juliepoudrier Posted March 25, 2009 Report Share Posted March 25, 2009 I think perhaps Steve was referring to that "perfect" curled forward tipped ear like the one that someone posted of collies recently. Most of the dogs I know with naturally tipped ears look like the ones in the photos on this thread--with the tips turned to the outside a bit, like little wings. I do know some dogs with ears that fold forward, but it's usually a bit more than just the tips. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 I'm trying to imagine someone getting a contact into a bc's eye. Yeah, not going well. Oh, he does it himself!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerus Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 What's wrong with 'em? Don't they realize one-up, one-down is by far the foxiest look? ....Juno If it ain't broke, don't fix it! I don't get what people can have against any of the adorable ear sets BCs can have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllieMackie Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 I know a few folks locally who are avid at working towards symmetrical ears - all in the sport venue, all because they want their dog to look good in the photos. Asymmetry is the new fad, yo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaisingRiver Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 I guess it wouldn't be surprising that a sport BC owner might want to change the look of her dog. Afterall, isn't it trendy to have a 'flashy' (colored) BC for sport anyway? That's all visual, why not the ears set visually appealing (per owners opinion/current trend) as well? I personally don't care for one straight up and one ear completely down (like Juno's shown above) - that's about bit too much asymmetry for me, but I do love the 1 tipped ear and one prick and was sad that River's turned from 1 tipped to completely prick as she was growing up - completely naturally of course. But if my dog's ears turned out like Juno's, I would still love it unconditionally - and I bet the style would grow on me, just like full prick has. I don't can't think of a reason that having prick ears gives any benefit or keeps dog safe (as in trimmed fur for not getting tangles on weaves) in any sports (agility, flyball, frisbee, etc). As far as expression, Aero has naturally prick ears, but it took him until at least 5 months old to bother moving them in any way, esp laying them back. So I'm not sure anyone would know if it inhibits their dog one way or another. Plus prick ear dogs is part of nature so people aren't creating something that isn't in existence (as with cropping ears and then taping them). So... I'm not seeing it as a big deal, but instead just a wee bit vein. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 Actually I know of people who have attempted to make a prick ear (noncropped) by bracing and taping so that both ears matched. I guess that's what I should have done to Phoebe (although if you look at her photo in my sig line you can see that she *can* stand them both up)..... J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G. Festerling Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 Hmmm...maybe if I had manipulated Belle's ears she would work more even on both sides? Secretly I am just happy they both point the same way. When she was a pup her one ear was kind of bend backwards. Quite strange. But I let her work it out on her own. Wouldn't have her any other way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum24dog Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 I can only answer from this side of the pond and I've never come across anyone in agility bothered about ears, although there are a very few who also show and I guess it might matter to them. I assume the chances of less than "perfect" ears is less with selective breeding for show so maybe the question doesn't arise very often. I avoid those people so I wouldn't know. One thing I would say is that I find our one up - one down dog shakes his head a lot and the vet can find nothing wrong at all. I do wonder whether the lack of balance annoys him a bit and he has got into the habit of shaking his head. Pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stockdogranch Posted April 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Just met another one a few days ago. Little red 14 week old pup with glue all over his head, and a missing patch of hair in front of one ear. She said she had had a hard time getting the gluing thing right. This person is fairly seriously into agility and obedience, A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertranger Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Oh yes, let's do that. Glue Jin's ears because while they set cute and floppy it's not exactly right. *glue, glue, glue* *Wait a week* No don't like that, try again, and again and again. While I'm at it let's change the color of his ruff and paint the tip of his tail green. Hmmmmph!!!!!!!!!!! Leave your dogs ears alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcnewe2 Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 I love unmatched ears. Matches my unmatching personality! OMG....Juno is way to cute! Any earset will do for me as long as they are ears that listen to me! Dew's tip nicely but when working they are pick ears. I just can't see working that hard on something that really doesn't make any difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sassy Girl Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 I've actually seen a lot of sport people tape or glue ears and only reason I would say they are doing is for the look they like or to even out a pups mismatched ears. I'm guilty of liking the prick eared look, however would not go as far to tape them. I just can't see that being very comfortable, I mean come on who hasn't put a band aid somewhere it hurt like hell to pull off, can you imagine what the dog thinks? I've also been told by a friend who had shelties, she said instead of taping, you could massage the ears as the puppy teethes which will increase blood flow to the ears. See - it's not us crazy sport peope, we're just followers of the breed ring group, lol!!! Oh and I love Juno's ears!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ripley Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Sixteen years ago when my Aussie Ripley was a puppy, I followed the breeder's advice (because I really didn't know better at the time) and let her tape the ears for me (she used duct tape). In Ripley's case, it wasn't to prevent a one-up, one-down situation, rather it was a more subtle ear set issue. One of her ears folded straight over (desired) and the other sort of folded sideways (I think they called it a "rose ear" or something). Ripley was sold specifically as a pet with a spay contract, so I have no clue why the breeder thought it was necessary. Ripley didn't give any indication that it hurt or bothered her in any way. However, it did make for a lot of dorky looking puppy pictures. It also didn't work. Her ear sets remained mismatched and I grew to love them that way. I would never do something like that now. I just don't see the point. However, it doesn't bother me nearly as much as tail docking. I wish the US would ban those practices like they do in much of Europe now. Here's a picture of Ripley with her mismatched ear set. And here's Yoshi... I have no idea how you would describe these ears, but I love em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertranger Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Jin has mismatched ear. I love 'em. I have an idea, let's take a set of matched ears and mismatch them. Start a new fashion trend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naterosenthal Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Gus has some humongous natural ears! Perhaps one day soon he will grow into them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Gus has some humongous natural ears! Perhaps one day soon he will grow into them Wow!! I LOVE those ears!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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