Papillon ear question

Ear cartilege is ridiculously resiliant stuff.

As anyone who has ever tried to tape ears that want to go *** on a collie (or sheltie) can tell you. *grumble*

Cait (and Mal "Mom, are you done fussing with my ears yet?" and Indy "ha ha, my ears were ALWAYS perfect";) 

So even if I make him wear silly ear-flattening hats for pictures or play "peek-a-boo" by covering his eyes with his ears they won't suffer or get "bent"?   (I'm a terribly mean dog owner, lol.)

Papillons with the half bent ears and the one up and one down (weak eared) are just born with catelidge that's not thick enough to hold up their ears.  Generally what you have to worry about with touching papillon ears too much is fringe breaking off. 

 Beau's ears get folded back ALL the time and he's okay.  We are trying to re-grow fringing that he lost though.  It's been six months and it's STILL not back all the way.

 Don't worry, I'm horrible to my papillon too. 

eh hemmm lol

But you have to show me pictures!  ;)

Well, a German Shepherd is pretty much the definition of big *** ears, lol, and Kenya will lay her ears flat on her own (when she is being submissive, when she is full out sprinting, or when she's head-butting me so I rub her face).  When she is really relaxed or happy, her tongue hangs out and her ears go part way back.  Most time, her ears are turned outward and partially back.  She has to be alert to something for them to be totally up and turned forward.  If dogs can make them go up, flat, forward, and out sideways on their own, I don't think it hurts them.  I suppose you could break the cartilage, but you'd notice.  I think Xeph/Jackie's dog has broken cartilage in his ear and you can see a little kink.  I think it's really cute actually.

Happy, Submissive, Alert, and Relaxed ears...

Cute!!! I love the pictures. What is the forum censoring out with "_____ ears"?

I'm glad I'm not scarring my dog for life by playing with his Dumbo ears... well, not scarring his physically, at least...  

Yeah, Rascal's missing some fringies too... I take no responsibility, but there may have been an incident with a brush and a doorbell and an overly-eager jumping dog. Ah well, he's not a show dog, he can deal with spiderears.

When I get back to CT I'll enlist the BF and take some humiliating pictures of Rascal. He won't stand for anything on his head, so the process requires 2 people - 1 to hold him down and 1 to take the photo!

 I do have this one, because his darn ears were sticking up and blocking the view of his new halter. You can see how pleased he is:

This is the best picture I have of his ear fringies!

And then his self-imposed ear flattening...

As said, ear cartilage is amazingly resiliant (with normal handling of course)

I remember at the last clinic I worked at, we had a cute little German Shepherd puppy come in for boarding and the owners said no one was allowed to touch her ears at all while she was there, or they may not stay up It was at that GSD young puppy stage where their ears are up, but are aiming every which way.  All I could think of was the poor puppy at home, never getting ear scritches 

 Yah like everyone else is saying I wouldn't worry about the catilage being hurt from what your doing.  Glad to see I'm not the only one who can't resist sticking on hats and flattening them to make rat faces.  Cita and Laurelin great pictures by the way.  Both your paps look so adorable.

Oh, and Cita have you tried tons of yummy treats?  It's the only way I have any hopes of distracting Kirby long enough into wearing a hat while I take pictures.

 Too cute!! Well, winter's coming soon, so I'm sure we'll soon have plenty of "OMG-I'm-so-cold-why-are-you-making-me-stand-here-in-a-hoodie"pictures, lol!

Since we're discussing papillon ears, look at this beautiful phalene that won the Tulsa specialty.

 I want one.... lol