THE AUSSIE EARS

In the above picture of Baron (around 18 months old) I left his ears natural because they were “good”… but in this picture they look a bit more like a “rose ear” still within our breed standard but not my ideal. I always said this was his worried look.

Above is Baron happy and at full attention. See how his ears break forward….this is what you want. Not to high an ear set, and not hound like. Visit this web site http://www.shalakoaussies.com/BreedStandard_EarFaults.html for pictures of hound and prick ears that are severe faults.

Not sure your puppy will have good ears after going through teething? Then I suggest you glue. I use “tear mender” glue that I purchase from JoAnn Fabrics,  you can even order it on line. It’s about $5.00/$6.00. (I do not like to use duck tape as I have seen too many of these dogs end up with ears that the natural break over has been broken down, leaving the dogs with hound ears.)

Now you ask where do I glue, how much glue???? Making sure not to get it in their eyes, I use a cotton ball and put glue about the size of a quarter on the tip of the ear, fold the ear over …leaving the natural break of the ear, and glue to the side of the face near the corner of the outside of the eye, leaving about an inch and a half from the eye itself, or a thumbs width. Leaving a natural break should mean that you can get your little finger or a pencil in that fold…between the ear itself and the head of the puppy. See example…..

Make sure you have both ears aligned so that they will appear even when they are grown. I also do not leave them glued for a long period of time because I want them to be able to move them and show expression.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS HOW I DO MY DOGS EARS.....and that this page is for information only. Other breeeders have their way of doing things and I am not saying this is the only way....I have just been asked over and over again, so I put it on the web site.               Barbara