DOGGIE DOG BLOG

124 responses so far ↓

• 1 Amy // Oct 28, 2008 at 8:56 am

  What was the original purpose for the ear cropping and tail docking? Was it just to make the dogs look fiercer?

• 2 David Harris // Oct 28, 2008 at 1:02 pm

  Looks was certainly a part of it. Louis Doberman wanted this breed to have an alert “Terrier” like look and erect ears give that impression. But, there is also the health problems associated with floppy ears. Doberman’s have deep pockets that easily trap moisture. Having these pockets open to air circulation helps keep them dry and less prone to infections. You will notice that no canine in the wild has floppy ears. Foxes, Wolves, Coyotes all have erect ears for very good reason.

• 3 J // Oct 28, 2008 at 11:39 pm

  Love the “party hats” pic, they look great!! I hope everybody is healing up nicely!

• 4 janet // Dec 19, 2008 at 7:49 am

  is there any thing I can give them for pain?

• 5 David Harris // Dec 19, 2008 at 8:41 am

  Janet, my puppies never acted like they were in pain after the surgery. During the surgery they were not awake and on pain management drugs. If your pups are acting like they are in pain after their ear cuts perhaps it is more to do with the taping. Can you tell me more about what is going on that makes you think they need pain med’s?

• 6 janet // Dec 19, 2008 at 11:23 am

  Hi,
  thank you for the quick reply.
  they seem to not want to eat, I have eight puppies they just turned 9 weeks old yesterday.
  I had four cropped Monday and four cropped Tuseday,, There was a lot of blood ? that is another story.. and the gauze that the ears were wrapped in to make pressure to stop the bleeding, was stuck the the puppys insecion.. and it had to be removed after 48 hours,, removing the wrap that was stuck caused a whole deal of pain, I soaked the gauze with bactine and rubbed neosporin, with pain releivers all up and down the incesion to help with the gause not to stck… what a mess..
  noe that I have the gauze off, of four I have to do the other four today.. and it really hurts them I do not know what to do…

• 7 Cindy Jacobs (Cyd) // Dec 19, 2008 at 12:02 pm

  Hi Janet, I happened to talk to David on the phone and mentioned you had replied to his questions. He ask me to let you know he would be away from the computer for a couple hours, but will reply to you upon his return.

• 8 David Harris // Dec 19, 2008 at 12:57 pm

  Janet,

  First let me say how sorry I am for you and your pups. What you going though just isn’t necessary. There should never be that much bleeding and after the ears are stitched there should be NO bleeding. Additionally, no gauze should have ever been touching the cut edges of the ears. That is a big no no. Unfortunately the AVMA will not allow vets to be taught in vet school the proper way to crop ears and consequently there is a wide range of experience in these matters. It sounds like you and your puppies are suffering needless because of a lack of experience.

  I have made a few calls and am waiting for replies on what pain meds you could use to help ease the pain your puppies will have to endure at this point. I will let you know as soon as I find out.

  I never had to deal with this fortunately. My puppies never showed even the slightest hint of pain or discomfort. But, I had the benifit of Swift Run Dobermans to support me with her twenty plus years of experience. Tammy was wonderful. Plus, I used and now know how to make the Quick Braces sold by House of Hoytt Dobermans and I cannot tell you how much of an improvement that is to traditional taping and posting. Get the quick braces and you and your puppies will soon forget all about this mess.

  You are doing what you can for now. Soak the gauze and get it off. Do not repost the ears for at least a couple days. Give their ears a chance to heal. It will not hurt a thing to let them flop for a few days.

  Keep neosporin on the edges constantly for now.

  Order the quick braces now and you will have them fairly quick. Tell them what happened and over night them.

  Were the edges stitched?

• 9 David Harris // Dec 19, 2008 at 1:11 pm

  I just added a picture to this article so you can see the end result when it is all said and done. The results are worth the effort.

• 10 janet // Dec 19, 2008 at 2:13 pm

  The ears are taped to a cup on their heads, then the gauze was wrapped around the whole head set, yes the edges were stiched, but with one lind wraping type with a Knot at the top and one at the bottom.
  I am trying to soak the wraps with Bactine it has a cooling non burning effect, they neo to help moisten the scabs so they do not pull so bad.. I can not beleive how much they bled through the bandages,, Yes both parents are vons clear

• 11 David Harris // Dec 19, 2008 at 8:07 pm

  Janet, it seems to me that the only mistake was allowing the gauze to to cover the edges. If you look close at the pictures I posted nothing was touching the edges of my puppies ears. My vet had injected a drug to reduce bleeding into the base of each puppies ear prior to surgery. That really helped reduce the bleeding to start with and after he stitched up the edges there was no bleeding. He also used a healing laser light on some of the puppies as an experiment, but all the puppies were about the same and none bled after the surgery or after the cups were put on. The cups lasted about two weeks and after that I went straight to the quick braces and have had no issues with infections of the ear, sores or hair loss. I would like to see pictures of how your pups ears were taped.

• 12 janet // Dec 20, 2008 at 12:53 am

  How do I add a picture?
  I got the gauze off, and the ears are raw, and very sore.. they will look real good in about three weeks, but until them they are raw and sore.

• 13 Cindy Jacobs (Cyd) // Dec 20, 2008 at 5:17 am

  Janet you will need to email it directly to David. His email is listed below the picture he had just posted of the 4 mo. dobe above and at the top of the page.

• 14 paula // Feb 20, 2009 at 10:54 am

  HELP!!! I just had my puppies ears done 3 days ago. She seems to have a lot of fluid in her ears. I have called the vet who did the surgery, and have been told this fluid build-up is “normal”. I have had 2 other dobies, and this never happened. Any suggestions on how to get rid of the fluid? It is very uncomfortable - puppy cries - I am afraid of some type of hearing loss if not taken care of. Thank you

• 15 Cindy Jacobs (Cyd) // Feb 20, 2009 at 11:33 am

  Hi Paula, David will not be able to get to email till later today… I don’t believe any of his litter had this. Since you have had 2 other dobies that it never happened to, I would suggest you call a couple other vets in your area and ask them. Get a 2nd and 3rd opinion from other vets while you still have business hours, that is what I would do if it were me.

