Should You Tape French Bulldogs Ears? The answer to this very prickly subject is it depends? A lot of people associate ear taping with cropping and docking surgery. But this is not what we are talking about in this article. We will talk about Taping and gluing and give you some more non-intrusive tips and tricks to try first.
The ears of your French Bulldog puppy can be an interesting item to watch. Their ears change from drooping to standing up over the first 12 months of their life. Their ears may stand up, or they could need a little support to help them stand straight. But it would be best if you asked yourself the following question.
Decide if upright ears are important to you.
While French Bulldogs’ breed requirement is to have upright ears, your own Frenchie puppy doesn’t need to comply with this breed standard. Your personal choice is whether you want your Frenchie to follow this standard or not.
Floppy ears in dogs have become the norm. Including breeds perceived to be very alert with their hearing can have floppy ears. Dobermans, Pit Bulls, German Shepherd, and our French Bulldog are all commonly portrayed with pointed ears, although it is not rare for particular dogs to have floppy ears.
Research claims floppy ears are a domestication flaw because every dog owner understands floppy ears are another reason they love their best friend. In saying that there are a lot of benefits for your dog to have pointy ears as follows:
| Floppy ears are more prone to infections because of their shape. It is not necessary to wash upright ears as often as rosebud ears once every 4 weeks over once every 7 days. |
| Dropping ears collect and hold more moisture than ears that are standing straight and are thus more susceptible to ear disorders. |
| It’s important to remember that not every French Bulldog ear will stand upright. A condition is known as “soft ear” This condition can be a problem later in life. |
| Whether to tape your French Bulldog’s ears should be decided in consultation with your vet or a French Bulldog breeder. |
When Should I tape my French Bulldog’s ears?
Newborn Frenchies are blind and deaf for a few days after they are born. This is due to their tightly clasped ears and eyes. Approximately 13 to 16 days after birth, their eyes start to open and their ears should rise. Do not be alarmed if you do not see their ears pointing in the right direction, the process can take up to 8 months to finish!
French Bulldogs’ ears can be taped, but they should stand up on their own without any help. Understandably, you cannot wait forever for your Frenchie’s ears to stand up, so if they still don’t stand up properly when they turn eight months old, they’re unlikely to stand up and stay in the same shape they will need to help them.
| However, you cannot be 100% certain that your Frenchies ears will automatically rise on their own. |
| In as little as ten weeks, Frenchies can stand on their own. For most dogs, straightening their ears can take up to six months. It is common for one ear to stand straight before the other. |
Teething
Teething is one of the key causes of drooping ears. Fortunately, this is only temporary. The teething will finish around 6 to 7 months. But give it another month after this before becoming concerned.
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How to tape French Bulldogs ears up
Step 1 how to tape your Frenchies ears
Your French Bulldog puppy’s ears don’t require a lot of materials to be taped. Most of them are probably already in your home. Female foam hair rollers are among the items you will need. They can be found in most pharmacies or department stores.
| If you prefer, you can use small insulation piping available at most hardware stores. You should use a pipe the size of a large foam roller if you wish to employ one. |
| It will be necessary to use tape. Choosing the right tape is a must. Use white medical tape that you can find at your pharmacy. Masking tape is another good option, but it isn’t as common as medical tape. |
| Electrical tape or duct tape should not be used. Tapelike this might hurt your Frenchies ears because it is too sticky. |
| As well you will need glue that is safe on the skin and will bond to the skin. You will need one or two number 2 pencils that are blunt. |
| If you tape the popsicle stick between your Frenchie’s ears, it will act as a bridge. |
Step 2 Prepare the for placement
The protective rod must be removed from the roller’s center. Once this is done, position the pencil approximately 1 inch from the center of the roller. Around the circumference of the roller, apply the glue roughly 3/4 of the way up.
| You should administer enough glue to cover the roller, without allowing the glue to drip or exude from the roller. Your Frenchie may feel discomfort if you add too much glue to the ear canal. |
| You might want to encase the roller with tape instead of using glue if you’re concerned about using glue. The pencil does not need to be used if you are using tape. |
Step 3 placing the roller inside your Frenchie’s ear.
PlaIn order to prevent blocking the ear canal of your Frenchie and inhibiting its ability to hear, the roller should be placed in the right location. You should position the roller close to the bottom of the ear flap. The base of the roller must be at least two fingers away from the head of your French Bulldog.
| The roller can be gently pressed to the inside of the ear so the glue or tape on it can adhere. |
Step 4 tape the ear
The ear should be wrapped around the roller. Tape in a circular motion from the top of the ear down while holding the pencil end.
