Belgian Malinois often have folded ears when they are born. Even when you make them stand up, they are highly floppy and fall over again.
When you ask your vet or dog trainer, they will let you know that their ears will stand up with age.
The question is, when do Belgian Malinois ears stand up?
I will answer this question today. Not only that, I will answer all the other related questions as well.
Once you go through the article, you know everything about the ears of Belgian Malinois.
[wpsm_toplist]
When Do Belgian Malinois Ears Stand Up?
The ears of Belgian Malinois start standing up between 4 months to 6 months of age.
However, in between, they will still be floppy.
They will come down several times as well. There is nothing to worry about when that happens.
By the age of approx. 8 to 10 months, their ears should be fully erect.
At this time their teething should occur as well.
In case the ears of Belgian Malinois do not stand by 10 months, it is tough to make them stand up.
Now I will answer some other questions related to the ears of Belgian Malinois.
Do All Belgian Malinois Ears Stand Up?
Most Belgian Malinois have erect ears by the age of 10 months.
However, that does not mean that every Belgian Malinois will have erect ears.
I will explain why Belgian Malinois have floppy ears below.
Once you know the reasons, it is easier to understand how to correct them as well.
Why Does My Belgian Malinois Have Floppy Ears?
There are essentially 2 to 3 reasons why Belgian Malinois have floppy ears.
Firstly, Belgian Malinois will not always have floppy ears.
If your Belgian Malinois has floppy ears, it points to 2 different causes.
1. Bad Breeding
The 1st cause is bad breeding.
According to the American kennel club, the Belgian Malinois does not qualify as a purebred if he/she has still floppy ears after an age of 10 months .
That is why you must buy Belgian Malinois from a trusted trainer or a breeder. Only, in that case, you can be sure that floppy ears will not occur in adults.
Thus, bad breeding is one of the main causes of floppy ears in Belgian Malinois adults.
2. Malnutrition
Another reason why an adult Belgian Malinois might have floppy ears is malnutrition.
Nutrition plays an essential role in the growth and development of Belgian Malinois.
If you haven’t been paying attention to the diet of your Belgian Malinois, the ears of Belgian Malinois might not erect.
These are the two main reasons why adult Belgian Malinois might have floppy ears as well.
But there is a way to make them stand up. I will highlight the most prominent way to do so below.
How Do You Tape A Dog’s Ears To Stand Up?
Taping is one of the best ways to make the ears of your Belgian Malinois stand up.
You need to go with taping only when the teething of the dog has been completed, and ears still do not stand up.
You need to follow the right technique of taping, or otherwise, you can end up injuring your dog.
I will highlight the step-by-step procedure below.
1. Apply Skin Adhesive
[amazon box=”B004C12Q46″]
You have to apply skin adhesive, which is safe for dogs, on the outer area of the ear.
While doing so, you have to put the cotton balls inside the ear canal.
The cotton balls should be large enough to cover the entire ear canal. The aim is to ensure that the adhesive does not go into the ears of the dog.
2. Apply Second Coat Of Adhesive
You need to apply a 2nd coat of [amazon link=”B004C12Q46″ title=”adhesive” link_icon=”amazon” /] to the ear form as well.
You have to keep it flat so that there is no dripping of adhesive.
3. Put The Form Into The Ear
[amazon box=”B07R5QH53P”]
After you have done so, you have to put the form into the ear.
You have to put it in such a way that from the base up, it makes the ear erect. However, you shouldn’t place it deep inside the ear canal.
4. Be Careful
While placing them, you have to ensure no wrinkles in the ear skin. It should be completely smooth from the outer side.
Only then have you placed the ear form appropriately.
5. Use A Protective Cone
[amazon box=”B07V8GSBBN”]
After doing so, you have to give your Belgian Malinois a treat. That will certainly keep them happy.
You should keep the form inside at least for a week. In case your dog is messing around with the form, you have to use a protective cone.