• 16 paula // Feb 20, 2009 at 11:40 am

  Thank you so much for replying so quickly! Believe it or not, this is the only vet in my area that does ear cropping. I have called other vets already and because they are not familiar with the procedure, they are reluctant to give an opinion. My husband is in process of calling the vet we used to use when we lived in another state to HOPEFULLY get his opinion. I am also waiting to hear from the surgeon herself, who has done this procedure now for almost 30 years, rather than one of the office staff. Thank you again

• 17 Cindy Jacobs (Cyd) // Feb 20, 2009 at 11:55 am

  Paula, you are welcome, I hope your old vet answers your questions and leads you in the right direction. That is an excellent move calling your old vet. They I am sure will more than likely give you an answer. Hope all goes well.

• 18 David Harris // Feb 20, 2009 at 2:49 pm

  Paula, Let me know what the other vets say. I would love to see a picture of this also. Call me if you cannot get this resolved quickly and I will make sure you get some help.

• 19 paula // Feb 20, 2009 at 3:37 pm

  Thank you David. Called the former out of state vet. He has retired, but his replacement said it was not “normal” - it can happen - and most likely indicates some ear infection.
  Talked to the vet who did the surgery (finally) and she has put my little Chloe on antibiotics - both tablet and ear drops. Have been instructed to take her in on Monday if things have not improved. Thank you all so much for your help.

• 20 David Harris // Feb 20, 2009 at 5:51 pm

  I talk to Tammy about this. Since she has been breeding Doberman for twenty years I defer to her wisdom in these matters. This is what she wrote. If you want to contact her let me know.

  %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

  I would have to question if the fluid buildup is in the ear flap itself or in the ear canal.
  If it is in the actual leather of the ear, that is very ABNORMAL. I would be concerned
  about an ear hematoma. Which could be caused by von Willebrands Disease.
  Which would mean that the puppy is a hemophiliac. And is a very serious problem.
  That needs to be seen immediately.

  It may not be fluid in the ear canal, but debris in the ear canal.
  My vet uses a triple antibiotic ointment placed directly into the ear canal as soon
  as the surgery is complete.
  I have used 2 homeopathic remedies to help puppies post-operatively.
  Arnica is good for tissue trauma.
  Hypericum is good for nerve pain.

  I would have to question what type of fluid would be in the ear canal. Blood?
  If so, it should be as gently as possible cleaned and the ointment put into
  the ear to prevent infection.

  I would be more than happpy to speak on the phone with this person.

• 21 paula // Feb 21, 2009 at 2:55 pm

  Thank you all for your concern and advice. The ear drops along with the antibiotics and GENTLY cleaning out the ear canal have helped tremendously! (What I clean out of her ears looks like very watered down ear wax) Much less fluid today than yesterday. According to surgeon (trust factor not too great with her!) this is the ointment placed in her ear after surgery that is “working its way out”. Chloe is much more playful today and actually wanted to go for her morning walk which she has not wanted to do since Tuesday! I will keep you all posted on what the surgeon says next week. Thank you ALL again for your support and help!

• 22 Cindy Jacobs (Cyd) // Feb 21, 2009 at 3:34 pm

  Paula, that is great news! You reacted fast for her to respond so quickly, great observation work on your part. Thanks for keeping us posted.

• 23 paula // Feb 23, 2009 at 2:18 pm

  Cindy, David and Tammy - Just got back from the surgeon with little Chloe. Fluid gone in the one ear - a little still in her left ear. The fluid is definitely NOT blood, and she will continue on her antibiotic for another 6 days. All-in-all, the ear edges look really good with the stitching disolving; the “bell” stitches will be removed Saturday. I want to thank you all again for all the support and advice you have given me!

• 24 Cindy Jacobs (Cyd) // Feb 24, 2009 at 12:46 pm

  Paula, thanks for the update! Sounds like it is all going well then. I am glad the site was here with some knowledge in doberman ear cropping to help. It is things like that, that do make the site worth it. I am sure you are off to some beautiful looking dobie ears.

• 25 Barbara Moyer // Apr 1, 2009 at 9:35 am

  David, I wish I knew you 4 yrs ago. I have 2 Dobermans, Jake is 4 w/great ears, Lexi is 3 1/2 and her left ear is turning inward toward her head. She came from a good breader and we taped her ears the same way as Jakes’. I noticed when we were at your training center that a Doberman you have; that you used a type of adhesive past on the ear that people would use with colostomies and then you used it looked like styrofoam that you braced it with. Can you explain this procedure and do you think it could help Lexi?

  thank you
  Barbara

• 26 David Harris // Apr 1, 2009 at 6:25 pm

  Barb,

  I think if you have any chance of fixing that ear it will be with the House of Hoytt Quick Brace method. I have seen their video and they claim to have fixed ears like your dogs as late as two years, so I don’t see why 3 1/2 would be any different. Check them out online at http://www.hoytt.com/ears/

• 27 Bev // Apr 5, 2009 at 10:14 am

  “Doberman’s have deep pockets that easily trap moisture. Having these pockets open to air circulation helps keep them dry and less prone to infections.”
  Why does the AVMA refuse to recognize this?

• 28 Jeff // May 27, 2009 at 10:00 pm

  Have you heard of the “Ear halo which is sold at earhalo.com? I just purchased for $100 and am waiting for it to arrive?

• 29 David Harris // May 28, 2009 at 8:01 am

  I have seen the ear halo system on video’s, but never seen them in person. I hope they work well for you. Please follow up and let us know how they worked for you.

• 30 Carolina // Jun 11, 2009 at 11:38 am

  Hello,

  My puppy just had his ears cropped the day before yesterday. He seems to be OK. He is eating and drinking water normal. I am glad!!! What worries me a little is that he likes to rub the bandages around his head against the carpet or if we are outside against the grass and I am worried he will hurt himself. He gets a little desperate with these bandages around his head. So I am not sure if he is experiencing pain or it is just bothering him to have his ears covered. The Veterinarian prescribed antibiotics, tranquilizers and pain medicine. I have been giving him the tranquilizers and the antibiotic but I am wondering if I should give him the pain medicine as well. Please let me know if this is a normal behavior and if this behavior is caused by the pain. Appreciate your comments.

