QuestionQUESTION: I have read several of your postings on the Band-Aid method for ear weighting, but I have to admit I don't understand the directions. My 19 week old Blaze has had his ears glued with Speed Sew since he arrived from the breeder. The right ear is tipped, but is not even with the left and seems to rise if I don't massage with the lanolin regularly. BTW, thanks for the lanolin suggestion that seems to really help. I don't want to keep gluing Blaze's ears if something less drastic can work from here on out. Thanks, Monique.
ANSWER: Hi Monique,
The band aid trick is for easy ears. If the ear is resistant like his left is, you need the lanolin and speed sew. It's only for another few weeks anyway then you can just use lanolin to keep them soft until you see the ears not try to stand up.
To clarify the band aid: it is like a tab on top of a file where the opposing sticky ends are touching the file or ear but the gauze section is flying above the ear like a tab. The gauze becomes the necessary leverage to keep the ear weighted. It's hard to explain until you play with the band aid. Just to further clarify, the gauze does not touch skin but is only folded against itself, just the sticky part touches skin.
'sneezes
Dave
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks so much for your quick response. Another quick question... How much longer do you think is reasonable to keep up the gluing? I have read everything from six to eight months on different Sheltie sites. Thanks again and again, Monique.
AnswerHi Monique,
You are most welcome. The answer you are looking for is the one you might already have guessed: 6-8 months is the guideline but each dog and even each individual ear is different!
The best answer is around the 6 month mark to periodically remove any apparatus you have attached and watch the ears. Keep the lanolin on them till at least 8 months. If an ear starts sticking up, then go back to a preferred method and lanolin until it gets back under control.
'sneezes
Dave
