Some German shepherd puppies ears stand up as early as 7-9 weeks old. Do not be alarmed if your pup's ears don't stand until 5-6 months of age. Unusually larger ears may even take longer.

• Most often if your puppy is teething this can slow the process as well.
• You can stimulate the ears with your fingers and/or massage them to strengthen the cartilage. You can provide "Pet-Tabs" once daily, which is rich in calcium to help the cartilage develop stronger.

  How-ever, please be careful. To much calcium will build-up on the bone tissue and cause severe pain and abnormality in growth. It can also cause Panosteitis (growing pains and/or inflammation of the bones).

In some cases German shepherd puppies ears never stand. This is called  "soft ear". Soft ears are a genetic inheritance. Sometimes taping can be successful.

• Dogs with soft ears should not be bred even if taping is successful.
• It is a major disqualification in the show ring.
• If the ears stand up but wiggle at the tips when the dog is running. This is identified as "friendly ears". Friendly ears are not a disqualification in any means but is not pleasing to the eye.