The funny thing about physical quirks (for lack of a better term) is that once you get used to it, you will think it's adorable and that other Labs just don't look as gorgeous as yours does with her special ears. I know you probably don't believe me now, but it will happen. I've taken foster dogs who were, I thought at first meeting, very funny looking. Then after I fall in love (I always fall in love) I think they are the most beautiful pups ever. One chihuahua in particular ruined me forever...I'll always think of that breed as beautiful even though logically I know they are bug-eyed little suckers. No matter, I love them all now. So no fear, if your pup's ears DO stay that way, you'll develop a decided preference for folded ears...promise!
Before: Untitled by mendez7313, on Flickr After: Untitled by mendez7313, on Flickr I hope I did this right. It's before and after photos....the change in her ears happened over this past weekend. Moderator Note: Edit: I (Oberon) edited the links so they go to your Flickr account Moderator Note: Edit: I (snowbunny) edited the images to show up inline
https://www.flickr.com/photos/17909484@N08/shares/t01c1k Before and after pictures of her ears. I The change happened this past weekend.
That link doesn't work, Mary. I modified the links in your previous post so they take people to the pics
It's relatively common for ears to do that during teething. They will probably go back to normal afterwards. You may see some bonkers advice to tape them up, but please don't do this - in the cases it appears to have worked, the ears would likely have gone back to normal without, and you'd just be putting your puppy through a pointless and unpleasant procedure for vanity. Shadow's ears often looked like this when he was a young puppy: But they are absolutely fine now (taken a month or so later) :
Oh my @snowbunny that photo of Shadow as a baby and he really is such a handsome chap (don't tell Bailey I said that!)
There is a link between ear set and teething. Google that and you should come up with several articles. For most pups it goes away. Unless they are a breed whose ears are supposed to be erect, like a GSD, and then it is often the beginning of adult ear set. You've probably seen young GSD with one ear up and the other still bent over, so cute.
Sweet pup - lovely ears! Coco has odd ears. His right one (left as you look) has a fold in the back edge - looks like he's missing some cartilage, or it's formed oddly - and it hangs funny. The left ear hangs more like a Lab's ear. He does push them both forward to hang completely Labby.