• 31 David Harris // Jun 11, 2009 at 12:13 pm

  My pups did not rub or itch their little cone heads, needed no pain meds, tranquilizers or antibiotics. So, I am saying it’s not that normal. But, I think it will pass and perhaps you vet is just being overly carefull. Send me a picture of how they are wrapped. Perhaps that is the issue.

• 32 Carolina // Jun 11, 2009 at 1:30 pm

  Hello David,

  I just sent you a picture of Frank via email. Thank you for your quick reply.

  Regards,

  Carolina

• 33 David Harris // Jun 11, 2009 at 1:54 pm

  Carolina,

  I got your picture. I feel sorry for Frank. What a mess, but I think it’s just typical Vet’s Gone Wild stuff. He will be fine. Get that nonsense off his head and go straight to quick braces. Don’t mess with rolled gauze. JMHO, but the QB’s work and are so so so easy you will never regret using them. I need to buy stock in the company

• 34 Carolina // Jun 11, 2009 at 2:41 pm

  David,

  Thank you for your advice! I will definitely remove that from his head. Yesterday when we picked him up, it broke my heart to see him with that thing around his head. Poor Frankie!!

  This is a very helpful blog. I am sure a lot of other people are getting their answers just by reading this information. I appreciate you doing this.

• 35 Jeff // Jun 11, 2009 at 5:27 pm

  I abandon the Ear Halo. In fact I called the company to return as I thought is was too cumbersome and the puppy didn’t tolorate very well.

  I did find an excellent Ear Posting video on Youtube which is listed as DOBERMANN - EAR DRESSING

  Even though is is in another language, you can still learn how he does the taping. What I like about the his method, is it leaves the ear canal somewhat open to the air and it is a very effective method. I use athletic tape with the small hole in it.

• 36 David Harris // Jun 11, 2009 at 7:22 pm

  Thanks for sharing what you found Jeff. Good luck with your puppy.

• 37 Chris // Jun 13, 2009 at 8:00 pm

  I have a 7-month-old pup by Tammy’s Stopper, and her ears are beautiful, but I don’t know when to stop posting. They stand up perfectly, but the left still flops a good bit when she’s tired or has been lying on it. Do I need to keep posting until flopping is gone, or will they continue to strengthen on their own ? Thanks for your help.

• 38 David Harris // Jun 13, 2009 at 11:47 pm

  Chris,

  I have an eight month old that has exactly the same issue with one ear. Stands correctly for a day or two then tips when she is tired, hot, or a little dehydrated. I have been keeping that ear up correctly just by using Breath Right Nasal Strips. A tip I got from Brandi W. and is working very well. They will stay in pretty well on their own, but I have also glued them in with Osto-Bond and they will stay in for up to a week that way. They are cheap and effective for this situation. So, keep on supporting that ear. You came this far, don’t give up now.

• 39 Chris // Jun 18, 2009 at 9:43 am

  Thank you, David, for your quick response. I am going to try the strips when I take Emma’s ears down tomorrow. To clarify though, How do I know when the ears are good enough? I realize they won’t stand up every moment , but how much flopping is acceptable - for a few minutes when she gets up, any time she’s not focused on something,? Will the tips always wave when she runs? I’m sorry, but I can’t find this info anywhere. I realy appreciate your help.

• 40 David Harris // Jun 18, 2009 at 3:21 pm

  Holding them down on purpose is not the same as flopping. So, if she can hold them up when she wants to, but chooses to hold them down sometimes that is no issue. If she cannot hold them up then you need to support them until she can hold them up at will. I don’t think you need to panic if they are up and then flop for a few hours. My pup is eight months and some days her ear will sag for a few hours mid day, if she is tired, if she is hot, but it always pops back up when she is rested and rehydrated.

• 41 Shae-Brie // Jul 2, 2009 at 9:40 pm

  Hi,

  My dobe’s ears stood up perfectly for about 3 days and then no more — the hang low and never stand errect now. He is currently seven month old (male) and his ears refuse to stand up. I had to stop taping his ears up in order to allow them to heal; they got seriously irritated and developed a rash. The ears are healed up for the most part now — what can I do to get his ears to stand?

• 42 David Harris // Jul 10, 2009 at 8:19 am

  House of Hoytt Quick Brace System is what you need. Check them out online at http://www.hoytt.com/ears/

  They claim that ears can be trained as late as two years of age.

• 43 barnali vania // Jul 11, 2009 at 11:04 am

  hi
  We got a Doberman puppy last week when she was 35 days old. It seems it is time for her ears to be cropped. Please tell me, Is it mandatory to do it? What if we aviod this surgery?

• 44 David Harris // Jul 11, 2009 at 3:42 pm

  There is absolutely no reason to do the surgery unless you want it. Some people prefer the look of the Doberman natural. I prefer the look for them cropped. So, by all means leave your pups ears just the way they are. It is not mandatory unless you made an agreement with your breeder to do so. Enjoy your pup naturally.

• 45 barnali vania // Jul 12, 2009 at 9:38 am

  Thank you very much for early response. We have decided to keep her natural. Thanks.

• 46 Barbara Nichol // Jul 14, 2009 at 2:56 pm

  Hello.
  I just brought home my 8 week old puppy on Saturday and his ears were cropped the day before (Friday). The ears are not covered or taped at all, they are just out and kind of flopped over. I really hope that this isn’t hurting him, or hurting the process of getting his ears to stand.

  We clean the ears 3 times a day with Iodine, and make sure that he is not scratching at them, but I am very worried, as I have been looking around and most pups, have some kind of protection or tape on their ears after being cropped.

  Please HELP!!!

• 47 David Harris // Jul 18, 2009 at 3:34 pm

  Barbara,

  I have heard of breeders doing this, but have not personally experienced it. What is the breeder telling you? I don’t think any harm is coming from this for two or three days, but I believe the ears needed posted sooner or later if you expect good results.

• 48 Barbara Nichol // Jul 27, 2009 at 5:08 pm

  Thank you very much. His ears are all healed now and going into his first set of posts tonight!!

