When do Yorkshire Terrier ears stand up?

Why don't Yorkies have ears?

The answer to the question why Yorkies have disproportionately large ears is simple - these are the characteristics of the breed. There are many reasons for sagging cartilage. Typically the problem occurs due to the following factors:

heredity;
heaviness (due to too much growing hair);
weakness of ear cartilage;
change of teeth;
vaccination;
weakened immunity;
stress;
lack of calcium and vitamins;
blood flow disturbance.

Drooping ears are considered a breed defect

Heredity is the hardest thing to deal with. The only way out is surgery. Although for a show dog this is a bad option, since experts can disqualify a Yorkie if they notice scars. In addition, dogs undergo surgery very painfully. And the recovery process takes a long time. Therefore, you need to carefully weigh the pros and cons before deciding to take this extreme step.

It happens that owners, out of ignorance, themselves provoke ear deformities. To maintain the integrity of cartilage, the following recommendations must be followed:

You should not stroke your pet's head.
When removing a dog's collar, it must be unfastened.
It is important to pay attention to how children and adults play with your pet: you should not pull the baby’s ears or twist them.
There is no need to tie bows on shells that are not yet strong.

Bows and other decorations can deform ears

Once you understand the reason why your Yorkie's ears don't stand up, it's much easier to figure out the solution.

Why do Yorkies' ears not stand up?

In the first 7-9 weeks, the ear cartilage of a Yorkshire Terrier puppy is soft and weak. They are unable to hold the sink in a standing position. The ears of Yorkie puppies will begin to stand up closer to 3 months, when the cartilage gets stronger.

Yorkie is 4 months old, but his ears are not standing? It's time to deal with the reasons.

Genetic predisposition. The change in the Yorkie breed standard was adopted just under 30 years ago, so echoes of the transformation can still be encountered to this day. The answer to the question “Why don’t my Yorkie’s ears stand up?” may be the “awakened” gene of a great-grandmother or great-grandfather. Until the last decade of the 20th century, half-drop ears were acceptable for the Yorkshire Terrier show dog. Three successive canine generations do not form a sufficient time barrier to be sure of the absence of such a defect. Before purchasing a purebred puppy, you should carefully study its pedigree.
Heavy ears. Cartilage may simply not be able to cope with the weight load caused by the impressive size of the shell or the abundant and dense hair.
Weak cartilage. The underdevelopment and weakness of the cartilage, which is designed to support the dog's ear in a standing position, is another reason that a dog grows up with floppy ears.
Tooth loss. It is not uncommon for a Yorkie's ears to fall off during the process of changing teeth. The dog’s body mobilizes all resources and nutrients to form dental tissue. The weakened cartilage cannot cope with the load and the ear droops. If the ears were standing well before the teeth fell out, there is no reason to worry - as soon as the dental tissue is formed, the minerals will be redistributed and the ears will rise again.
Vaccinations against diseases and diseases. Routine vaccinations help protect the dog from dangerous diseases, and its owners from numerous hassles. However, some vaccines can weaken the puppy's body. If before vaccination the pet kept its ears up, and after the procedure or illness the Yorkie’s ears do not stand up, you should give the puppy time to rest and recover.
Experiences and negative impact. Your Yorkie's ears may not go up due to stress, anxiety, or other negative psychological factors. You should make sure that the dog is well cared for and is not overexerted or exposed to harmful influences from the owner, household members, guests or other pets.
Deficiency of nutrients. A lack of calcium and beneficial vitamins can negatively affect puppies both on the position of the ears and on their general condition. It is worth consulting with a veterinarian about prescribing vitamin supplements and following a special diet enriched with calcium.
Incorrect care. The fault of the incorrect position of the ears may be the influence of the owner or family members. The cartilage of a Yorkie puppy is very thin, stroking the head can injure them or cause floppy ears. Damage is also caused by:

Pulling the fastened collar over the dog's head;
Pulling ears during play or training;
Inversion of the ears.

Why do you need to put ears on?

Previously, the Yorkshire Terrier breed standard allowed ears that were not fully erect. After 1990, international requirements became stricter. From then on, the ears of a puppy who has reached the age of six months should be:

pointed shape;
medium size;
set high, but not wide;
covered with fine wool.

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Compliance with the conditions described above is necessary for Yorkies who are going to take part in exhibitions. If the dog was purchased as a pet, there is no need to be upset if some condition does not meet the requirements.

Important! Sagging ears do not affect the dog's hearing or health in any way.

What to do if your Yorkshire Terrier's ears don't stand up: support nature

Before starting to level the sinks, the owner must understand that this is a lengthy procedure. Depending on the characteristics of the puppy, it takes from 2 weeks to several months. There are several working ways to put on a Yorkie's ears.