Tape your Frenchie’s ear firmly while avoiding too much pressure; too much tape can be painful for your Frenchie, as well as inhibit blood flow.
| After you have finished taping the French Bulldog’s ear, remove the pencil with an upward movement. Make sure you do this gently. |
| Having both ears taped is ideal including if one ear is already standing up. |
Step 5 stabilize the ears
Tape or glue the extra tape or glue behind the tops of both ears, then position the popsicle stick behind them. Popsicle sticks can support an ear while it is wrapped, keeping it straight and secure.
Step 6 keep your French Bulldog busy
After you finish taping up your Frenchie’s ears, he or she may start playing with them. Allow the glue or tape to set for around ten minutes by distracting them. They can be occupied with a meal, played with, and taken for a walk.
Step 7 Keep their ears taped up for 10 to 12 days
If your French dog’s ears do not stand upright after two weeks, you will have to wait until they do. You will, no doubt, be able to take the Popsicle sticks out of the ears of your French Bulldog during this time.
You are most likely to experience this within 48 hours of taping their ears.
| Suppose you see the tape unraveling or the popsicle stick falling off. Make sure you repair where ever possible. |
| After seven days, think about removing the tape to see whether the ears can stand on by themselves. If not, re-tap their ears. |
| Cover your Frenchies ears with a plastic bag if it’s rainy or snowing outside, so they do not get the wrapping wet when they have to go out. |
Step 8 remove the tape and popsicle stick
The tape on your French Bulldogs’ ears should be removed using an adhesive cleanser. These can be found at any hardware store.
Carefully and slowly remove the tape and foam roller from your French Bulldog’s ears according to the directions on the adhesive cleanser bottle.
| Be careful not to tear or tear the roller away when removing the tape. You’ll not only hurt the inside of your Frenchies’ ears, but your Frenchies will be uncomfortable as well. |
| When you remove the tape and roller from your Frenchie’s ears, don’t worry if they aren’t perfectly straight. After being taped, their ears may be a little weak, but they will become stronger over time. |
Other natural options you can try
Calcium
Let’s get this one out of the way first. Some people think calcium supplements are helpful to puppies. And several claims that this would allow better development of the ears.
Adding extra calcium to your Frenchie’s diet may eventually have lasting negative effects. Extra calcium can cause severe imbalances in other minerals throughout their body. This is going to cause lifelong bone structural issues as they develop. So please don’t add extra calcium to your Frenchie’s diet.
Anyway, your French Bulldogs’ ears are composed of cartilage, not bone. Calcium will have little impact on cartilage growth; this will only cause harm and other mineral deficiencies.
Chew Toys
This should be the first thing you should try in helping your French Bulldog ears. Chewing on safe chew toys is the number one way to make those adorable ears stand up.
Chew toys not only help to alleviate discomfort and pain throughout teething. It also benefits the jaw, neck, and head muscles training. The jaw and head muscles are especially important to healthy sticky-up ears.
Your French Bulldog will have a highly developed Temporalis muscle, one of the most important muscle groups for chewing. The Temporalis muscle is among the muscle groups to provide the famous French Bulldogs look with its upright ears.
It’s not the only muscle involved since several minor muscles around the ears work in tandem with this muscle.
Please look at our suggestions if you want to know our top pick for chew toys.
Glucosamine
Glucosamine is a natural product that allows the body to develop strong, healthy cartilage. An additional advantage is that it also helps to create a joint lubricant for healthy joints.
This supplement also alleviates arthritis in both people and elderly dogs. But it is still extremely beneficial for your Frenchie puppy. It’s also worth talking to your veterinarian if you have any doubts or questions about including this supplement as part of your Frenchie’s diet.
If you’re searching for a more natural way to add glucosamine to your Frenchie’s diet, consider natural food choices as follows:
| Duck feet | Duck necks |
| Chicken feet | Chicken necks |
| Green-lipped mussels | Homemade bone broth |
If your French Bulldog eats dry commercial food, you can comfortably substitute 20% of their diet with whole food as above and still have a healthy diet.3
Vitamin C
It is indeed an effective antioxidant, and it also helps to create cartilage. And for your new French Bulldog going through a difficult period of vaccinations or the transition to a new home and rapid growth.
If you would rather use natural food sources over supplements to add vitamin C to your Frenchie’s diet during the development of their ears, then these foods are nutritious and safe:
| Watermelon | Carrots |
| Apples | Bok Choy |
| Pumpkin | Sweet Potatoes |
| Celery |
Dairy
Some studies say that augmenting the diet of your French Bulldog puppy with organic yogurt or cottage cheese can help promote the growth of the ears.
However, dairy ends up causing an abdominal upset in dogs except when it’s fermented. In fact that most yogurts contain stabilizers and synthetic sugars that are not safe for your Frenchie.