• 49 jasiah // Dec 12, 2009 at 3:52 pm

  just had my dobermans ears cropped and asked the vet what i should do as far as after care i hear from most everyone that i should clean and then cover the stiches w an antbiotic ointment but vet says to just let them be they are in a brace but the wounds are not covered what should i do

• 50 David Harris // Dec 12, 2009 at 7:36 pm

  I cannot see any harm in keeping the stitches covered in ointment. It will just keep them soft and aid in the healing and removal when time comes. What type of brace did they use?

• 51 jasiah // Dec 12, 2009 at 9:08 pm

  not sure as to what type it is, appears to be a flat piece of metal conformed to the contours of the dogs head and up backside of ears attached w tape along the uncut portion of ear and secured with tape in a figure eight around ears and under neck

• 52 shane korotney // Dec 18, 2009 at 6:35 am

  I have just hadmy pups ears croped a short crop the vet sent him home with no posts or cup do you have any idea why ?

• 53 Kimberly // Dec 18, 2009 at 2:26 pm

  Hi, we have a four month old male Doberman sweetie. We had his ears cropped ‘military cut’ at about 9 weeks, and they stand nicely and are very solid. They never lay down, even at rest. When he is especially attentive or excited, he perks his ears so much that the tips touch in the middle, and his ears look like a triangle on his head. I’ve seen plenty of info on ears not standing right (flopping) but none on this matter. Is this normal, or did we mess up on his posting?

• 54 David Harris // Dec 18, 2009 at 4:23 pm

  Kimberly,

  Even a German Shepherd pup at this age will sometimes have ears that cross. But, they always righten themselves without aid. Unless you think his ears were somehow forced to lay over I don’t think you have much to worry about, but I also think it would cost very little to keep them posted another month in Quick Braces to be on the safe side. All you would need is a can of Osto-Bond skin glue and four quick braces from the House of Hoytt.

• 55 David Harris // Dec 20, 2009 at 9:57 pm

  Shane,

  Sorry we overlooked your post. I am not 100% sure why you vet didn’t post, but I do know that some don’t. Especially on short crops they will let the ears just heal for a few days and then start the posting. I don’t think there is any harm in doing it this way as long as the edges are properly stitched and the bases don’t start to heal in a closed position. If that happens then the ears will have to be pulled and it’s very painful for the pups. Let me know how things turn out.

• 56 Barbara Moyer // Dec 31, 2009 at 11:51 am

  Kimberly, I know what you are talking about when your Dobie’s ears cross toward the middle of the head, almost like a triangle. We have a 3 1/2 female Dobie “Lexi” that is doing the same thing. Her ears were posted right (We have a male Dobie 4 1/2 ears old and his ears are beautiful that we posted) I spoke to Chris H. about his Dobie “Aries”; he ordered the ear braces from “House of Hoytt”, I think they are around $139.00, but Aries is doing really well with them. We are ordering Lexi the braces as well. The problems we are both having were mentioned in the advertisement concerning the brace.

• 57 Barbara Moyer // Dec 31, 2009 at 11:56 am

  David as you know, Jake and Lexi are older. Is it ever too late to begin training with them. We are coming back to Animal Resort but just curious as to if we have a chance to train them at their age. I am not competing, just for home use. I am using the Training Collars and they are doing well, but without them it’s a “free for all”.

• 58 Jaime // Jan 14, 2010 at 3:14 pm

  Hi there, We got our Dobermans ears cropped when he was 12 weeks. They were taped for 3 days and when we took the tape off to change it, they stood and have stood since. ( about a week) Although they sometimes go into a triangle shape and the tips are curving a bit, one ear more then the other. They also did have some scabs, so I am wondering about the extent of scars and the outcome of that. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

• 59 David Harris // Jan 15, 2010 at 7:36 pm

  Jaime,

  The scaring will fade away with time. Do not worry about it. Just keep neosporin on the ears and they will heal well. If your pup got a short ear crop it’s not unusal for them to stand immediately. If they stay up that’s great. If not, then post them for a week and check on them. If they stand great. If not, repost. Repeat. I have had pups ears stand at eleven weeks and I have had to continue taping for a year. Depends on ear type, crop type, genetics, sex. Hope your pups ears continue to stand.

• 60 Jaime // Jan 16, 2010 at 10:08 am

  Thanks very much! Yes I think he had good, strong ears to begin with so cropping worked really well for him. We got the ears more along the medium side. They seem to be doing good so far. The one with the tip curling a bit had a scab so I am hoping that will corect a bit now. And as for the triangle shape he puts them in…well he can also hold them nice too so probably just his muscles there. I appreciate you getting back to me! Its nice to have somewhere to ask question and advice!

• 61 Kimberly // Jan 16, 2010 at 12:22 pm

  Hey Jaime, I had Max’s ears cut short and his did the same thing, his right ear curled just slightly and they touched A LOT in the middle. I was so worried that they’d always do that, but like David said they probably would do, they ended up fixing themselves. He has good sturdy ears, too, the cartilage just seems firmer than our neighbor’s Dobie who is the same age. Max is 4.5 months old now and his ears are beautiful, almost picture perfect! They rarely touch in the middle… I think that as their skulls grow, it changes the position a bit…? I worried a lot about his ears… and didn’t need to… good luck!

• 62 Jaime // Jan 16, 2010 at 7:30 pm

  Thanks Kim! Jett’s ears are longer then a military crop but I think they will be fine. It makes sense about them growing into them in a way. I guess we will just keep an eye on them and see how it goes! Take Care and have fun with your pup Max!

• 63 jasiah // Jan 20, 2010 at 8:31 pm

  this im sure is a stupid question but i will ask it anyway are my dobermans ears supposed to stand at all times or just when he wants them to he can make them stand perfect when hes alert or playing but they stand at 45 degree angle when hes asleep or bored

• 64 David Harris // Jan 21, 2010 at 8:38 am

  If your Doberman CAN hold his/her ears up correctly when they want to then you’re good to go. Some Dobermans will keep there ears up all the time and some will almost never hold their ears up unless alert. It’s a personality trait.

