You must be confused by the many conflicting answers to this question…
After all, not following the proper timeline for posting your Dobie’s ears can be harmful…
But you still can’t seem to find a straightforward answer….
Well, that’s about to change as you’ve come to the right article.
Continue reading to discover:
- If it’s cruel to let dogs undergo this process.
- When you should stop posting your Doberman’s ears.
- The reason why Dobermans need their ears to be posted.
- 5 ways to know that it’s time to stop posting your Doberman puppy’s ears.
- And many more…
Table of contents
When to stop posting Doberman ears?
When to stop posting Doberman ears depends on how they’re cropped and posted. Moreover, it’ll also be based on the dog’s ability to keep their ears erect. Some say that the end of the teething stage is the mark. But, the most-followed advice is to stop posting when their ears can stand on their own.
5 ways to know that it’s time to stop posting your Doberman’s ears
#1: When their ears can stand on their own
The best way to test this is to see for yourself…
You have to observe if their ears can stand on their own.
“When can I check to see?”
You can do so during the maintenance of your dog’s posting…
But first, how do you post and maintain a Dobie’s ears?
Posting your Doberman’s ears
This is the most straightforward and helpful video regarding this:
As you’ll see, at the end, they advise you to change the posting every 5 to 6 days.
And when you do, clean their ears inside out. Make sure that you get rid of any debris that got trapped inside.
After that, you must wait for 15 minutes before putting a new post.
And while you wait that out, that’s where you check to see.
During that 15 minutes, observe if the dog’s ears can stand on their own.
If their ears can finally stand, doing another posting or two won’t be hurtful. It’s better to overdo it a little than risk losing your progress.
And what if their ears still flop while you rest them from posting?
Then they aren’t ready yet. With that, you must post them again and repeat the process.
Note: Make sure that your dog’s ears are clean and dry before redoing their tape.
Moreover, don’t take it off for a week or even just a day.
When you do that, their ears might lose progress. With that, the process will get longer and might be more complicated.
Also, remember that you must remain consistent and patient.
Your dog’s ears are going to stand up alone. And it might take weeks, months, or even a year.
#2: When they’re equally standing up
Imagine this:
You’re currently observing your dog’s ears while they rest from the tape…
And this is the situation…
Your Dobie’s right ear is standing up proudly…
However, the left one’s all floppy, not following the stance of the right.
Regardless of which is standing up or isn’t, their ears aren’t ready yet.
That’s because they have to be equally standing up. And, they must stay that way for the whole while…
Otherwise, you must continue posting your Dobie’s ears. Then, repeat the process of observing again and again…
Until eventually, their ears will both stand up and look alert all the time.
#3: Test their mood
Say that your dog’s ears are standing upright on their own without the tape…
And it’s been a while since they’ve been up…
However, you want to be even more sure.
Then, I suggest you observe how their ears appear in different moods.
How exactly?
You must watch how they react
According to research, dogs make use of visual communication.
What they do is adjust parts of their body to tell their humans something.
The simpler term for such is body language.
Moreover, canines also use tactile (touch), olfactory (smell), and auditory (hear) means.
But they make use of their body language the most.
Those aside, let’s focus on what their ears are trying to tell us.
VCA Hospitals tell us that ear positions mean different things in dogs. These are some examples:
| Ear position | Meaning |
| Neutral | Relaxed or alert, but not aroused |
| Flattened | Fearful or paranoid |
| Erect or standing up | Willing to be aggressive or alert and focused |
Now, no matter what mood your Dobie is in, their ears must remain erect after posting.
So, see it for yourself…
First is, of course, you must remove the tape on their ears.
If they remain erect, then they’re ready to be tested.
Find something to alert your Dobie. Then, let whatever stimulus you presented them pass…
That’s when you should start watching closely.
When they’re relaxed, see if their ears will go back down.
If their ears change positions, then you should continue posting your Doberman’s ears.