Rolling into a tube

Before the procedure, the pet’s ears are cut: short hairs are removed with a clipper, long hairs are shortened with scissors. The inner surface of the sink is cleaned with cosmetics. For dressing you will need an adhesive plaster and a bandage.

The ears are curled into tubes resembling snail horns. They must stand strictly vertically.
Leave a gap so the pet can hear.
Wrap a bandage on top.
If necessary, fasten together with adhesive tape (for symmetry).
The dressing is changed once every 2-3 days. Peeling off the patch causes pain to the pet, so the procedure should be carried out carefully.

Using cotton swabs

They serve as a frame for sinks. Tape or a triangle-shaped patch is attached to the inside of the ear. The cotton part is removed from the sticks, cut to the length of the sides of the ears and placed on tape. Cover the top with the same piece of material.

For reliability, apply a bandage and fasten the ears together with a bridge made of plaster or tape. The structure is replaced every 3-7 days. With any method, massage the shells daily to improve blood flow. If your ears become sweaty or irritating, you will need to change the bandage more often. A few important notes:

Installation is carried out after 3 months of age, preferably at 4-5 months. Before this, there is a risk of incorrectly placing cartilage that is still too soft.
When one ear fails, two are still aligned at once - for complete symmetry.
One out of 100 puppies will not have their shells upright - breeding defects. Only surgery will help.

Should a Yorkshire Terrier's ears stand up? According to breed standards, yes. If the defect is noticed in time, the shells are leveled using simple manipulations, but in some puppies they may not stand up due to congenital pathologies. Floppy ears in Yorkies are an aesthetic defect of the breed, but they do not affect the pet’s quality of life.

At what age do Yorkie puppies' ears stand up and how to help them?

Castration of dogs: at what age and is it necessary?

Many potential buyers wonder when Yorkies' ears stand up. This usually happens before the puppy is 3 months old, so by the time the puppy is sold, it looks like a standard representative of the breed. But it also happens differently. However, there is no need to panic ahead of time. But if your baby is over 16 weeks old and the sinks are still sagging, it’s time to think about how to install them.

Note! In some cases (when changing baby teeth or after vaccination), ears that are already erect may fall off. When the incisors and fangs grow, calcium metabolism in the body will improve and the shells will straighten.

If the baby has reached the age of four months, and the ears still do not stick up, we need to help them. Otherwise, the Yorkie may remain lop-eared. The first sure way is to enrich your diet with essential vitamins and minerals.

Balanced feeding is the key to proper development of cartilage

You should give your puppy more beef broth, cartilage, and gelatin diluted in water. When contacting a veterinarian, he will help you choose a special vitamin complex with the optimal combination of necessary substances. It is not recommended to do this on your own, as it is important to take into account the age, weight and health of the dog.

If the ears droop after being in a standing position, the veterinarian will select a complex with increased levels of calcium and phosphorus, intended for the desired type of dog. In this case, the owner must show special attention to the puppy. Properly selected balanced nutrition, walks in the fresh air, and caring for your pet will help in solving the problem.

If the shells still do not take the correct position, you will have to use special techniques described below.

Staging methods

In addition to changing your dog's diet, there are several mechanical ways to set your Yorkie's ears. In this case, both ears are always fixed, even if one is drooping. This is necessary to secure and align the shells relative to the middle of the head.

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If the puppy feels uncomfortable with the device on its head and tries to pull it off, you should try to switch the baby’s attention. Another protective measure is a special funnel-shaped collar. When using it, the dog will not be able to reach the top of the head. Usually dogs quickly get used to having their ears fixed and stop paying attention to it.

Additional Information! All methods of ear mounting include preliminary trimming of fur from the shells. This must be done carefully, otherwise the patch will not stick. After which you need to treat your ears with lotion and clean the wax.

Before starting the procedure, the dog must be securely secured: wrapped in thick cloth or asked an assistant to hold the pet.

Cotton swab

The most painless method of fixing the ears with minimal tension is the use of cotton swabs. For gluing using this method you will need:

Bonding with tape

This technique uses masking tape. You need to cut out 4 triangles in the shape of the dog’s ear, and glue them together in pairs. Then place the blanks in the ears and secure them with tape, wrapping it around each ear in 3 steps.

Wrinkles should not be allowed to form. In case of an error, it is better to do everything again. The structure is used for 7 days. If the ears do not stand up after this period, you can repeat all the steps again. Before gluing the ears again, you need to take a break for a couple of days.

Addition – “Crown”

When gluing ears using the folding method, each ear is bent down in half. In this case, you need to make sure that there are no creases or folds, otherwise the ears will not take the correct position. Next, both ears are connected at the top of the head and wrapped with a bandage in a circle. The resulting structure resembles a crown in appearance.

After 4 days, the tape must be removed. If the ears still sag, the winding can be repeated after a day.

tube

After preliminary cutting, each ear is rolled into a tube. The ear canal must be left open. Next, wrap the patch around each ear separately, avoiding the appearance of folds. To fix the ears vertically, they are glued together with adhesive tape in a raised position.