• 65 Karla // May 29, 2010 at 10:49 pm

  10 days ago we had our 8 week old Dobermans ears cropped. Today marking 10 days the cone/brace and stitches were removed. Should the vet have taped them or done something to him. The edges still look raw & they are flopping down. I am concerned that by letting them flop down they will stay like that. He got the long show look.

• 66 David // May 30, 2010 at 8:09 am

  I think it’s ok to leave the ears down for a couple of days so they can finish healing and rest. But, after that I would have the quick braces on and keep them on for probably the next six months. Take them off ever ten days or so to check on the progress, clean the ears and put on a new set. It will take a long time with show crop ears for them to fully stand without support.

• 67 David // May 30, 2010 at 8:11 am

  Remember that even a German Shepherd puppies ears will be floppy at this age. So, don’t expect a Dobermans ears to stand at this age regardless of the type of crop you get. Some GSD pups ears will stand at ten weeks and some will stand at six months or later depending on the size of the dog (big stands later) and the thickness of the ear cartilage. Be patient.

• 68 Chelsey // Jun 17, 2010 at 12:30 pm

  Hi, I am concerned about my 17 week old dobermans ear, She was cropped at 10 weeks and it was a very short crop. The left ear has been standing nicely without support for about a week now, but the right ear still flops and when i keep it taped more than 3 days it starts to produce gooey, smelly puss on the outside of the ear, I think its from the ear getting raw little sores from not being able to breathe from the tape. I use a tampon and medical tape, I clean the ear between posts with soap, water, then peroxide, and dry them out and re tape but it still gets puss, the only way to prevent the puss is to leave the ear down and dry… I was just wondering if there was another menthod to post, I paid a lot of money for the crop and I really dont want my dobie to end up with one floppy ear. Thanks

• 69 David Harris // Jun 17, 2010 at 9:08 pm

  Chelsey. I have had the exact same experience with taping methods. Some dogs are just hyper sensitive to having their skin shut off from the air. I would highly recommend you just get quick braces from the House of Hoytt. So, easy and simple. I am using them now on a male pup with show crops lenght ears and they are doing wonderfully at 13 weeks they are standing on their own for a day or two. If you don’t want to get quick braces or can’t. Then I would try just using Osto-Bond glue to glue a foam support to the inside of her ear. I make these from time to time from Pipe Wrap you can find at any hardware store. Cheap and effective. You will still have to tape a little with this method, but no nearly as much. Hope this helps. Don’t give up. It’s work the effort.

  FYI: Quick Braces will typically stay in for one week to ten days with no taping. If your pup has a short crop I wouldn’t expect you to need no more than three or four to complete the process.

• 70 Carolina // Jun 17, 2010 at 10:15 pm

  Hello Chelsey,

  We had the same issue with our dobbie. The reason why that is happenning is because you are taping the ear too tight and there is no room for air ro go in. What we did was to put the tape inside out on the tampon so it would stick to the inside of the ear and then we would tape the outside not so tight. At the begining we would have to tape his ears every day until he got used to it.
  Good luck!

• 71 sara // Jun 22, 2010 at 2:02 pm

  i just got my dobes ears done. Can i start to tape and post while the sutures are still in???

• 72 Kimberly // Jun 22, 2010 at 4:06 pm

  I am no expert, but when my puppy’s ears were done, they were posted and taped when I brought him home from the vet. I kept them posted for three weeks (cleaning and changing weekly, of course) and he was done! He has the military cut, and his ears stand beautifully!

• 73 David Harris // Jun 23, 2010 at 9:26 am

  Sara, it depends on the type of taping you do. Nothing should touch or cover those stitches or the cut edges. There is no harm in letting them flop for a few days after surgury. Either use the foam method or quick braces. Both work well if you use common sense.

• 74 Jenny // Jun 25, 2010 at 5:35 am

  Hello, we have 2 doberman pups and their ears were cropped this past tuesday, on one of our pups one of his ears seems to be loosely taped. He came home taped with posts, and although the post is intact and securely attached to the ear, and the ear is straight, it flops to either side about 45 degrees when he tilts his head, and when he’s straight up it sits at about a 45 degree angle toward his head, we have our suture removal appt next friday, but do i need to take him to get this fixed before that?

• 75 David Harris // Jun 25, 2010 at 6:42 am

  Jenny, I don’t think you have much to be worried about. It sounds like your vet know what he is doing. I would order my quick braces and once they remove the sutures and get all that nasty tape off make the switch to a new method. You won’t regret it.

  Do keep a very close eye on the ears. Watch for sign of infection which is very common with heavy taping methods.

• 76 Chelsey // Jun 25, 2010 at 11:00 pm

  Thanks for the helpful advice and the quick response!!! The right ear is standing beautifully without any support, but just as I thought everything was done and over with her left ear has developed a pocket causing it to dip inward toward the right ear, how do pop out the pocket and make the left ear stand strait? Also I noticed her left ear is slightly shorter than the right, I heard people talking about strectching the ear, is that a possibility?

• 77 David Harris // Jun 26, 2010 at 7:13 am

  Chelsey. I am not sure I know what you mean by pocket. Depending on how old your pup is it can be perfectly normal for one ear to pull inwards or outward. Just like a GSD puppy. They will cross and flip and flop for weeks. Sometime a German Shepherd pups ears will not stand until six months and that is perfectly normal. Some will stand at six weeks. Doberman Ears are the same. We just support them as straight as possible to reduce the chance that they will get a crease or develop scar tissue after the crop. But, they will flip and flop naturally also. Some will stand early and some will stand late depending on the individual dog.

  Pulling ears will not lenghten them. Pulling is done if there is scar tissue developing that must be broke loose. It works, but is painful and is best left to someone with experience.

• 78 Heather // Jul 2, 2010 at 12:24 am

  Hi. My dobie’s right ear is standing fine. His left hear is up at the base, but has a “pocket” on the outer edge of the left ear where it is causing it to flop unless he is ultra alert. Can I post just the one ear?

• 79 Heather // Jul 2, 2010 at 12:27 am

  Sorry, follow up question… Would the breath right strip work? You’d place it on the outside, right? This is an awesome question and answer! Thank you!

• 80 David Harris // Jul 2, 2010 at 8:45 am

  Heather. Thanks for the fine complement. Cindy and I are proud to be of assistance.

