1 1/2 year old Doberman lazy ear? Help!

[Whosisjules]

So my Doberman had both standing ears for a good amount of time after his postings sessions were done, but one day at around him being 11 months he got an ear infection which caused his left ear to drop down, we went on to continue posting his ears and it went right back up, but after a few hours we’ll catch him with his ear back down and he doesn’t pick it up, at times he will while we walk but now it has become rare to see both stand on their own, he’s a year and 6 months and we’ve been posting his ears ever since but he had to be neutered recently and coming off the surgery we can’t really continue posting his ear and we can still see that his left ear still droops down, do you think he’ll eventually lift it himself or has it become a lost cause ?? I’ve heard of some Dobermans continuing their posts after 18 months and some luckily made it through but coming from his vet he didn’t notice any damaged cartilage or any of that sort and like I said , there will be times both of his ears do stand, what can I do to have him continue or prevent him from thinking keeping his left ear is down is okay?? Any advice would be great, thank you!! Here’s some photos attached so you can see how he tends to have it up sometimes, but 9 times out of 10 his left ear will stay down.

 

[JanS]

Welcome from Minnesota!

He's a handsome boy and I think there is still hope since it looks like he has thick cartilage and that can take longer.

 

[Oh Little Oji]

Darn that neutering!

I just want to send you my encouragement!

I don't think it's that he is consciously not putting the ear up. The resting position for a cropped ear is erect.

Posting is a pretty relentless game. The amount of time that an ear spends flopped or drooped vs. the amount of time it spends up matters. Personally, I prefer a short crop both for easier/quicker success, and because a short crop is in keeping with some of the main purposes for a crop.

Yes, thicker ear leather is more challenging to get to stand. Two Dobes for me had thicker leather. Both ears stood, no question; but they both had a slight outwards lean, especially when he was relaxed. Yes, relaxed vs. alert is different, but again, the dog does not consciously hold the ear up or let it flop.

I would say, at this point, consistent posting offers you a real shot at fixing that ear.

 

[Whosisjules]

Welcome from Minnesota!

He's a handsome boy and I think there is still hope since it looks like he has thick cartilage and that can take longer.

Thanks! How bad do you think it would be if we stop posting because of his surgery at the moment ?

 

[Whosisjules]

Darn that neutering!

I just want to send you my encouragement!

I don't think it's that he is consciously not putting the ear up. The resting position for a cropped ear is erect.

Posting is a pretty relentless game. The amount of time that an ear spends flopped or drooped vs. the amount of time it spends up matters. Personally, I prefer a short crop both for easier/quicker success, and because a short crop is in keeping with some of the main purposes for a crop.

Yes, thicker ear leather is more challenging to get to stand. Two Dobes for me had thicker leather. Both ears stood, no question; but they both had a slight outwards lean, especially when he was relaxed. Yes, relaxed vs. alert is different, but again, the dog does not consciously hold the ear up or let it flop.

I would say, at this point, consistent posting offers you a real shot at fixing that ear.

Thanks so much! If it comes a time where I cant Post for a while do you think it would just elongate his posting process or just ruin his chance of lifting the ear completely?

 

[Oh Little Oji]

Thanks so much! If it comes a time where I cant Post for a while do you think it would just elongate his posting process or just ruin his chance of lifting the ear completely?

Well, I'll just make sure we are understanding that it is not whether the dog can lift the ear. It's a matter of in what position the cartilage is hardened. Yes, there is obviously muscle use and control involved, but he, like basically all dogs, has exhibited that he can use those muscles. This is a matter of the cartilage in that flopped ear not being hardened enough in the standing position.

To your question specifically: I wish I could say there is a concrete answer. We can't really say. Yes, either outcome is likely. Given that he is 1 1/2 years old, I'd say that if there are periods of time when you cannot post for a while, it is likely that his chances of that ear standing are less than 50%.

Bear in mind that I'm not the biggest expert on ear posting on here. I've done three of my Dobes in a row. Some here have done way more.

My first Doberman, however, had a flopped ear. One stood great. One flat refused to stand. He even had a short/military crop, and still this. I had waited longer than recommended to have the ears cropped, and the vet gave me poor advice on posting. In fact, it was not posting at all. It was just taping. So... I pioneered an unorthodox solution and put it into effect. It worked! Ear stood from that night on and for the rest of his life. I don't think it would be advisable for me to share the method though. All that to say I've been through it with ear posting.

 

[Ravenbird]

he had to be neutered recently and coming off the surgery we can’t really continue posting his ear

Why can't you post his ears just because of surgery?

We can't really say. Yes, either outcome is likely. Given that he is 1 1/2 years old, I'd say that if there are periods of time when you cannot post for a while, it is likely that his chances of that ear standing are less than 50%.

I agree. It also depends on how much his ears have been out of posts for the last 6 months. If posting was irregular because of the ear infection and/or they were looking good and he had days or a week of down time, chances are that cartilage will be hard to reset. If it's been 24/7 in posts since day one I'd still say 50/50. I'm not that experienced in posting, but just speaking of the healing process and changes in ear cartilage physically.

