We are not sure what to make of this.
Normally, dogs with folded ears are born that way, and if the ears are going to become the erect, "prick" ears, they stand up over time. Some breeds with upright ears have them splinted and taped until the musculature is strong enough (or "grows" in that direction) to hold them up. Sometimes, massaging the upright-growing ears in that direction is enough. Ears folding in dog that has, for the past several months, had prick ears, is odd and new for us. We are not sure if it's an injury, something I'm doing to mimic my big sister's ears (we know people with 3-legged dogs whose 4-legged dogs began holding up one leg all of the time. The 4-legged dog was not injured, simply copying his buddy), or what.
We're kind of disappointed, too.
Huh, that is a new one for me as well...
ReplyDeleteThough I hadnt heard of the thing about the four legged dogs imitating the three legged ones either...
Yeah, it was pretty funny. Woody was a chocolate lab missing one of his front legs, so his "sister" Trixie, an Airdale mix, began holding up the corresponding paw on her own body- wherever she went!
ReplyDeleteHow odd? Maybe it is a tick, a copying move she is making. Because I can't think of why it would start doing it on its own...did you scour the sites for any clues?
ReplyDeleteIt's not anything I've ever come across in any of my years moderating a pet care message board, or seen in any of my books or magazines. I have no idea. I don't believe it's an injury, simply because there's no bruising, swelling, etc... DH thinks maybe the cartilage got broken, but if you compare it to the other ear, there's no difference. She holds it erect when she wants to, the rest of the time it just flops. It seems to have gotten more pronounced and I think it's here to stay...
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