  You can post one ear. The foam brace method works well for that. I have used breath right strips with success. They go inside the ear and the ear needs to be really clean for them to stick. You can glue them in with Osto Bond and expect them to last a week to ten days. Without glue they will last only a few days. Osto Bond is human grade skin glue and is very safe for use in dogs. A really, really good drug store will carry it. It is used for hold appliances in place with humans that need a colostomy bag. Hope this helps

• 81 andi kurniawan // Jul 10, 2010 at 1:23 am

  hi.. im andi in denpasar bali - indonesia..
  im a dobermann lover maniac…

• 82 Nestor // Jul 17, 2010 at 2:59 am

  Hi, can you help me please! I have a Dobie that recently had his ears cropped about 12 days ago. The gentleman that performed the surgery has many years experience with cropping ears. The surgery went well. However, he placed a cup/ post on his head that was glued on to both his head and his ears. In addition, the ears were wrapped with some type of surgical tape. The tape was wrapped around so tight that it actually severed his left ear from the tip. I called back to inform the vet that there was a bit of swelling at the tip and he said it was normal. So now one ear is about an inch shorter than the other. This is my first experience with cropped ears. I don’t know whether to blame myself or the surgeon. Either way I feel terrible for my poor puppy He doesn’t seem to be in any pain and everything is pretty much almost healed. I took him back to the surgeon and he explained to me that he would have to recrop his ears once they’ve completely healed. Considering the situation, should I trust this surgeon to recrop his ears or should I look for another Vet? I am very hesitant and weary of putting him through another surgery and more pain. Any advice would help please.

• 83 David Harris // Jul 17, 2010 at 2:32 pm

  Nestor, I am very sorry of the bad experience you and your puppy have had. I wish people would quit using the cup method with tape like that. It’s so hard for inexperience people to know what is right and what is wrong with that method. I would recomend you have the ears recropped to match and then use the quick brace method from the House of Hoytt. I know this method will work well for you and there will be very little if any pain involved. Good luck.

• 84 Mandie // Jul 21, 2010 at 5:13 pm

  Hello, I have two female dobermans that are 8 1/2 weeks old. They are scheduled to have surgery tomorrow 7/22/2010. I am very interested in the quick brace system you mentioned. I looked at the website and I am not sure how to go about ordering for the size because I don’t know the exact measurement after cropping. What should I do? Is it hard to tend to them afterward?

• 85 David Harris // Jul 21, 2010 at 9:29 pm

  Mandie. There really is no harm in letting the pups just hang for a few days after surgery. Depending on if the vet puts stitches in or not will depend on the amount of care they will require. The cup method is ok after surgery, but make sure that the vet knows what they are doing and that no tape or gauze is touching the edges of the ears as they heal. Keep neosporin on the edges as they heal as well. Once the surgery is complete get on the phone and order your braces and you will be fine. Whatever method your vet uses post surgery will be fine as long as the edges don’t get covered. Read horror story post above on how hard it is on the pups to have tape and gauze removed from scabed over stitches on the edges. No reason to ever have to do this if you do it right to start with. Hoytt will sell you a variety of sizes and they are not expensive. Why not just order up several sizes and have them on hand?

• 86 Shelby // Aug 30, 2010 at 6:57 pm

  This site is great.

  My eleven week old dobe Finn had his ears cropped today. We went with a medium crop. When I picked him up from the vet they had his ears posted with no tape and when they saw the one ear flopping they took him back and taped his ears together over the head. The tape appears loose enough over the sutures but I’m concerned that it is still covering them.

  Additionally he is acting very weird. He peed in the house twice today. Once he walked right into his crate (which he loves) and stood there and peed like he had no idea what was going on. About twenty minutes later he walked over to the front part of the living room and peed there. Is he stressed? I’m so worried and it breaks my heart to see him so miserable.

• 87 David // Aug 31, 2010 at 10:57 am

  Shelby,

  I think Finn will be fine. Post surgery you will see some odd behavior for a day or two. Most likely some of the drugs are still in his system. I think he will recover quickly, but if not let me know if he doesn’t recover quick. What method of posting will you be using?

• 88 Shelby // Sep 1, 2010 at 4:48 pm

  We aren’t sure yet. Today his ears are swollen and pink at the bells and he has broken one of the posts they used to make the ear stand. I’m worried. He’s very hyper because we can’t play like normal with him.

  We’re taking him to the vet in the morning so they can look at him. The ears are more swollen than they were the day he got the procedure done. I know he hates it, he’s always shaking his head and scratching at them.

• 89 Tony // Sep 15, 2010 at 11:22 am

  My dobie is about 3 1/2 months old-I had her ears cropped and have gone through the cup period. After the first posting, she got an infection and we left the ears hang loose for 2 days. Then we posted two more times and the vet said she needed to strenghten her ear muscles, so we left them un posted for 5 days and went back to posting. Then the vet posted and put the tape on to tight which cut her ear and she needed 5 stitches, needless to say that ear is now out of post and hanging until the stitches are removed. Is this going to hurt the chances of them standing? Everything I read says never to leave them unposted until they stand. Should I be concerned and look for another vet. The vet does have experience posting

• 90 David // Sep 15, 2010 at 4:24 pm

  You don’t need a vet at all. That is where your trouble begain. After the ears were cropped you should go straight to the quick braces and forget about all that nasty taping and the associated problems caused by taping.

  I don’t think you are in trouble yet. The ears would normally be hanging at this age even in a German Shepherd pup and then they stand on their own easily. Assuming you got a good crop and get them posted correctly now, all will end well. Contact the House of Hoytt (and no I don’t own stock) and get a brace kit on the way. Get those stitches out and move on.

  All’s well that ends well.

• 91 Samantha // Oct 1, 2010 at 12:56 pm

  Hi David,

  We just got our little guy yesterday(Thursday). He had his ears cropped on Wednesday and came home with a cup on his head. His sutures are not wrapped up. He is having an awful time not itching them. We try to tell him no, but he’s still having a hard time. Is there anything I can do to help him? I read on a different website that you could give him a very small amount of aspirin(NOT Tylenol), but I’m hesitant. Also, the breeder did not tell us to put neosporin on his ears, should I be doing this? Unfortunately none of the vets in our area will do ears, he had them cropped before we got him(about 7 hours away). I’m very afraid he’s going to rip out his sutures, as his scratching has already started a little bleeding and now his cup is about to fall off, I’m not sure what to do!!!