The puppy must tolerate the “tubes” for 3 days. If the desired effect is not achieved the first time, the procedure is repeated after resting for 24 hours.

Gluing using the “tube” method

Additional Information! To make the patch peel off more easily, it is pre-moistened with vegetable oil.

Usually one or more of the above measures will help straighten your Yorkie's ears. If after six months the puppy remains lop-eared, only plastic surgery can help.

How to install Yorkie ears yourself - the most effective methods

You can set your ears in a vertical position on your own, but only if the dog does not have congenital or acquired pathologies.

Ear folding

This method gives quick results if done regularly. Algorithm of actions:

Each ear must be folded in half. The appearance of creases and folds must be avoided.
Secure with adhesive tape on the back of the head.
Wear the design for 3 days.

After 3 days, the adhesive plaster must be removed so that the ears can rest. If the first time it was not possible to achieve a vertical position, the procedure is repeated again after some time. There is nothing wrong with having to carry out this manipulation many times.

Attention! It is necessary to glue 2 ears, even if one of them is positioned correctly. This must be done to ensure that the ears are symmetrical.

tube

Before installing the ears of a terrier using this method, the dog must be bathed and the shells thoroughly cleaned. The method is easy and not difficult to do on your own:

The fur near the ears is trimmed as much as possible, otherwise the patch will not be able to stick properly.
Each ear must be rolled into a tube. The manipulation is carried out in such a way that the ear canal remains open.
An adhesive plaster must be wrapped around each folded ear, securing the tubes made. You need to glue the patch so as not to press too hard on the skin, otherwise the blood circulation process will be disrupted. It is also necessary to ensure that there are no folds or creases.
When the tubes are fixed, they must be lifted and glued together with adhesive tape so that they remain in a standing position. A small space is left between them.

The duration of walking with this design does not exceed 3 days. If this method does not give a positive result the first time, the procedure for forming the tubes is repeated again.

The twisting method is one of the most effective methods

Stick method

This method is preferable because it is easier for dogs to handle because there is not as much pressure applied to the edges of the shells as with other methods. Algorithm of actions:

The ends of the cotton swabs are cut so that they are slightly shorter in length than the length of the animal's ear.
Strips are cut from the plaster longer than the prepared sticks, but not exceeding the length of the ear.
Each cotton swab must be placed on a piece of plaster and covered with a second strip of adhesive tape on top.
The prepared structure is inserted into the dog’s ear, but not deeply.
The structure is fixed with adhesive tape.

Instead of cotton swabs, you can use masking tape to make the structure, which is folded several times. This method is recommended for use if your pet has weak cartilage and cotton swabs may be too heavy for them.

Using cotton swabs is a safe method that gives visible results in a few days

You can wear the design with chopsticks for no more than 7 days. If after this time the ears have not been corrected, the manipulation must be repeated after some time. Carrying sticks doesn’t cause much trouble for your pet. After a couple of hours, the Yorkie gets used to the fact that there is something in his ear and stops paying attention to it.

Attention! When the Yorkie's ears stand up, the patch is removed. It can be lubricated with vegetable oil. This will make it easier to remove the patch from the skin without causing pain to the animal.

Removing excess hair

If the auricle does not bend completely, but only the tips sag, most likely the reason is that the coat is too thick. Removing the excess helps reduce ear strain. The fur is cut with scissors or shaved with a trimmer from the outside.

The hairs inside the ears can be plucked. There are no nerve endings in the ear canal of Yorkshire Terriers, so the procedure is painless. It also has a positive effect on ear straightening.

Regular massage

The massage is designed to strengthen cartilage and muscle fibers. With regular stimulation of the ears, blood in this area begins to circulate more actively, delivering minerals and nutrients to the tissues.

The procedure must be carried out with great care. If applied incorrectly, the likelihood of ear damage increases.

The procedure is performed as follows:

The index finger is carefully placed into the auricle at a shallow depth.
The thumb is placed on the outside of the ear.
Stimulation is carried out in a circular motion with a smooth stretching of the ears in the direction from the base to the end.

Important! It is better to entrust the first session to an experienced specialist.

2-3 sessions are required per day. Then the effectiveness of the procedure will increase. But you need to know that massage does not provide a 100% guarantee of straightening cartilage.

How to put ears on a Yorkie?

If you suddenly find that your Yorkie's ear is starting to curl, you need to immediately help your pet in the correct position. Straightening your pet's ears at home is not as difficult as it might seem at first. Your helpers in this matter should be patience and perseverance (author of the video Alena LOVE).

Method 1

An effective means for shaping the ear will be special glue. It is created specifically for such situations and is sold at pet stores. This is the most non-traumatic way for a dog. To implement it, you just need to glue the tips of your Yorkie’s ears together for a week so as not to cover the pinna. After a week, the glue can be washed off without much difficulty.

