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I just don't think I'm doing this right...

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  • I just don't think I'm doing this right...

    Ok, so I have a new puppy...
    His ears are cropped, and this is my first time dealing with all this. They were cropped at 8 weeks. I'm trying to do this whole tape thing and I'm just worried I'm not doing it right...

    When the tape is off (which it's only off when I'm changing the tapes), his ears are floppy. Occasionally the right one will stand, and today when I took them off the right one was standing, but seems to be trying to lean in. The left ear hasn't stood. When I took off the tapes from the breeder, she had a brace on, and both ears were leaning to the left by the time we got home from his long car ride. When I took them off to change them, both bases looked good, but the rest of the ear bent about halfway up. I have tryed to do a brace, but every time it just seems like the left ear than tends to want to lean outwards pulls the right ear with it and the whole thing is screwy. I think this might be what is now making the right ear lean in. Does that make sense at ALL??? lol. I just changed the tapes again (he got them wet), and I don't have the brace on right now...his ears are not straight up, but they stay like this pic (I know - not good pic...it's from my phone). Is this ok? Should I be doing something else? I am using the summit view way of posting.

    Edited to add: I added two more pics - the 2nd one is when the bottom brace seemed to be working correctly, but that didn't last but about 1/2 a day. The 3rd pic is what I tried now - it doesn't seem to pull that right ear in as much, but I don't know if that is a correct way to go about this.
    Attached Files
    Last edited by Yakadoo; 08-21-2010, 02:07 PM.

  • #2
    There really isn't anything wrong with the first pic, if his ears are at 10-2 occasionally, as long as when he "perks" them up the muscles in his ears are strong enough to make them go straight up. You may not want to brace so high on the ear because I can picture that making them lean in instead and you don't want that. If his muscles are strong enough you may not need a brace at all anymore. I think he looks good. How long do you leave them up for before changing the tape?
    ~ Lisa & Rupert

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Sparrow View Post
      There really isn't anything wrong with the first pic, if his ears are at 10-2 occasionally, as long as when he "perks" them up the muscles in his ears are strong enough to make them go straight up. You may not want to brace so high on the ear because I can picture that making them lean in instead and you don't want that. If his muscles are strong enough you may not need a brace at all anymore. I think he looks good. How long do you leave them up for before changing the tape?
      He doesn't perk them up very much if they are left like that, I've tried making noises and such - every so often he will.

      I was a little afraid that a higher brace might do that...hmmm...

      I *try* to leave them up for at least a few days, but he's such a mess, lol. He LOOOOOVES the water, so he plays in his baby pool, so I end up changing them about every 3 days or so. Sometimes sooner. That being said, I have only had this guy for a little over a week and I'm still learning how to tape, so the first time I did it I had to do it a couple of times to get it to really stay. Now I think I've got it down except for this brace ordeal. I think... I'm probably OCD too...I keep thinking they have to be PERFECT. lol.

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      • #4
        The third pic, the ear on his left has a slight curve at the base, that may cause a pocket. 1 and 2 seemed fine to me.
        sigpic
        Logan, Member GDCA and Past President GDCMF
        Int'l CH & AM GCH Legacys Killer Instinct, TT, CHIC (Kaos)
        www.lokenigreatdanes.com

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        • #5
          Ok, took off the top brace and didn't put a brace on at all. Is there anything I should watch for that would tell me I would need a brace back on, or do you think I shouldn't need one at all at this point? By the way - he's 4.5 months old right now. Thanks for the help guys!

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          • #6
            I think if they went any lower than the first pic you might want to brace again. You are also nearly entering the teething stage (5-6mo.) and his ears will do some weird stuff then too, but as long as you're consistant and don't stop taping to soon I'm sure it'll be fine. Make sure you are pulling up (and out a bit) on the ear while posting it, in order to avoid pockets at the base as Logan said. Don't be to paranoid about screwing up! And maybe try to keep them taped longer than 3 days at a time, although, as long as your taping them right back after only an hour or so its probably not a problem.
            ~ Lisa & Rupert

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Sparrow View Post
              I think if they went any lower than the first pic you might want to brace again. You are also nearly entering the teething stage (5-6mo.) and his ears will do some weird stuff then too, but as long as you're consistant and don't stop taping to soon I'm sure it'll be fine. Make sure you are pulling up (and out a bit) on the ear while posting it, in order to avoid pockets at the base as Logan said. Don't be to paranoid about screwing up! And maybe try to keep them taped longer than 3 days at a time, although, as long as your taping them right back after only an hour or so its probably not a problem.
              I'll try not to be too paranoid, but I can't promise anything! I tape them right back up (after they are clean and dry) when I retape. I just can't seem to get my tapes to stay on for very long...

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              • #8
                What kind of tape are you using? I used white tape called sports tape or something like that, I can never remember the name. And I would tape them up and then just really smoosh the tape on like wringing out a towel, without the twisting motion, if that makes sense. And not wrapping the tape to tightly of course. I'm sure you're doing a good job! No worries.
                ~ Lisa & Rupert

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                • #9
                  IMO, the best two tapes are Johnson & Johnson Zonas Porous Tape and Kendall Curity Porous Tape. They can be found online or special ordered (usually one day wait) through your pharmacy, CVS, Walgreens, etc.
                  sigpic
                  Logan, Member GDCA and Past President GDCMF
                  Int'l CH & AM GCH Legacys Killer Instinct, TT, CHIC (Kaos)
                  www.lokenigreatdanes.com

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                  • #10
                    I would definitely put the brace lower on the head (we put Max' almost on his head). We did the brace the whole 8 months we taped, and his ears look great.
                    sigpic

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