Remember, as I said, their ears must remain erect no matter what.
They could be in any mood…
They can be sitting or lying down…
During all those, their ears must remain standing up.
#4: Their ears should be completely healed
This isn’t the case of removing the tape on their ears because they’re finally healed…
It’s more of a stop-posting-because-their-ears-aren’t-healed-yet situation…
You see, the posting shouldn’t start until their ears are healed.
First things first, this process starts when your Dobie’s ears get cropped.
It’s a minor cosmetic surgery where a surgeon will trim their ears.
But I’ll explain more about it in the ‘Why do you post Dobermans’ ears?‘ section.
In this part, I’ll talk mainly about the after-care…
So, after the procedure, it’s time to nurse their ears.
For 2 weeks, your Doberman should wear an Elizabethan collar.
But, vets say that they can wear that for a longer time. It all depends on how fast their ear sutures heal.
And until those stitches don’t completely recover, don’t start the posting process.
Eventually, their ears will heal…
And when that happens, you’ll push through taping your Dobie’s ears…
Yet, after removing the first posting, you notice that there are still scabs. Or there are small wounds, debris, or worse, an inflammation.
Stop posting your dog’s ears immediately if you see all of those.
That’s because they might develop…
Ear infections
Unfortunately, an ear infection is among the dangerous complications of ear cropping.
In general, this condition is called otitis.
Moreover, PetMD tells us there are 3 kinds of ear infections in dogs. Those are:
| Type of ear infection | Description |
| Otitis externa | The affected area is the ear canal. |
| Otitis media | The middle ear is inflamed. |
| Otitis interna | The inflammation of the inner ear. |
The cause for such is the bacteria build-up that happens in the ear.
It can be from the excessive moisture from the posting. And as there are still wounds and scabs present, that moisture affects those as well.
All in all, the ears become habitable to harmful pathogens.
Did you know? Some bacteria that cause this infection can become persistent.
A study says it’s because of their ability to produce biofilm.
With that, the infection’s going to be tougher to treat.
The same study says that the infection might resist the usual therapy for this condition.
That aside, according to the Merck Vet Manual, these are the signs of otitis in dogs:
- Bad odor.
- Scratching.
- Headshaking.
- Swelling of the ear.
- Redness on the skin.
Warning: I repeat, you must stop posting your dog’s ears when these signs show. Moreover, give their vet a call and schedule an appointment.
#5: After their permanent teeth show
There’s a theory that most Dobie dog parents rely on.
It’s the notion that you must stop posting your dog’s ears after their teething stage.
So, when your Dobie says hi to their permanent teeth…
Then, wait for a while until it’s time to say goodbye to the tape in their ears…
But, where’s this belief from? And what’s the explanation behind it?
A dog’s teething stage
Just like human babies, puppies have their baby teeth fall out, too.
It’s a process where they transition from having milk teeth to their permanent ones.
And according to AKC, this stage can go on until the pup turns 6 months old. However, for some dogs, the process is longer.
Now, during the teething stage, you must remain patient. Many dog parents lose their tempers with their puppy while they face this.
So, expect that you’ll be up against many potential undesirable behaviors.
Among those are nipping and chewing on blankets or anything they reach.
But, let’s talk about what’s going on inside your dog’s body.
When a puppy is teething, their calcium levels can be low.
They can feel it throughout their body.
Their teeth and bones are affected. Such makes them weak for the time being.
How teething and posting relate together
As I said, a dog’s bones will be affected by the teething stage.
Now, in each bone, there’s a protective tissue called the cartilage. And a dog’s ears are made up of such.
So, think of it all as a domino effect.
With that, the ears can be considered weak during the teething stage.
That means posting them will be a slow process during this.
Moreover, closely monitor how their ears behave during this situation.
That’s because the improvements can be inconsistent. One moment their ears will stand, then they’d be floppy again later on.
When that happens, just continue posting. After all, you know what they say, “Slow progress is still progress.”
