Your Floppy-Ear Corgi: All About Your Corgi’s Ears

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July 14, 2024
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Whether you buy a Pembroke or Cardigan Welsh Corgi, their fox-like ears are likely one of the features you like most about them.

After all, their perky ears sit straight up and are part of the reason this dog is so darned cute. The thing is, a Corgi’s ears do not start out pointed and upright.

Instead, they start out with floppy ears as puppies and eventually have ears that sit straight up on the tops of their heads.

If your Corgi is still a puppy and you’re curious about when its ears will develop into fox-like ears, keep reading because the answers are here.

Your Floppy-Ear Corgi and What to Expect From It

When Corgis are still puppies, their ears are floppy and look very delicate. Eventually, both ears will be sitting upright on the top of the dog’s head, but it doesn’t usually happen at the same time.

In fact, it’s quite common for one ear to start to stand up before the other ear does, resulting in a sort of lopsided look for the dog’s head, which actually makes them even cuter.

It can take until the dog is 5-15 weeks of age for its ears to stand upright on its head. Often, the dog has to be done teething before its ears stand up, and that’s usually at the 6- to 8-month mark.

If their ears aren’t upright by 15 weeks of age, try waiting until they are 6-8 months old and see if it happens then. If it doesn’t, you don’t have to panic because some Corgis’ ears remain floppy forever.

Why Do Corgis Have Big Ears?

There are numerous reasons why Corgis have big ears, but the main reason can be summed up in one word: breeding.

Corgis were originally herding dogs and therefore needed large ears that allowed them to hear the commands their owners were shouting to them when they were in the fields. Corgis had to hear those commands even if they were far away, and their ears allowed this to happen.

Nowadays, it is a part of a Corgi’s DNA to have large ears, but they still allow the dogs to hear better and communicate better with their owners. Their large, fox-like ears are also adorable and can make anyone smile.

Many people are so used to seeing Corgis with large upright ears that they don’t realize the dogs’ ears aren’t like that from the very beginning.

When Do Corgi Ears Stand Up?

A corgi’s ears stand up at one of two times—either at 5-15 weeks, or when it’s finished teething, which is at 6-8 months of age. If it doesn’t happen right at 8 months, don’t be alarmed.

Dogs aren’t machines, and each one will have its own time frame for the development of its ears. Be patient, and if you’re really concerned, you can always contact your vet.

Corgi Ears Down: Meaning Explained

When your corgi’s ears are down and lying alongside its head, it simply means that it isn’t old enough to have upright ears yet.

Keep in mind that Corgi ears have no muscles or cartilage in them, so until they grow to a certain age, their ears simply have no way to sit upright on the top of their heads. There is nothing wrong with the ears; they just haven’t grown upright yet.

The younger the Corgi is, the more it’s still developing, and it needs all sorts of vitamins and minerals to do that properly.

Because of this, all of these nutrients are going towards the dog’s growth and nothing else, which is just what it needs. Once the Corgi reaches a certain point, those nutrients will spread to other parts of its body and help those ears stand up like they should.

Do Corgi Ears Stand Up Naturally?

At a certain point, a Corgi’s ears do stand up naturally, but don’t expect it to happen while it’s a baby.

The older and more mature the Corgi gets, the more its ears will stand up, until finally they are standing completely upright. In other words, you shouldn’t expect your Corgi’s ears to stand upright while it’s a puppy because it takes awhile for this to happen.

Until the ears decide to stand upright, you may notice the dog has one floppy ear and one upright ear, or even an ear that goes back and forth between being floppy and being upright for a time.

The good thing is, eventually both ears will be standing upright the way they’re supposed to do, and they’ll stay like that for the rest of the dog’s life.

Why Do Corgis’ Ears Stand Up?

Many Corgis’ ears won’t stand upright on their heads until after they’re finished teething, which is usually at around 6-8 months of age, and there is a simple reason for this.

As long as a Corgi is teething, it is using tons of calcium so that its teeth become strong. Because of this, the calcium in its body is concentrated on the teeth area only, not getting to the rest of the body.

Once your Corgi is finished teething, the calcium in its body is circulated throughout the body instead of being concentrated just on the teeth.

Because of this, the entire body starts growing and developing like it should, which includes working to make the ears more upright. As long as it’s teething, that calcium is needed for the teeth to develop and nothing more.

If your Corgi doesn’t have ears that are completely upright by the time it reaches 15 weeks of age (roughly 4 months), just wait until it’s finished teething and more than likely, the ears will be standing upright at that time.

In the meantime, be prepared for some pretty irregular and odd ear designs because the ears will have a mind of their own until the end.

When Should I Tape My Corgi’s Ears?

Some owners believe that taping a dog’s ears in place will cause the ears to stand up sooner rather than later. If you research it on the Internet, you’ll find people who swear by this method and people who will tell you to steer clear of it.

In the end, it’s up to you whether you wish to tape your dog’s ears or leave them alone. There are pros and cons to each.

Remember that some Corgis’ ears remain floppy their entire lives, and if you decide to use tape to help the ears stand up, it doesn’t do any good.

The taping method won’t help the ears stand up if they weren’t meant to be that way in the first place. Interestingly, it also hasn’t been proven to help the ears stand up any sooner, either.

How to Tape Corgi Ears Properly?

If you still wish to tape your Corgi’s ears, you can start by taking a 1.5-inch piece of tape and using your fingers to lift the ear up a little.

With the upright ear in one hand, tape the ear at the base with the other hand, and try to wrap the tape all around the ear if possible. Leave the tape fairly loose so that it doesn’t hurt the dog.

Once the ear is taped, don’t leave it on the ear for more than five days. After that amount of time, you should remove the tape and decide if you want to wrap another piece around the ear or leave it alone.

The thing is, tape can cause the ear to become irritated or experience a rash. It can also be painful for the dog, so these are things to consider when deciding to do this.

Interestingly, there are things you can do to increase the odds of having your Corgi’s ears stand upright like they should. These include:

  • Keep your dog’s ears clean and healthy at all times. Injuries or infections can prevent its ears from eventually standing upright.
  • Make sure the dog’s diet is healthy and it’s getting the nutrition it needs. If you want to, you can add calcium in the form of yogurt or other products while it’s young to make sure it doesn’t lack calcium.
  • Pay a visit to your vet. The vet can tell if something is wrong with your dog and will be able to care for it in order to make things right.

If you do end up with a full-grown Corgi with floppy ears instead of upright ones, it may be because that particular dog is not going to have ears that stand up straight. Again, consult with your vet to make sure this is normal.

Conclusion

All Corgis start out with floppy ears but eventually have ears that stand up straight on top of their heads. It usually happens at around 5-15 weeks, but some Corgis take 6-8 months to have upright ears.

Many Corgis don’t get upright ears until after they are finished teething, which can be as long as 8 months. In the meantime, each ear can actually look different from the other one for a time.

If you have any concerns about your dog’s ears, you should consult with your vet.

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