EAR TIPPING INSTRUCTIONS FOR MY CLIENTS

These instructions were prepared to fully explain my method of sheltie puppy ear tipping for the benefit of my clients and my puppy buyers. I encourage my puppy buyers to follow these instructions until the adult teeth are in (around 6 months of age) as their puppy's appearance represent Silver Trails Shelties and properly tipped ears give the most pleasant expression.

OK, now for the good stuff.  By popular demand, I have created a movie clip of how to set sheltie puppy ears with the Japanese Ear Tape.

Cut pieces of tape like so:

The small squares are used to keep the inside of the ear flat and are double-layered for extra strength.

Close Up On Puppy Ear Bracing

First, the ears, on the top of the head, should not be touching in the middle. Forcing them to touch creates and unwanted crease in the ear leather which will tilt the ears out so I would say in the young puppy, 1/2 inch gap is appropriate and as they grow that gap will probably increase to an inch or more.

 

Second, all ears are not created equally. It is not the actual ear, it is the ear hole and where it is situated on the head. If you have a ear hole set high, the ears will be closer together and set higher on the head and the reverse is also true, if the ear holes are set lower, there will be more space between the ears.

 

I have found that the break in the ear should be set with the tape at the half way mark because when you take out the tape, the ears will lift up a trifle making the break in the ear a 3/4 break. That being said, do not over compensate too much as this could result in low breaking ears known as "hound" ears. Also, make very sure that when you tape the ear down with the double-sided tape, (the final step in the bracing instructions) that the tip of the ear is pointing straight down towards the hole in the ear thereby avoiding the dreaded "potato chip ear."

 

The ears are set when the adult teeth are all the way grown in, at about 6 months. You can still try to correct an ear set up to a year or more. I would say at 2 years, what you see is what you've got.

FYI: This is also a good time to make sure all the baby teeth have fallen out.

Correcting Low Breaking Ears

If you end up with a low breaking ear or one lower than the other, the best way to correct this is to use squares of tape inside the ear. Use the tape to flatten the inside of the ear then look back to see if the ear has lifted. If it is not lifted to your satisfaction, place an additional square piece of tape a trifle higher than the last. Keep looking back and adding squares until the ear is lifted and where you want it to be as a completed adult ear set. Do not over compensate at this time. This is a final touch.

It concerns us to know that some people are still using moleskin with lighter fluid, warming up moleskin with fire, keeping alcohol close, using any flammable liquids in conjunction with training ears and grooming. For your own welfare and that of your beloved dogs, this must stop. There is another way, easier and safer and for us, the Japanese Ear Tape does the job. To remove tape and gummy residue, use Uni-solve (Individually Wrapped Packets - you can get this at any medical supply store) as it is safe and painless and non-traumatic.

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