5 mo. old mini Aussie with

Question
QUESTION: I have a mini Aussie pup who is about 5 months old. His ears have been gradually standing higher and higher until they went to full "prick" ears the other day. I have heard that sometimes they will fold back down after the dog stops teething; is this true? I would like to avoid taping them if possible, but I love the bent over ears. Please advise. Thanks!

ANSWER: Prick ears are considered a fault in the Australian Shepherd breed, and it's more common in the smaller dogs, so you should not breed this dog.  However, if you like the look of the folded ear, get a really experienced breeder or veterinarian to help you glue them correctly.  I would not necessarily take a chance that they will fold on their own, since this is a rare, but genetic trait.

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QUESTION: I don't have any plans to breed him anyway. He is just a companion. So, is it true that they do sometimes fall back down though?

Answer
It is true that some dogs' ears do go back down when they are done teething, not just Aussies, but other breeds as well.  It's less likely in those with fully upright pricked ears than in larger dogs, but it can happen.  And, it's less likely in dogs that have a lot of prick eared dogs in their ancestry.