Now, after the teething stage, their body can finally regulate calcium levels. With that, the ears will receive enough of it.
Then, posting can be more effective and efficient.
After a while, you might note some development on their ears. And soon enough, your Dobie’s ears will finally stand proud.
Continue reading: Why Does My Dog Nip? 13 Questions Answered + 15 Tips
#BONUS: Ask their veterinarian
Still not convinced with the much information you see on the internet?
I understand, and it’s best for you and your pooch to get the facts straight.
With that, don’t hesitate to consult their veterinarian.
Ask as many questions as you can from the professional regarding this.
Moreover, if there are any issues that might arise, it’s guaranteed that the vets will give the best action.
Why do you post Dobermans’ ears?
You post Doberman ears after they undergo the process of cropping. It’s necessary so that their ears will stand up after going through the procedure.
To explain further, let’s discuss it individually…
Cropping a dog’s ears
As I said earlier, cropping is a minor cosmetic surgery.
And as the name suggests, it’s a procedure that dogs undergo to improve their appearance.
However, it still has some more suggested benefits.
Here are the reasons for it that AVMA has rounded up:
For the dog’s benefit
Let me put it out there immediately…
Most of the benefits that dogs will gain are based on little evidence.
The first one is:
Dogs with cropped ears are less likely to experience ear infections.
It’s based on the reason that dogs with droopy and heavy ears are prone to the condition.
And there’s no denying that such data is true. It’s the findings of many studies, like this particular paper.
However, here’s the thing…
There’s not much evidence that suggests that cropping can indeed prevent infections.
Moreover, it’s also theorized that cropping can avoid potential ear injuries.
But like the first one, this benefit remains a theory. That’s because there isn’t much available proof that backs this up.
Lastly, another theory is that cropping can improve your dog’s hearing. And again and again, it remains a hunch.
For the human’s benefit
Sometimes, ear cropping is done solely for cosmetics purposes only.
And yet the practice remains…
Why?
It’s because of AKC’s breed standard for Doberman Pinschers. Their standards say that the ideal Dobie has their ears cropped and standing erect.
And aside from following breed standards, erect ears also add to your dog’s appeal.
First of all, Dobies are vigilant and fearless.
That’s why they make great watchdogs that’ll protect you and your family.
So, when their ears are standing up, they’ll look more intimidating. Such is useful if the dog parent would really want to wad off threats using their canine.
For further reading: 19 Signs Your Dog Is Protective Over You (Check Out #7)
Posting a dog’s ears
Now, to the next step after cropping your Dobie’s ears…
Posting is the after-care for cropping.
It’s when you put up a supporter on your dog’s ears to train it to stand on its own.
Usually, it’s done using a soft rod and paper tape around the dog’s ears.
As I said earlier, posting should start once the ears have healed from cropping.
Then, this practice can take days, weeks, months, or a year to take effect.
How late can you post Doberman ears?
The latest that you can post Doberman ears is when they turn 12 weeks of age.
Vets suggest that cropping and posting should be done between 7 to 9 weeks of their age.
Moreover, some will still perform this procedure on dogs that are 12-weeks old.
But, any later than that isn’t ideal anymore…
Why?
That’s because their ear cartilage has hardened at that point.
With that, posting won’t likely train their ears to stand anymore.
Is it cruel to post a dog’s ears?
Posting a dog’s ears can be cruel if you look at what the pup will gain from it. Which from what I explained earlier on seems none.
Moreover, dog parents who sign their Dobies in competitions need to get these done.
As I said earlier, cropping and posting are necessary to attain breed standards.
That aside, the surgery for cropping can be painful.
With that, your pupper undergoes a process that’s hurting. And if they’re not competing dogs, then the process might be unnecessary.
Now that’s the reason why the AVMA opposes this practice.
According to their policies, they encourage the elimination of this practice. Moreover, they advocate that it should be removed from breed standards.