To glue, or not to glue...thereby hang the ears...Some ears tip naturally...the ear size and thickness fit just right with the width of the forehead..other ears need just a little bit of help. Even if your pup is 'only' destined for a pet, nonetheless, your beloved is still going to have the body and coat of a top quality sheltie..which is exactly what he or she is going to grow into. Helping those ears mold into that perky sheltie look can only be achieved through puppyhood. The following video's are outstanding examples of how to manage the glueing process. It doesn't hurt the babies at all...
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My favorites are Speed Sew and Unisolve...you can order these over the internet. I find Speed Sew to be thicker and easier to work with..Tear Mender seems too watery for me. Please note these videos aren't mine, I've found them on the internet to make first time puppy ear gluing go easier..as if that's possible :D
This blue merle collie pup in the upper left is the method I use. I've tried many brands, I keep coming back to Speed Sew. Use Unisolve to get the glue out. The following ideas are more elaborate methods. The idea is to train the muscles and cartilage to hold the ears upright with the correct 1/3 tip to the tip of the ear...
Up until 8 months or 3 years, you just keep reglueing the ears as the hair grows and the glue wears out.
After glueing, the mature ears tip higher and sit wider apart, so we glue basically the top half of the ear down, and glue the bases as close together as possible when young.
Where to buy supplies?
Triumpshelties Wickets by Mel
Are two of my favorites...or just do a internet search...
Carefully squeeze out a tip-of-little-finger size of glue, let it get tacky for a few minutes, apply to the hair at the tip of the ear and press to the inner corner of the base of the ear hair. Once the glue is dry and well adhered, apply the same size glue to the middle inner edges; press them together until holding. Do not apply the Speed Sew glue to the skin... only the hair...Apply light pressure to the hair/glue to let the glue dry and adhere to the hair. If you get the glue on your skin, it turns rubbery and easily rubs off.
For heavier ears that are really hanging, you can use the Austrailan Sheepdog puppy system using the glued foam and yarn. Usually though, just the glueing works.
Letting your puppy get hungry and having a third person offer little easy chew pieces of food helps to distract the puppy to have them hold still long enough to glue...
This blue merle collie pup in the upper left is the method I use. I've tried many brands, I keep coming back to Speed Sew. Use Unisolve to get the glue out. The following ideas are more elaborate methods. The idea is to train the muscles and cartilage to hold the ears upright with the correct 1/3 tip to the tip of the ear...
Up until 8 months or 3 years, you just keep reglueing the ears as the hair grows and the glue wears out.
After glueing, the mature ears tip higher and sit wider apart, so we glue basically the top half of the ear down, and glue the bases as close together as possible when young.
Where to buy supplies?
Triumpshelties Wickets by Mel
Are two of my favorites...or just do a internet search...
Carefully squeeze out a tip-of-little-finger size of glue, let it get tacky for a few minutes, apply to the hair at the tip of the ear and press to the inner corner of the base of the ear hair. Once the glue is dry and well adhered, apply the same size glue to the middle inner edges; press them together until holding. Do not apply the Speed Sew glue to the skin... only the hair...Apply light pressure to the hair/glue to let the glue dry and adhere to the hair. If you get the glue on your skin, it turns rubbery and easily rubs off.
For heavier ears that are really hanging, you can use the Austrailan Sheepdog puppy system using the glued foam and yarn. Usually though, just the glueing works.
Letting your puppy get hungry and having a third person offer little easy chew pieces of food helps to distract the puppy to have them hold still long enough to glue...
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