Rottweiler Ear Taping

fly away ear tape

Ear taping is simple, non-invasive, and only has to stay on for a couple of days. There are no medical benefits to correctly set ears, so do not feel obligated to tap if you would rather not. 

A Rottweiler’s ears should set level with the top of his head. They should provide strength and add width to his whole headpiece. They should also be carried close to his head.

Why do you tape Rottweiler ears? 

rottweiler ear taping

When the Rottweiler’s are either set or carried incorrectly, it distracts from the appearance of a strong, broad head. When the ears are pulled out so far from the head, they are called “fly-away ears”.

Sometimes, the ears are set too high this is genetics and although ear taping might help them get closer, they may remain high set for the dog’s life. Sometimes, however, the ears are set correctly, but when the puppy starts teething, the discomfort from the teething process causes the puppy to hold his ear back. The cartilage in a pup’s ear is very malleable and trainable, meaning if it held or carried a certain way for a length of time. It will have the propensity to stay that way. So when a puppy pulls his ears back in reaction to the discomfort of teething, his ears can sometimes start to fold back and then stay that way. By ear taping \, we retain that cartilage to fold the correct way so that the pup’s ears are carried correctly.  

The pups to the left’s ears are set too high. They fold correctly and are carried correctly as they can be, so taping would not help this pup significantly.

Ear cropping isn’t the same as ear taping 

Cropping is the exclusion of part or all of the pinnae or auricles, the outside visible flap of the ear and earhole, of an animal; sometimes taping involves to make the ears pointy. Most commonly implemented on dogs, it is an ancient practice that was once done for perceived health, practical or cosmetic reasons. In modern times, it is banned in many nations, but is still legal in a limited number of countries. Where permitted it is seen only in certain breeds of dog such as the Pit bull, Miniature Pinscher, German Pinscher, Doberman

How to tape your Rottweiler puppies ear correctly?

Items needed duct tape and scissors.

Tear about a  4-inch piece of duct tape.

Cut a notch about 1 to 2 inches on one side.

Cut a notch nearly 2.5 inches on the other side.

Fold the flap of tape to itself.

Fold the dog’s ear inside out.

Stick the smaller sticky side to the dog’s ear at the highest point possible to the head.

Wrap the tape around the ear until it sticks to its self. Pop-out the ear.

The ear will lay now forward and the crease should show.

Leave the tape on for one week and check. If the ear still creases then re tape the ear for another week.

Ear cropping?

Dog ears come in a range of shapes and sizes, much resembling the different breeds themselves. However, rather than cherish their dog for how they’ have naturally come into the sphere, some owners think it’s a good idea to engage in ear cropping to get a more “appropriate” appearance. This tends to happen often in breeds like Great Danes, pit bulls, Dobermans and schnauzers.

The main issue is that ear cropping amounts to nothing more than forced distortion so that poorly learned owners can make their dog what they think to be prettier or fiercer. They often argue that floppy, natural ears should be cropped off because they’re prone to infection. But it’s not right. In fact, research shows that ear shape has little effect on the risk of a dog getting an infection. About 80 percent of dogs never contract one at all. Some who do get the most infections are poodles and spaniels, breeds whose ears typically are not cropped anyway.

What are Rottweiler’s ear issues?

Ear infections in dogs are common and most of the dogs suffer from this tragic condition sometimes. Scratching and rubbing at the ears and head shaking are common signs of this condition. You may also notice an abnormal odor from the ear or see redness or sometimes swelling. Most ear infections in adults are affected by bacteria and yeast, though ear mites are the main cause in puppies. Your veterinarian will take a sample from the affected ear(s) and observe it under the microscope to help identify, what microorganisms are present. 

What is the treatment? 

For effective treatment, you should clean the ear with a gentle cleanser as the ear will be painful. One of the best ways to clean the ear is to fill the ear canal with the cleaning solution, place a suitable sized cotton ball in the ear canal opening and then slightly massage the ear at the base. The cotton ball performs many tasks. It works as a lid to the allow the fluid to go back and forth in the canal, it absorbs the excess solution and it holds onto the debris as it comes up, letting you know about what is down in the ear canal. As long as your dog bears it, you can clean the ear many times unless the cotton ball comes out fairly clean. 

Ear cleaning cautions

There are some precautions to take when cleaning a dog’s ear. Do not use Q-Tip swabs, May they push debris deeper into the ear canal and explode the eardrum. Do not use rubbing alcohol or any type of solution which irritates the swollen skin. After the ear canal is cleaned, allow it to dry for almost 10 minutes. Then enter the medicines your veterinarian has suggested to you. The length of treatment depends on the patient, the severity of infection, and any changes to the ear (i.e., thickening of the tissue in the ear). In some cases oral medications are also necessary (antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, anti-yeast). Your veterinarian will schedule rechecks to make sure the medications are working well and the infection is cleared up.

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