It is better to glue the ears for a week, then take a break for 3 days and glue them again.

Method 2

A medical patch is the best and most effective method for dogs with floppy ears. For use, it is recommended to use a paper patch rather than a fabric one, since it is less traumatic to the pet’s skin when removed.

You can glue your ear in different ways:

The “tube” method, in which the hair on the pet’s ears is cut off so as not to cause discomfort in the dog when removing the patch. Every morning, the animal's hearing aid is rolled up into a tube and sealed with adhesive tape, without closing the ear canal. The ears, rolled into tubes, rise vertically and are fastened together with adhesive tape. After a week, if the patch does not help, the procedure should be repeated again. How many times to repeat depends on the result.
The folding method is characterized by the fact that the ear is folded in half and then wrapped with a bandage.
The cotton swab method is more complicated. Using a trimmer, you need to remove the hair from inside the ear, then cut a piece of the patch exactly to size and glue it inside. Then remove both ends of the cotton swab and attach it to the plaster, and glue another piece of adhesive plaster onto the stick. We can assume that your pet will like this method the most, because it does not require twisting the ear.

Method 3

You can improve your Yorkie's ears with a daily massage. This is done as follows: several times a day, or better in the morning and evening, you should massage the skin with rotating movements, moving from the base to the tip of the ear.

The massage will direct blood to the cartilage, so that the formation of cartilage in the hearing aid will proceed correctly. Which method is better is up to you to decide; the main thing is to do something before the situation cannot be corrected.

Breeders' advice

In order not to damage the puppy’s sensitive ears or disrupt the process of natural raising of the shells, you must follow the principles recommended by experienced breeders:

Timeliness. After studying the information about what time a Yorkie’s ears should become stronger and stand up, it becomes clear that mechanical methods of installation can be started after 4 months.
Reliability. If the dog tries to tear off the structure that secures the ears, you need to use a high collar that limits access to the top of the head. If there are other pets in the house, the sinks should be treated with a special Anti-Gryzin solution. It has a pungent odor and contains pepper. The product must be applied with caution.
Regularity. Changing garters in a timely manner will allow you to observe the process of lifting cartilage and help you notice the result in time.
Control. If the structure is damaged, it is not necessary to completely redo it. It is enough to glue the winding with an additional piece of plaster.
Hypoallergenic. Pasting is done only with hypoallergenic materials; the use of electrical tape is not allowed.

The Yorkshire Terrier is a cute pet, capable of giving a lot of positive emotions, and a loyal friend. Any Yorkie owner wants his pet to be healthy, cheerful and cheerful. Attentive owners surround their dogs with care and love and carefully monitor their appearance.

Creative care for your pet's appearance

But as with other decorative breeds, Yorkshire terriers have their own characteristics and possible defects. Most often, a problem arises with the straightening of the ear cartilages.

Before wondering how to properly position the ears of a Yorkshire Terrier, it is recommended that you study the information above. Having figured out when a Yorkie's ears stand up naturally, it becomes clear in which cases feeding can be done and whether additional external fixation is needed.

How to properly position the ears of a Yorkshire Terrier?

Depending on the cause of drooping ears, an individual method of “raising” them is selected for each Yorkshire Terrier.

The only thing common to all puppies is taking vitamin supplements, which include:

Calcium;
Fluorine;
Vitamin D;
Vitamin A;
B vitamins.

In addition, mechanical methods are used to influence the form and position.

Removing excess hair

Without excess hair, the weight of the ears is noticeably lighter - they “jump” up quite quickly. A similar procedure is also necessary if you plan to create a fixing structure from adhesive tape - it can stick to the hairs, which can lead to problematic removal.

Yorkshire terrier ear cutting pattern

Requirements for shaving accessories:

lack of noise and vibration - they can frighten and cause stress in a small animal;
for the reason described above, human razors are not suitable for cutting - it is better to purchase a special automatic trimmer at a veterinary store;

Moser “Rex” dog trimmer

If you accustom your puppy to this procedure, in the future he will be more relaxed about haircuts and other cosmetic procedures.

the blades should not overheat during shaving;

The coat should be trimmed about once a week from the tips almost to the very base of the ears on the outside and inside.

Example of trimmed ears of a Yorkshire Terrier

It is recommended to perform the procedure immediately after bathing and drying. The hair inside the ear needs to be powdered before removal - for this it is better to use tweezers instead of a trimmer. First, the insides of the ears are treated, gradually moving on to work on their outer parts.

The Yorkshire Terrier requires careful grooming. It manifests itself in daily hygiene procedures, as well as the need for frequent haircuts. Ungroomed fur causes many problems. You can find out how to cut a Yorkie's hair at home in our separate article.