• 92 David Harris // Oct 1, 2010 at 2:15 pm

  I don’t believe pain management is the issue. The edges just itch and I don’t think there is anything you can really do about that. Pour the neosporin on and keep it on best you can. I don’t even stitch my pups ears and hope that you won’t have any issues with the stitching. Just keep it as soft as you can and get them out as soon as you can. Remove the cup and replace it with Quick Braces as soon as you can. You won’t regret it.

  Another thought it to cover his paws with socks to prevent him for scratching so effectively.

• 93 sandra // Oct 3, 2010 at 11:14 am

  Hi i just had my dobies ears cropped 6 days ago and im using peroxide and triple antibiotic to clean her ears..But the scabs on the left ear mostly all fell off but not on the right side is this normal?right now they’re just hanging loose
  please reply

• 94 sandra // Oct 3, 2010 at 4:44 pm

  she doesn’t seem to be in any kind of pain but i just don’t want anything to go wrong.

• 95 David Harris // Oct 4, 2010 at 2:47 pm

  Sandra. It all sounds pretty normal to me. How long have them been hanging and what posting method will you be using?

• 96 sandra // Oct 7, 2010 at 11:11 am

  Hi yesterday i noticed some little bumps by my dobies stitches is this supposed to happen?She hasn’t heald all the way yet thogh to remove the stitches.

• 97 David Harris // Oct 8, 2010 at 8:09 am

  Little bumps are pretty normal. Keep the neosporin on and take your time.

• 98 sandra // Oct 8, 2010 at 6:37 pm

  ok i will keep cleaning..
  because i’ve talked to some lady and she said that i can remove
  the stitches even if my dobes ears aren’t healed all the way yet
  but i think i’ll just wait for her appointment on tuesday
  i don’t want something to go wrong you know.

• 99 David Harris // Oct 9, 2010 at 8:25 am

  Sandra it sounds like everything is going to be fine. Use a posting method that works for your dog and be patient. Most ear failures are from people getting in a hurry and quitting to soon with the posting. I test my pups ears about once every week to ten days. If they are standing I leave them alone, but at the first sign of a sag I repost for another week to ten days and test again. It is important to use a posting method that doesn’t block air flow into the ear canals and it doubly important to make sure your posting method isn’t causing sores on the ears themselves. I don’t like posting methods that require a lot of tape on the edges and backs of the ears. It’s just not necessary to have heavy tape if you use the right method.

• 100 sandra // Oct 9, 2010 at 11:29 am

  Ok i won’t give up on her ears and i will let my vet know that i don’t want her to cover all the ears the first time i post them since my appointment is almost coming.I really like the brace posting that you talked to other people about too it looks very nice.

• 101 sandra // Oct 10, 2010 at 9:09 pm

  do you know where they sell the wire type of posting not the brace one but it has more wires to it??

• 102 David Harris // Oct 11, 2010 at 9:49 am

  Sandra, I am not sure what your question is. The only type of bracing I recommend people to buy is the Quick Brace system from the House of Hoytt. Quick, easy and painless and once you purchase a kit they are cheap to use. I buy my own glue (Osto Bond) and by-pass buying their kit to start with, but the kit has merit since it comes with the DVD (poor quality, but functional) glue, cleaner as well as braces custom sized for your dog. Inital cost of about $100 dollars, but the braces themselves are only about $7 each and last a week to ten days and in most cases can be reused. If after a few weeks I have one ear standing correctly and not the other then I will switch to making my own braces from foam rolls. I can use all the taping methods you have seen on the internet and can make my own braces, but nothing I do matches the Hoytt braces for the ease of use.

• 103 sandra // Oct 12, 2010 at 12:24 am

  Do i have to wait until the bumps on the ears go away to post or can i post them while they’re still there??i removed the stitches my self and massaged her ears a little bit but she still has the bumps..

• 104 David Harris // Oct 12, 2010 at 8:01 am

  I don’t think you have to wait. Most important that the bumps don’t turn into scar tissue and draw the ears inward like a califlower ear. If that happens you will have to pull or break that scar tissue loose and yes that is painful for the pup. So, get them posted correctly so that they cannot draw up. Another reason I don’t like stitches.

• 105 jasiah // Oct 18, 2010 at 10:24 am

  had my dobies ears cropped at 10wks by 14 weeks they were standing perfectly and continued to stand for the next four weeks now all of a sudden both ears are hanging down hes 18 weeks could this be caused by teething ive reposted them should this b a cause for concern

• 106 David Harris // Oct 18, 2010 at 3:15 pm

  Jasiah this is perfectly normal and as you suggested related to teething. It’s important to keep them posted during this time. Depending on the length of crop, size of the dog and natural strenght of the ears you may need to keep posting until six or seven months. But, from the description you gave I think they will be back up for good soon. Stay with it. Find a simple method that suits both you and your dog and stay with it. The reward is worth the effort and it’s great training for your pup to learn to stand still and tolerate the ear posting proceedure. By four months I can post my puppies by myself since they have learned to stand still for the proceedure. Makes for much better citizens when they grow up. Well mannered and very tolerant.

• 107 jasiah // Oct 18, 2010 at 7:31 pm

  thanks david i was sure this was the case but wanted your opinion youve been so helpful in the past and always answer my questions quickly and thoughtfuly thanks again

• 108 sandra // Oct 19, 2010 at 12:58 am

  I’ve now posted them for a week and removed them today and they are already starting to stand and about the bumps they are starting to go away..

• 109 Lindsay // Oct 23, 2010 at 11:40 pm

  Fantastic site. Best one I’ve found.

  My guy is 7 months old now. Both ears are standing, except after a nap, or any time he’s tired. This is when one ear often falls in and almost lays on the top of his head. Most times if I call him, he perks it right up, but occasionally, right after a nap, he will be barking at something outside and even then, it won’t stand up right away. I’m using breathe right strips, but they’re rather expensive here, and unless you think I should keep doing so, I’d like to stop. But I want to do what’s best for his ears. Thoughts?

