[alliecat26]

Hello! So this is my first doberman and I have a lot of questions about his ears. Basically, I just want to know if we are posting his ears right, because I feel like they look bat-ish and they seem to have a wider base than some of the other puppy crops I see. Here's a quick backstory about his crop:

They were cropped four weeks ago by a vet our breeder recommended when he was 9 1/2 weeks old. The vet owned two dobermans and we chose the length of the crop (a little past where his ears meet the inner part of his eye, so a medium/long crop). After surgery, we came to pick him up his ears were sutured together and he had a cone on. The suture between the ears came out a week later. A week after that (so two weeks post surgery), his scabs finally healed and we started posting them using tampons and athletic tape. We did a bridge both times, because his ears were not pointing up at all.

Do his ears look alright? Is the bridge necessary? I just don't want to mess this up and we have had zero help from the vet or breeder.

Here are some pictures from today with his posts off:

This was his first post:

Here is his second post:

 

[MajorDobe13]

I dont see any pictures. Dont over think it. Just make sure its pretty far down in the pocket of the ear stretch the ear up and wrap not to tight though and put the bridge at the base of the head and just make sure the ears are straight up. Repeat every 5 days or so until they stand. They will look like bat ears untill they stand.

 

[alliecat26]

Oh no! Hold on!

 

[alliecat26]

First Post

Second Post

(I'm sorry they are so huge!!)

 

[mikeausprung]

Can't see the pics either...

 

[greenkouki]

I think you could use less tape and ditch the bridge between the ears.


Some good tips here:

http://www.dobermantalk.com/ear-cro...ting-directions-photo-tutorial-my-method.html

 

[dbrown6240]

If that is duct tape as the bride it needs to be taken off yesterday. That tape doesn't breathe and it wil hurt coming off. Many on here don't use bridges but since I'm newer the bridge just gives me a little more piece of mind. There is a good tutorial on here and YouTube has a good backer rod video as well that I went by the first time.

I was scared to death my first posting. Like someone said done over think it. Stretch the up, tape it at the top, then tape it at the bottom while remembering to preserve the natural fold. It really takes minimal tape. By your third or fourth posting it will take no time.

Where are you located? You might luck out and someone on here be within helping distance.

 

[MajorDobe13]

First Post

Second Post

(I'm sorry they are so huge!!)

pretty sure its the crop not your posting...

 

[dbrown6240]

agree with major. The crop definitely is not a great one. The bottom of the ear was left way to wide in my opinion. I'm not real knowledgeable on the issue but maybe a recrop is possible if thats an option you all thought about? I'm not sure due to the later age of your pup now. If so I would definitely talk to a reputable breeder who uses a great cropping specialist. This is one reason why buying from a reputable breeder who has this done already by a great cropping artist is so important. I wish you the best.

 

[greenkouki]

I've seen much worse ear shapes. I Don't think it's worth it to have them re-cropped. When he's an adult the wide bases won't be as noticeable since he won't have a tiny puppy head between them.

 

[dobebug]

Because I'm dial-up it takes forever for pictures to load so I haven't seen the pictures yet but just a note here--dbrown's tips were good except that I don't recommend taping the tip of the ear first--too often that will leave the ear slipping just a little in the course of the posting which is unfortunately a way to end up with pockets which you'll then have to get rid of.

I always tape from the bottom first--whether you are taping all the way to the tip (not just rings) or taping three places (bottom, middle and tip).

And if you did put a brace in with duct tape--you should be using the same tape you are using on the post and on the taping--Johnson & Johnson (either Zonas or Coach Sports) tape.

Duct tape is a disaster if it isn't also covered with a breathable tape--many dogs turn out to be allergic to either the adhesive or to the plastic backing--or both--I've seen some horrid infections under duct tape that was used because someone thought it would stick better. Neither side of it should be against the dogs skin.

PS A couple of the pictures finally loaded and I agree with Greenkouki that even though the ears are somewhat wide--it's by far from the worst crop I've ever seen and when he's grown up they'll look just fine--looks like they are going to stand pretty quickly and easily too.

 

[dbrown6240]

Because I'm dial-up it takes forever for pictures to load so I haven't seen the pictures yet but just a note here--dbrown's tips were good except that I don't recommend taping the tip of the ear first--too often that will leave the ear slipping just a little in the course of the posting which is unfortunately a way to end up with pockets which you'll then have to get rid of.

I always tape from the bottom first--whether you are taping all the way to the tip (not just rings) or taping three places (bottom, middle and tip).

And if you did put a brace in with duct tape--you should be using the same tape you are using on the post and on the taping--Johnson & Johnson (either Zonas or Coach Sports) tape.

Duct tape is a disaster if it isn't also covered with a breathable tape--many dogs turn out to be allergic to either the adhesive or to the plastic backing--or both--I've seen some horrid infections under duct tape that was used because someone thought it would stick better. Neither side of it should be against the dogs skin.

PS A couple of the pictures finally loaded and I agree with Greenkouki that even though the ears are somewhat wide--it's by far from the worst crop I've ever seen and when he's grown up they'll look just fine--looks like they are going to stand pretty quickly and easily too.

Really? I was told stretch the ear and tape the tip first to ensure it doesn't slide back down. No issues so far anyway. I only use a ring on the bottom and the top of the ear and haven't had any issues with posts popping out in six weeks. As for pockets you may be correct. I put half of a cotton ball between the post and part of the ear that forms pockets just so I don't have to worry about getting them while posting. Seems to be working so far.

 

[dobebug]

Really? I was told stretch the ear and tape the tip first to ensure it doesn't slide back down. No issues so far anyway. I only use a ring on the bottom and the top of the ear and haven't had any issues with posts popping out in six weeks. As for pockets you may be correct. I put half of a cotton ball between the post and part of the ear that forms pockets just so I don't have to worry about getting them while posting. Seems to be working so far.

There are endless variations on how "exactly" to post ears and how to tape them.

Over the years I've seen enough problems with postings done where people posted the ear tip first and then posted the rest of the ear from there that when I'm teaching someone to post it's just not what I teach them.

Just as I have seen a variety of problems with ears that only had three rings of tape (can't say I've actually seen anybody posting with only two (one tip and one bottom) but if it's working for you I wouldn't change what you are doing.

Posts that pop out of ear bases happen for a variety of reasons--only one of which is because the taping on a post didn't start far enough down and as far a that problem goes the only thing that absolutely does NOT work is trying to stuff the post back in the ear and put a bunch more tape at the base. When a post pops out it's because something about the insertion of the post or the taping wasn't quite right and the cure is to take it down and do it again.

So, I'll just repeat what I've said before--there are many ways to post ears and generally speaking they all work if you are persistent and keep posting.

Everyone has their own favorite method (me included) and until it doesn't work on some puppy so that it's clear that you need to try something different that's what we all do.

 

[dbrown6240]

I agree. As long as it works then stick with what works. As far as only 2 strips I've seen plenty of pics of puppies on here that only have the base and tip taped. I tend to think the least tape you can get away with the better. Especially in the heat of summer. That is as long as the posts are staying in properly.