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Natural-Ear taping HELP!

30K views 28 replies 14 participants last post by  Boxermommaa 
#1 ·
Ok Rodyn's ears look perfect sometimes, but MOST of the time they are wonky and have a mind of their own. Which is frustrating, I've begin taping them to keep that "fly away" look at bay, and I just can't do it anymore :dontgetit: when I try to take the tape off to give him the 2 rest days he screechs in pain, Sometimes I'll try to do it when he's sleeping and he whines as I gently try to pull it off it breaks my heart soooo bad I just stopped doing it, I feel like cropping them at this point- seriously

heres some pics of what they really look like most of the time. they either seem to always fold back, or sit really high on his head, I am not at all trying to be superficial I just want them to be the best they can
 

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#2 ·
What type of tape are you using on his ears? Electrical tape is too sticky, but is stronger than other types of tape. I gave up on Liby's ears pretty quick because I couldn't even get the tape to stay in place for a few seconds before it started to slide down (it was old tape anyways, but I'm too lazy to go buy some new tape lol). One trick I read about was using athletic tape for the layer that touches the ears since it's not the stickiest tape and won't pull their fur out, and then wrapping another layer of electrical tape on top to hold it in place better. No matter what happens, he's still a handsome little boy and nothing will change that.

BTW off topic, but what part of Cali are you from? I'm moving "back" to Cali sometime late spring/early summer. I say "back" because I was born there, but we moved to the Midwest when I was less than a year old.
 
#3 ·
Well right now I'm using electrical tape and it seems to be sticking to the hairs on the inside of his ears it even tears some out! So i'll try the sport tape thanks for mentioning that :)

I'm from Northern California, but I might be transferring colleges soon to Southern Cali
 
#4 ·
You can also stick some tack-it at the tip of the ear to give it some extra weight to keep them placed in shape. It doesn't stick all that well, but it's easy to change or replace it.

Using the right tape is also important. Many of the glues irritates the skin. Most pharmacies have sport-tapes that are better on the skin than regular tape.

Here's an easy method of natural ear-taping:
TAPING THE NATURAL EAR
 
#5 ·
its a frustrating process but in the end you will be happy. Hudson would cry too when i took it off him but it only would last a few seconds and then he had a few days off. It is all about weighing the ears down. I would use electric tape and I would line it with some medical tape so not all the electric tape would be touching his ears and in the end they came out perfect!!

also i would wrap them around the ear in a circle.. not like in the picture in that link and have an inch coming off the ear.. does that make sense? the more tape the more weight u put on the ear.. helps shape the cartilage. If you pups ear is irritated when you take it off just put some neosporin on it and he will be fine.
 
#6 ·
Cool, we're looking at moving somewhere around Richmond or Oakland, but I've got family all over: Sunnyvale, Fresno, Chico, mostly the Bay area.

I may have to try taping Liby's ears again. She already acts goofy enough, I don't need her looking "special" too lol.
 
#9 ·
I taped Archer's a few times but he hated it. He would dig at the tape and then when I would take the tape off I had the same problem with it pulling his hair off.

So instead I massaged them. A LOT. The poor boy was getting his ears massaged every time I could get my hands on him. When we watched TV a night he would sleep on the couch next to me and I would massage the whole time.

Pain in the you know what, but they hand PERFECTLY now.
 
#10 ·
I taped Archer's a few times but he hated it. He would dig at the tape and then when I would take the tape off I had the same problem with it pulling his hair off.

So instead I massaged them. A LOT. The poor boy was getting his ears massaged every time I could get my hands on him. When we watched TV a night he would sleep on the couch next to me and I would massage the whole time.

Pain in the you know what, but they hang PERFECTLY now.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Thanks for the input. And Hudson's mom you have a great idea I love your boys ears they sit perfect to his head! :) It is about the "weight"

Laney's mom we're just trying to create a fold in the ear, by taping were just training the ear to sit properly on the head as the dog gets older

First picture is a boxer who hasn't been taped (ears sit on the side of the head), second picture is a boxer who has been taped (ears sit forward) its just preference
 

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#15 ·
Ha taping ears! I've been taping Mya's ear for a looong time. Since she was 10 weeks old! I have the same reason as others as well.

Anyway, I know that its important to do it when they are young. Some say it doesn't help after teething but I am still continuing per my breeders instructions. She said that some dogs take longer.

We will see.

As far as her feeling pain when taking it off...........i think over time she got so used to it that she doesn't react at all. :clap2:
 
#16 ·
Taping ears is preference....people do it as puppies because when puppies are teething they get the fly away ears that go wherever they want to! Some boxer ears sort themselves out with no taping, Reekos did this, but really its only the ones who have thick cartilage that do this on their own. Some people think "wonky" ears give the dog character...me I prefer them to lay flat!

I never taped reekos ears as they were perfect when he came to me at 6 months lol but I did with Roxy....well one ear :)
 
#18 · (Edited)
Interesting thread. My pups ears drive me batty. One seems to be wonky and the other lays flat at times. then for like a period of a week they both went flat and i thought it was all done with. Then they went wonky again!!!

How are you guys taping them exactly? Just taping the tips to provide weight to keep them down? How long you do this for exactly?

EDIT: Love google.
For anyone else who maybe was curious like I was for sake of searching

http://www.raevon.net/TAPING.html
 
#19 ·
Is there any point in taping a dogs ears if they are 7 months? I know that it is recommended to do so around teething, but I was uneducated about this process until I joined the forums. Chase has the typical American Boxer ears that practically stand up on their own. Louis being European does not have it quite as bad but one of his ears does a lil dance on it's own.
 
#21 ·
Coach I am in the same boat. My pup is a little younger though. 5months.
I asked the vet about this and they just said he may grow into it and just gives him character. Didnt even tell me there is anything you can do to train it when I asked.
IM gonna try doing this for a little and see how it goes. When my dogs ears finally went floppy for like a week or so, he was teething. Once he was done teething, they both went full erect for the most part instead of one floppy and the other erect like they were prior.
 
#22 ·
In the dane world, everyone uses gold bond powder in the ears before taping. It keeps them from getting sore or infected. There is also an adhesive remover that you can buy at the pharmacy to loosen the tape before you pull it off. I am sure it would apply to boxer ears, as well. I don't have my boxer yet, but I plan on using both of these products when I do.
 
#26 ·
so since she was 8 weeks. Ive been taping for 4 days then off for 2. sometimes i get lazy and its left until the tapes fall off.

Her ears are actually setting right but sometimes are going wonky. Thats what I am trying to fix. there was also a point where i taped over and under the chin as well.

attaching some pics of Mya.
 

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#27 ·
I am going to be taping Rodyns ears for the next 3 months off and on I'll be posting pics! since it's about weighing the ear down I kinda have this idea to cut a piece of a popsicle stick and tape it around the ear with sport tape and electrical I don't know if this will even work but I'm going to give it a shot! if it does I'll post "how to" pics!

wish me luck Rodyn is quite the squirmy boy! :clap:
 
#29 ·
I’m using kinetic tape (KT Tape) on our pups ears. It doesn’t pull at the hair or skin at all and is easier to remove. That being said, I only tape his ears when I have eyes on him at all times and remove it each night before crating because I don’t want to risk him removing and then eating the tape.
 
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