I had waited longer than recommended to have the ears cropped

That can affect results as well. @Whosisjules what age was your puppy cropped?

Also, that photo of him balancing treats all over the head and paws is priceless! I wish you luck and I know you'll love him no matter what the outcome of the left ear.

 

[Whosisjules]

Why can't you post his ears just because of surgery?


I agree. It also depends on how much his ears have been out of posts for the last 6 months. If posting was irregular because of the ear infection and/or they were looking good and he had days or a week of down time, chances are that cartilage will be hard to reset. If it's been 24/7 in posts since day one I'd still say 50/50. I'm not that experienced in posting, but just speaking of the healing process and changes in ear cartilage physically.


That can affect results as well. @Whosisjules what age was your puppy cropped?

Also, that photo of him balancing treats all over the head and paws is priceless! I wish you luck and I know you'll love him no matter what the outcome of the left ear.

I was Saying he couldn’t have em cropped because of his cone but for some reason he’s been lifting his left ear ever since we changed out the cone of shame to this inflatable e collar . I dont Really know why he decides to keep it lifted now though, maybe touching the back of his ear affects something?

His ears were cropped at 4 months and we kept it posted until he got his ear infection, after that it had been on and off but he would only have his post off for like maybe a day or a day and a half max before we would re post it

 

[Whosisjules]

Well, I'll just make sure we are understanding that it is not whether the dog can lift the ear. It's a matter of in what position the cartilage is hardened. Yes, there is obviously muscle use and control involved, but he, like basically all dogs, has exhibited that he can use those muscles. This is a matter of the cartilage in that flopped ear not being hardened enough in the standing position.

To your question specifically: I wish I could say there is a concrete answer. We can't really say. Yes, either outcome is likely. Given that he is 1 1/2 years old, I'd say that if there are periods of time when you cannot post for a while, it is likely that his chances of that ear standing are less than 50%.

Bear in mind that I'm not the biggest expert on ear posting on here. I've done three of my Dobes in a row. Some here have done way more.

My first Doberman, however, had a flopped ear. One stood great. One flat refused to stand. He even had a short/military crop, and still this. I had waited longer than recommended to have the ears cropped, and the vet gave me poor advice on posting. In fact, it was not posting at all. It was just taping. So... I pioneered an unorthodox solution and put it into effect. It worked! Ear stood from that night on and for the rest of his life. I don't think it would be advisable for me to share the method though. All that to say I've been through it with ear posting.

We changed out his cone to an inflatable e collar and he now continues to keep his left ear up!! But still trying to see why, maybe the donut touches the back of his ear a certain way but sometimes his left ear isn’t touching anything but he keeps it up! Pretty strange case honestly lol

 

[Ravenbird]

That's great it's staying up. I was thinking you were referring to the surgery itself, didn't think about a cone. The inflatables are much better than cones if you have to use that sort of thing!

His ears were cropped at 4 months and we kept it posted until he got his ear infection, after that it had been on and off but he would only have his post off for like maybe a day or a day and a half max before we would re post it

4 months is running late, so that could have been a set back. Usually ears are done at 8 - 10 weeks and 12 - 14 weeks is pushing it. If you ever do this again with another puppy, one of the key things when you first start to test the ears is not to leave them out of posts when they sleep. If they sleep on the ear folded down - one of those hard sleeps like at night - it can cause a crease or "break" in the cartilage that looks like where yours is folded. I'm hoping that fold was some kind of sensitivity to the cone and maybe you're all good now! They look great in those photos!

 

[Two Dobes]

I would keep posting...it may just need that extra time to harden...but again; can't answer definitively. He is ADORABLE. Love your photos, and WELCOME!

 

[UnitySpirit64]

So my Doberman had both standing ears for a good amount of time after his postings sessions were done, but one day at around him being 11 months he got an ear infection which caused his left ear to drop down, we went on to continue posting his ears and it went right back up, but after a few hours we’ll catch him with his ear back down and he doesn’t pick it up, at times he will while we walk but now it has become rare to see both stand on their own, he’s a year and 6 months and we’ve been posting his ears ever since but he had to be neutered recently and coming off the surgery we can’t really continue posting his ear and we can still see that his left ear still droops down, do you think he’ll eventually lift it himself or has it become a lost cause ?? I’ve heard of some Dobermans continuing their posts after 18 months and some luckily made it through but coming from his vet he didn’t notice any damaged cartilage or any of that sort and like I said , there will be times both of his ears do stand, what can I do to have him continue or prevent him from thinking keeping his left ear is down is okay?? Any advice would be great, thank you!! Here’s some photos attached so you can see how he tends to have it up sometimes, but 9 times out of 10 his left ear will stay down.

lazy tongue too. LOL I hope it got better. Im still posting mine and she just turned 1 year old.