“Testing” the ears without posts

[remy]

I know everyone does things a little differently, so I’m curious to get some feedback from those of you who have posted ears!

When you thought you were done or nearly done posting how did you “test” the ears? Did you leave them unposted for a certain amount of time then post again? Or did you leave them unposted until there was a change (flopping etc) in the ears then repost?

Remy’s ears have always been very consistent and never flopped since we started posting. He’ll be 9 months old in a few days and I feel like he could be done soon (maybe he already is lol). The longest he’s had his posts off was about 8-10 hours and there was no change in the ears during that time.

My thought is I will post for a few more weeks, then start using breathe right strips incase the tips are weak at all. I feel like if I’m going to spend all this time posting they should not only be standing, but should look as good as they can, so I don’t really mind how long it will take until we are done.

 

[Ravenbird]

The longest he’s had his posts off was about 8-10 hours and there was no change in the ears during that time.

Sounds like a pretty good test to me! I'd think you could do the breathe right strips now, but I'm not an expert and I've never had a dog with the long show crop.

With the medium crop, Asha was done with posts at 6 months, but I continued with the strips for a while after that.

 

[JanS]

Yup that sounds like a plan to me. With ours I'd leave them out overnight since that's a big test to see if sleeping on them causes them to droop. I've had Olives out for 3 or 4 days and they stay rock solid but the tips would start tilting in after that amount of time so the breathe rights are working great now at 6.5 months. Hers have been in since 9/8 and still holding strong.

Seeing photos of Remy's ears, I think they're done with posting.

 

[Ddski5]

If you work during the week, then wait for the weekend. That way you can watch/observe all day.

Leave them out and watch the ears, if they droop, then put them back up for another week. If they don’t droop, then I would leave them out all day and post at night so he doesn’t sleep on a bent ear. Then the next day, take them out again and watch closely. By doing this, you are allowing them to be free and get stronger under your watch. A couple of days with straight ears and no bending or flopping, then I may test them through the night. But I would make sure they are strong through the day before I would let them be free at night.

Most likely you will see the 1/2” tips be floppy…tips always take the longest. You can then use breathe-rite strips. I used the strips for prob 2-3weeks and the tips were still kinda flippy so I stopped with the strips and the tips eventually got stronger and stood. Tbh, I liked the tips to be flippy, kinda gave them some goofy character. But they eventually hardened up with no worries.

 

[Rits]

Just watch the tips for any sagging forward or back with the breath rites. When you leave them out without anything, if they are flippy only at the very tip you can use breathe rites. If they are flippy a full length of breathe rite, I still post because the breathe rites inevitably will peel back at the bottom first when the glue wears off.

 

[remy]

Just watch the tips for any sagging forward or back with the breath rites. When you leave them out without anything, if they are flippy only at the very tip you can use breathe rites. If they are flippy a full length of breathe rite, I still post because the breathe rites inevitably will peel back at the bottom first when the glue wears off.

That’s one thing that worries me with those. I heard someone say the breathe rites can pull down the tips of the ears.

 

[Ddski5]

Ehhh….
Just make sure to get the x-large strips. At first, with Freyja, I would put the top of the strip at top of ear and then take another strip and put it vertical on the bottom of the other strip to make sure to extend down to the stronger bell of the ear- so I actually started with two strips vertical. When I did this, I shaved the interior ear hair so the glue would stick better. Oh yeah, the breathe rite would not stay adhered to the inner ear, had to used nail polish glue to help stick better. And you will have to cut the strips to contour to the ear.

 

[Ddski5]

Flippy tips:

 

[Rits]

That’s one thing that worries me with those. I heard someone say the breathe rites can pull down the tips of the ears.

You will know right away if they aren't ready for breathe rites if they sag or lean forward with them in. Fortunately, he lives with ya so you'll be able to correct anything right away! I put Revel in breathe rites when I shouldn't have because I didn't get that feedback I needed, to know they were still upright or leaning back (like they were...). It takes a while for them to "get messed up" so don't worry too much.

Do you have glue like torbots? I find the adhesive already on the breathe rite isn't enough so I put torbots on their ear and on the strip and wait until it turns tacky.

 

[JanS]

Do you have glue like torbots? I find the adhesive already on the breathe rite isn't enough so I put torbots on their ear and on the strip and wait until it turns tacky.

I do the same and the breathe rights are still tight and in place after a couple weeks. That's the beauty when you can just leave them in place til they loosen up/fall off, unlike posting.

 

[Gpcoguy]

I just posted Rose through teething. They seemed good after that so I stopped. This was her at about 6 months . They look a bit goofy but she grew into them

 

[Ddski5]

@Gpcoguy
She is beautiful!

 

[Rits]

I just posted Rose through teething. They seemed good after that so I stopped. This was her at about 6 months . They look a bit goofy but she grew into them View attachment 138304

Do you have a picture of her now to compare?