EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Good quality adhesive tape, scissors, Popsicle sticks, cotton balls, rubbing alcohol and patience. An extra pair of hands can also be very useful.
Make sure the ear that is to be taped is clean and dry, rubbing alcohol wiped in the shell of the ear with a cotton ball will work well. Start by measuring the Popsicle stick to the ear, from the bump inside the ear to the tip. Trim the Popsicle stick to the right length. Cut 2 strips of tape for each Popsicle stick to be used, a little longer than the stick. Affix these strips of tape to the sticks in the following manner. Place the stick onto the sticky side in the center of one piece of tape, then place the other piece of tape on top of both with the sticky side facing out.
This is very important as this sticky side affixes to the ear. Cut two more pieces of tape for each ear, one to go around the bottom — approximately 7 – 8 inches long, and another to go around the top — approximately 1″ long. Use full width. Take one of your tape covered sticks and prepare to affix to the ear. It is most helpful at this point to have someone holding the pup!
To affix the stick to the ear begin at the bottom putting the rounded end just above and sitting on the bump in the ear, hold the stick at an angle away from the head of the pup and stretch the ear up to the stick. This is also important as it tightly stretches the ear and helps eliminate `sinks.’
Holding the stick to the ear, wrap your piece of tape around the ear at the base, starting at the front and going around between the ears. This is a procedure called circle taping in which you put the strip of tape below the crease in the dog’s ear, right where they fold back. Take care not to release the upward stretch on the ear as you reach for the next piece of tape. Then the tape has to be pleated to form fit the ear. Do the same at the top of the ear with the full width piece of tape. To prevent the tips of the ears from curling secure the ear tips to the tape-covered sticks.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO WRAP THE TAPE TOO TIGHTLY AS YOU COULD CUT OFF CIRCULATION TO THE EAR!
When both ears are up you now need to cut a longer piece of tape to go around the whole thing. A piece approximately 10 -12″ will do. Starting at the front of the left ear at the bottom (stretch ear upwards) take the tape across the front of the head to the right ear (stretch ear up) and affix to the bottom front of this ear, always parallel to each other. Continue around the ear to the back where you will join the tape to the piece you just placed across the front, all the way across until you are back where you started. Once in place, lift this bridge and stick the two cross bars together, so that they will not stick to the top of the pup’s head. Be sure that the tape is not too high on the ear or the ears may begin to tilt inward.
Keep the tapes on as long as you can, it is important that the ears do not tilt towards each other but do remain in a parallel position. In fact it is better that they tilt a little apart at the top. Keep the tapes straight and in good repair. Remove them by cutting through all the layers, loosening the tapes on the tips, and briskly taking the sticks off. Repeat the entire procedure as often as necessary. Always put the ears back up immediately. Remember that for every day the ears are left to flop you have 2 extra weeks of taping ahead of you. GOOD LUCK!