Tips to Make a Prague Ratter's Ears Stand Up
Animal file: Prague Ratter
The Prague Ratter is a well-known toy-sized dog. Many owners who enjoy their company notice that their ears droop and flop, and they get worried about it. The fact, however, is that this happens quite often.
This AnimalWised article will share a trick you can use to make them stay in a vertical position, which is characteristic of the breed. Remember to thoroughly check your pet's ears beforehand to rule out any disease or health problem that they could be suffering from. Discover below some tips to make a Prague Ratter's ears stand up:
What are Prague Ratters like?
Prague Ratters are not recognized as a standardized breed because they are not regarded as an official breed by the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale); after all, they're not very common outside Central Europe.
Whether they're considered an official breed or not, the truth is that their ears are one of the most amusing and most remarkable physical characteristics of this pint-sized dog. The Prague Ratter might be the smallest breed in the world in height, but its ears are quite big by proportion. Being upright, they create a remarkable contrast to the Prague Ratter's tiny appearance.
Are your Prague Ratter's ears droopy?
First of all, you should know that drooping ears often occur among puppies that have not fully developed yet. You will have to wait until at least 5 months old to say that your Prague Ratter has floppy, drooping ears.
Ears standing upright or not is shaped by genetic factors, so if the parents - and even grandparents - of your Prague Ratter have floppy or bent ears, it is likely that your dog will also develop these too.
As suggested at the beginning, you should make sure that your dog is not suffering from any health problems. Otitis in dogs is usually the most common cause of problems associated with the lifting of ears.
Raising the ears with surgical tape
You will be able to find surgical tape for dogs in pet stores. It should be hypoallergenic and specific to dogs since it could otherwise damage their hair and skin. Surgical tape is generally used for long-haired dogs that tend to get dirty easily, but it is also used for issues like these, as in the case of Yorkshire Terriers.
You must position the surgical tape carefully, creating a cone-like structure and imitating the normal upright position of the Prague Ratter's ears - that is, in a natural angle. You should change the tape every 5 days at most. It is very important that you remove the bandage regularly to make sure that the ears are alright and that your dog has not suffered any skin problems.
Do this for a maximum of one month and never force your dog to wear the surgical tape if it is too uncomfortable, as that could cause stress.
Food supplements
Your dog's ears, like yours, are made of cartilage. A poor diet could also be the cause of this problem. Ask a specialist to administer cartilage supplements.
This kind of supplement will not damage your dog's health, but it should still be always administered under the advice of a professional.
If you have any tips you want to share with us please feel free to comment or send your photos. Thank you for visiting AnimalWised!
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