# Australian Shepherd--How do you know the ears are going to prick up?



## Tetrisash (Apr 17, 2014)

I have an Aussie puppy who's just over three months, and when we first got him his ears were always down. The past few days I've noticed the ears kind of...er, don't know what to call it, more perked but bending still? Particularly the right ear more than the other. It's like that a lot now. Is it just some quirk or is his ear(s) going to perk up?

EDIT: Just noticed that when he's more on alert (aka really-wants-to-play-with-the-cat-who-despises-him) they stick straight up.


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## upendi'smommy (Nov 12, 2008)

They could go prick or they could come down. Ears tend to go wonky during teething. If you don't want prick ears and want to encourage an earset you can tape or glue.


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## Tetrisash (Apr 17, 2014)

Oh no. I won't be showing or breeding him or anything so if they end up pricked, flopped, it's all fine. I think he'll be adorable with pricked ears so we'll see.  Thanks!


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

You just never know, honestly. 

My puppy's ears started out like this at 8 weeks:


Then started wonking out around 3 to 4 months: 


Six months did this:


And then my signature is current. I don't really like taping of the ears because then you never know what they are naturally like.


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

From what I understand, if they "perk up" at all by 5 months, you'll get some kind of "perk" after teething is over with. Whether you get a full prick ear like a German Shepherd or the half prick like the sig above, I don't know.


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

The breed standard calls for between 1/4 and 1/2 of the ear to be lifted. You never know for sure what your gunna get till they are about 10 months. And I find that ears continue to slowly raise as the dog gets older.


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

I think it's cute when ears go wonky during teething  especially breeds like GSDs, whatever they do it sure is cute


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

Keechak said:


> The breed standard calls for between 1/4 and 1/2 of the ear to be lifted. You never know for sure what your gunna get till they are about 10 months. And I find that ears continue to slowly raise as the dog gets older.


Why do AKC dogs always seem to have completely flopped ears? If you google "AKC australian shepherd" you get a bunch of floppy eared dogs, what gives?


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

Kayota said:


> Why do AKC dogs always seem to have completely flopped ears? If you google "AKC australian shepherd" you get a bunch of floppy eared dogs, what gives?


Different interpretations and different standard. The AKC standard doesn't specify how much lift, it's wording is 
"_Ears are triangular, of moderate size and leather, set high on the head. At full attention they break forward and over, or to the side as a rose ear. Prick ears and hanging ears are severe faults._"

But we see the same ears you describe in ASCA whos standard states
"_ The ears are set high on the side of the head, are triangular, of moderate size and slightly rounded at the tip. The tip of the ear reaches to, but not further than, the inside corner of the nearest eye. At full attention, the ears should lift from one-quarter (1/4) to one-half (1/2) above the base and break forward or slightly to the side._"

and in that case it is up to interpretation. Some feel that just having lift on the outside edge of the ear is enough.


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## Tetrisash (Apr 17, 2014)

ForTheLoveOfDogs said:


> You just never know, honestly.
> 
> My puppy's ears started out like this at 8 weeks:
> 
> ...


So adorable!! Thanks for the responses, everyone! His ears are really adorable. They range from lying back, to floppy, to one ear floppy and one back, to one pricked, to both pricked when he's super interested/surprised. Really curious how they'll turn out, haha.


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## Tetrisash (Apr 17, 2014)

The right ear is straight as of today, even when he's just laying around and unexcited. Left ear is still floppy and only going straight when excited/surprised. I hope after teething is done the ears will be like that--one straight, one floppy. So adorable.


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