• 110 David Harris // Oct 24, 2010 at 9:04 am

  Lindsay. It would probably be ok to stop using the strips, but if you use the Osto-Bond glue with them they will stay in for well over a week so they become afordable to use and there is no risk at all. Consider that. But, if they are standing 98% of the time and you like the way they loook I think you’re good to go ahead without them. Good luck.

• 111 Lindsay // Oct 24, 2010 at 9:51 am

  Thanks! I can’t use the glue because he had a horrible reaction to the adhesive so I have to put the strips on the outside of his ears then keep them in place with a piece of tape around the top and the bottom. They stay on for 4-5 days that way. I’ll leave them off for a few days again, and see how it goes. This time I won’t panic if the ear falls in briefly! Thanks for the quick reply. Awesome forum. Seriously.

• 112 An // Oct 27, 2010 at 7:11 pm

  Hi. I have issues with her ears staying erect while she’s super excited. Her ears flip over the top of her head. It’s embarassing and is a lot of work. How do I fix this?

• 113 David Harris // Oct 28, 2010 at 7:21 am

  An, I am not sure what you’re asking. Her ears do what? When and how? How old is your dog? What posting method did/are you using? I think you are saying that while posted the ears sometimes flip back over her head when she is excited. But, I am not sure that is what you’re saying. Please clarify and if you would like to send me a picture that is fine also.

• 114 Lina // Nov 5, 2010 at 1:02 pm

  So my dobe’s ears will fall onto the top of his head, every time we’re outside playing. It’s quite cold here. Also, if he tilts his head one way, the left one almost always falls inward and almost lays on the top of his head. He is almost 8 months old, and they stand on their own almost all the time, with these exceptions. Should I keep posting? Or use a breathe right? He looks amazing about 75% of the time, the rest, they just flop over onto the top of his head. I’m concerned I stopped posting too early, but I only stopped about a week ago. Help!!

• 115 David Harris // Nov 6, 2010 at 7:45 am

  Linda. I don’t think it’s to late to correct this ear problem. I don’t think the strips will solve it. This problem sounds like it’s lower down on the ear and that the ears need to be held correctly for a while and not allowed to flop inwards like that. If allowed to continue to bend inwards I suspect they will never stand correctly 100% of the time. Sounding like a broken record here, but the quick braces will work best. Just make sure you get the correct size and stick with it for one month and then re-evaluate. Most people give up to soon. Stick to your guns and you won’t regret it.

• 116 wendy // Nov 16, 2010 at 6:26 pm

  Hi, my puppy is a little over 8 weeks and had her ears cropped almost 9 days ago. I picked her up with the cup and no stitches. The ears were glued to the cup and there is also white tape on them. The edges are not covered. The cup is very loose but it is still holding on to her ears. The vet said to come in tomorrow and he would remove the cup. My question is is this too early? Should I wait another few days and the have the vet remove it ? Or wait till the cup literally falls off..if it does. The cup keeps getting pushed backward on her head and I am afraid this will do some damage. Thanks

• 117 David Harris // Nov 17, 2010 at 11:35 am

  It’s time for the cup to go. You can let the ears rest a day or two if they need some healing time from rubbing of the cup or you can just start posting with a quality posting method. Depending on how long the ears were cut they may be just about ready to stand on their own or you may be facing a year of posting. Hopefully they were cut short to medium unless you are hoping to show in conformation. Either way it’s time for that big old cup to go away.

• 118 ann // Dec 29, 2010 at 4:05 am

  Hi ,
  My puppy just came home today after getting her ears done. She came home with a cup on the top of her head with a tie at the top. Do I just untie at the top so I can clean them today? Ive read that they are glued inside or something. thanks,
  Ann

• 119 An // Dec 29, 2010 at 3:06 pm

  This is a message to Ann. Did you discuss this with your vet? Call your vet and ask. I wouldn’t touch the cup. I left mine on for a week and let a professional handle it.

• 120 Mike // Jan 2, 2011 at 11:29 pm

  Queen is 10 mos old. Suddenly about a month ago 1 of her eyes does not stand, it is limp at the fold that we were instructed to carefully wrap.

  I would like to have a surgery of least complications performed to correct it. What is your opinion and a ballpark cost…in Memphis, TN. She is too pretty not to try something.

• 121 David Harris // Jan 3, 2011 at 9:50 am

  Mike. Sorry to hear you are having trouble with one of Queens ears. I assume from what you wrote that they did stand alone at some point. What method of posting did you use? How long did the ear stand unposted before it went limp? And why not just repost it when it went limp? It is not uncommon for this to happen on longer ear crops. Typically when this happens you just repost for a month and then re-evaluate. I cannot imagine needing additional surgury unless you are planning to make both ears shorter or put in an implant. I have never done either so I don’t have a clue about the cost. I have however seen dogs with cropped ears that did not stand at 1 year and if the owner continued to post them correctly they will eventually stand. I am training a large male Doberman now that purposely holds down one of his ears. He can raise it when he wants to, but most of the time keeps it down. As he matures (almost 2 years old now) he raises it more and more of the time.

• 122 gokkast // Sep 18, 2011 at 10:50 am

  Awesome blog, it’s just like a game for me! It’s so infomative and usefull, thanks a lot! If you post more of this great stuff, I’ll visit your blog again!

• 123 Jimmy // Oct 17, 2011 at 11:08 pm

  Hi I have a 11 week old Doberman. I had his ears done and I took him to the vet today to change out his ear sticks and the doc said that his ears are standing really well. This is his 4 th week having the sticks in his ears and the doctor said it should b the last visit I won’t need the sticks anymore, they will stand on their on from now, but I’m kind of nervous. Doesn’t it take longer then a month for the ears to really start standing up right?

• 124 David Harris // Oct 18, 2011 at 5:36 pm

  Jimmy, depending on the length of the crop it is very common to be done with posting at this age. My bitch Dobie Envy’s ears were standing on their own by 12 weeks of age. Just keep an eye on them and if they start to tip repost them. If they continue to stand on their own then leave them alone and count your blessings. Congratulations on your new Doberman. Have fun.

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