The [amazon link=”B07V8GSBBN” title=”protective cone” link_icon=”amazon” /] will prevent the dog from scratching or knocking it off.
If you have done it right, by the end of the week, the ears of your Belgian Malinois will be erect.
If You Have To Repeat
In some cases, you have to repeat the procedure for another week. In that case, you have to do the same.
[amazon box=”B00M3IKRFU”]
Before you do so, you have to remove the adhesive altogether. You can remove it with the help of an [amazon link=”B00M3IKRFU” title=”adhesive remover” link_icon=”amazon” /].
After that, you have to wait for a day or two. During this time, the ears of your dog will be better.
Only after this period can you repeat the procedure for another week.
If you aren’t confident of following the steps above, it is a good idea to hire a professional to do the same.
Most dog trainers and breeders will be able to help you out.
Thus, with the help of taping, you can easily make the ears of Belgian Malinois stand up.
How Long Do I Tape My Dog’s Ears?
The idle time for which you need to tape your dog’s ear is one week.
If, after removing the ear form from the dog’s ear, they are still floppy, you have to repeat the procedure for another week.
Before you do so, you have to remove the adhesive and let the dog be for at least 1 to 2 days. Only after healing can you repeat the procedure for another week.
Did not get proper results from this method?
There are essentially two other ways in which you can make the ears of Belgian Malinois stand up.
I will highlight both of them below.
What Else Can You Do To Make Belgian Malinois Ears Stand Up?
There are essentially two other methods with the help of which you can make Malinois ears stand up.
1. Good Quality Diet
Nutrition is necessary for the overall development of your dog. The same is true for the ears of the dog as well.
The nutrient necessary for the muscle development of the dog is protein.
Only when there is proper protein in the dog’s diet, the ears will develop properly.
Not only that, you have to monitor the calcium in the diet of your dog as well. Calcium is also necessary for the development of ears.
[amazon box=”B07121B839″]
Ears primarily consist of cartilage. Cartilage development in puppies is done with the help of glucosamine. That is another nutrient which you need to include in the diet of your dog.
Glucosamine and Chondroitin are the two nutrients that you need to include in the diet of your dog.
Once you include them in the initial years in ample quantities, you can be sure that the ear development will be proper.
Do you not know how to include them?
If so, you need to contact your vet. The vet will most likely prescribe you supplements that consist of these two nutrients.
Additionally, the supplements will consist of protein and vitamins C as well.
In a nutshell, once you opt for this supplements, you can be sure that your dog is getting proper nutrients, and therefore, the ear development of your dog will be proper.
2. Get Chewy Toys
The chewy toys which you get for your dog are pretty crucial in its ear development.
You might be thinking, what do chew toys do with the ears of my dog?
You need to understand that when the dog uses Chew toys, the muscles in the head, neck, and jaw will strengthen. This will also strengthen the muscles of the ear.
When that happens, automatically, the ears will stand up.
[amazon box=”B00CPDWT2M”]
The more time the Belgian Malinois spends with the Chew toys, the better will be the development of the ears as well.
That is why you have to give [amazon link=”B07X7HT4R4″ title=”chew toys” link_icon=”amazon” /] to your Belgian Malinois as soon as possible. It will help them erect the ears in a completely natural fashion.
These are two other ways in which you can make the ears of the Belgian Malinois stand up.
In some rare cases, it might so happen that only a single ear of Belgian Malinois stands up.
Wondering what to do in that case?
I will answer that below.
What To Do If Only One Ear Of Your Belgain Malinois Stands Up?
In most cases, this is just temporary.
Sooner than later, both the ears of Belgian Malinois will stand up. If this happens after taping is completed, then you need to think about contacting a vet.
Conclusion
The ears of Belgian Malinois start standing up between 4 months to 6 months.
With the help of my guide above, it is easy to understand how to make the ears of your Belgian Malinois stand up.
If they are not standing up, my guide above also lets you know alternate methods you can use to make them stand up.
Once you go through my guide above, there will be no need to worry about the ears of Belgian Malinois.
