Ear Gluing!

[Katherine]

I'm just not sure if i'm up to the gluing again, or whether or not to just let it go. I'm very torn. I love the proper tipped ears, but he's not a show dog, so why should I care?

I understand being torn about it, as it is really a nuisance to deal with. However, Bacca's such a handsome fellow and the ears complete the look. I've just gone back to a taping / gluing combo for Snap. His aren't tipping enough. I've resolved to keep at it as long as I need to. Thankfully he's getting better about tolerating me.

 

[Narmowen]

Wouldn't mind you guys opinion on Bacca's ears. Mostly they flop though the left ear has a tendency to tip when he's excited.

Perhaps they flop too much and outwards. What do you think, should I re-glue and brace between?

http://www.sheltieforums.com/picture.php?albumid=26&pictureid=307

Is that how they always are when he's looking for goodies? (Like when you would bait them in the ring?)

If you want them to be "proper", I would reglue them. I'd glue the tips far inward-exagurate by going further in than what you really want. Like glue the tips to the inside corners of the ears. (The long fur at the base, though). They might break too low, but the only problem I see is them winging out.

If they're still moving in position, I would put a moleskin brace inside the ear, to stop them from breaking so low, and I'd glue them towards the inside of the ear, to help stop them from winging out.

(I've left Luke's alone, so they're just breaking the tips.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/Narmowen/102108_141600-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/Narmowen/102108_141301.jpg

And the same puppy only 8 weeks old instead of 8 months:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/Narmowen/IMG_0067.jpg )

As long as you're happy with them, I wouldn't worry about it too much. They are tipping, so you could glue the tips down, just to insure that they stay tipped. How much you want to do is up to you, though.

While this: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/Narmowen/IMG_0155.jpg is close to my ideal earset (keep in mind that I'm posing his ears because he's unhappy), some people still say (their opinion) that they break too low, so just do what makes you happy.


(I hope this wasn't too long winded!)

 

[BarbV]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I really appreciate it. I'm very tempted to do some regluing.

He's ears go low and wing out when he's relaxed. When he's alert and jumping, they fly back up again - particularly the left ear which then has a tendency to stand straight up.

Since I've taken this picture, I trimmed his ears and it helps some (less weight to drag his ear down and out) but I'm still not happy.

I've never done moleskin. My breeder taught me to glue the tips down and then glue then twist the hair between his ears and the hair on the inside edge of each ear and glue - sorta creating a brace itself.

Problem is that since I've trimmed his ears, I'm not sure if I've got enough fur not to glue! I might have to wait for it to grow back!

p.s. Narmowen - Luke is an absolute beauty! I so love merles! I have been offered a sable girl as a playmate for Bacca but I'm wanting to hold out for a merle instead....problem is there are few breeders in my area that have them!

 

[Narmowen]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I really appreciate it. I'm very tempted to do some regluing.

He's ears go low and wing out when he's relaxed. When he's alert and jumping, they fly back up again - particularly the left ear which then has a tendency to stand straight up.

Since I've taken this picture, I trimmed his ears and it helps some (less weight to drag his ear down and out) but I'm still not happy.

I've never done moleskin. My breeder taught me to glue the tips down and then glue then twist the hair between his ears and the hair on the inside edge of each ear and glue - sorta creating a brace itself.

Problem is that since I've trimmed his ears, I'm not sure if I've got enough fur not to glue! I might have to wait for it to grow back!

p.s. Narmowen - Luke is an absolute beauty! I so love merles! I have been offered a sable girl as a playmate for Bacca but I'm wanting to hold out for a merle instead....problem is there are few breeders in my area that have them!

Thanks! He knows he's a beauty too!

If you go with moleskin, you don't need a lot of fur! You would take a spot of moleskin about as big as the pad of your thumb (might have to be smaller, but it depends on the size of his ears), trim away any hairs inside his ear (the light ones that grow in the middle where there's not alot of fur), and glue the moleskin (or, rather, stick it) there. Then you would just glue the tip to the moleskin.

I've done it with moleskin and the way that you suggested. Both work, but it just depends on what you have to work with. Less fur, and I go with the moleskin. More fur, no moleskin-just the hair brace!

 

[BarbV]

I've done it with moleskin and the way that you suggested. Both work, but it just depends on what you have to work with. Less fur, and I go with the moleskin. More fur, no moleskin-just the hair brace!

I'll have to go back and find the thread on moleskins (I think someone - maybe you - posted a link) to make sure I get the technique right. I have the book Sheltie Talk which also describes it but your method seems an awful lot simpler and less "visible"

Thx again!

 

[Narmowen]

I'll have to go back and find the thread on moleskins (I think someone - maybe you - posted a link) to make sure I get the technique right. I have the book Sheltie Talk which also describes it but your method seems an awful lot simpler and less "visible"

Thx again!

Probably less visible because I don't make a moleskin brace, which is (IIRC) what Sheltie Talk does. I prefer to have the moleskin patches (I mean, the spots as big as the pad of your thumb) and a hair brace. The hair brace doesn't seem to irritate them as much as a full moleskin brace. (And the hair brace is easier to adjust, in my experience.)

 

[BarbV]

Did you post the technique already here on the forum?

If not, can you describe it in more detail? I went hunting on the web last night for tutorials but all I found was the traditional brace.

Thanks so much!

 

[BarbV]

Hi again

I just found a website from Triumph Shelties that uses Japanese ear tape. Does anybody know what it is? Another site (Silver Trails) suggested that Elastikon or Elastiplast (which is available at drugstores where the ear tape is only available online) may be an alternative????

 

[Ann]

I've moved Narmowen's tutorial on bracing ears to Reference, for anyone who is looking for great point by point guidance on it.

 

[TaraLynn]

Easy Solution

Hi again

I just found a website from Triumph Shelties that uses Japanese ear tape. Does anybody know what it is? Another site (Silver Trails) suggested that Elastikon or Elastiplast (which is available at drugstores where the ear tape is only available online) may be an alternative????

I just got plain old moleskin...you can also get it in drugstores in the section where you get insoles for your shoes. Dr. Scholls makes it...it's just a pad of what looks like a more cottony band aid, and you just cut out what you need and stick it to the ear. Calibers ears tend to get oily fast, so I rub them with alcohol swabs a few minutes before hand and dab a little glue on the sticky side for extra hold!