Seriously, PupVine… what’s up with French Bulldog ear taping? Is that even a thing?
Hey there, stranger! Of course, ear taping is a thing. It’s a common procedure for pups like Frenchies to get their ears upright.
No, it’s nothing painful. It does not cripple your dog. Your pup’s ears will be unharmed. The only change would be the position. No cutting like cropping or sizing them down. No harm at all.
Are you ready to learn how to tape their ears upright to get those hilarious Frenchie bat-like ears?
What Does French Bulldog Ear Taping Even Mean?
Taping a Frenchie’s ears means you’ll use medical tape and some other helpful items to tape the ears upright, and make them stay that way for a couple of days.
Once the taping period is over, you will remove the tape, and your Frenchie’s ears won’t be floppy anymore. They will be pointy!
Should I Tape My Frenchie’s Ears?
The decision is absolutely individual, and not as harmful as ear cropping we see with Pitbulls. Now, that’s an invasive procedure!
Ear taping may be uncomfortable for your Frenchie puppy, but it does not hurt or damage any part of the dog’s ear.
Frenchies are one of the dogs with pointy ears. That’s their standard. You’ll rarely see a floppy-eared Frenchie. Why? Because pointy ears bring a lot of benefits.
When a dog’s ears stand upright, there’s a drastically low chance of developing ear infections than with floppy ears. Pointy ears always have fresh air coming in so bacteria can’t develop there that easily.
You should really decide on your own if you want a floppy-eared or pointy-eared Frenchie. The taping process may be a bit troubling, especially if you’re new at this, so better think twice.
Personally, I wouldn’t mind taping my Frenchies’ ears because I know it can bring my dog lots of good things. Oh, and let’s not forget to mention the goofiness factor that comes with those pawdorable bat-like ears!
When Should I Do It?
If you decide you want to go with pointy ears, and tape your Frenchie, then you should know when to do it. Of course, taping a newborn Frenchie is impossible. You must wait for a few months to see if the ears will rise on their own.
Normally, when puppies stop teething at the age of six months, their ears should rise. If they fail to do so, then you must jump in to help and tape the ears upright.
So, wait a couple of months. There is still a chance that your Frenchie’s ears will stand upright on their own. In most situations, it’s always one ear that rises first, followed by the other shortly after.
How To Tape A Frenchie’s Ears
Before we start explaining the process, I want you to know that you’re not doing anything wrong. Taping the ears is normal so relax, take a deep breath, and grab a piece of paper to write down what you’ll need to do.
Step #1
Of course, the first step is gathering your supplies. Taping shouldn’t be improvised. Sure, there aren’t any professional tools in the market, but there are some items that have become a standard part of the taping process. You’ll find all of the necessary items in your local store.
If you’re a woman, then you surely have some foam hair rollers. Grab them! Also, you’ll need a small insulating pipe that’s about the same size as the roller, some medical tape, a type of glue that’s safe on the skin, and four popsicle sticks.
The tape you’re using should be gentle to the skin, so no duck tape. Masking tape is okay, but I’d rather choose the white medical tape.
The glue must be safe to use because it comes in contact with your dog’s skin.
Step #2
The only part of the roller you use is the soft, foamy part. Attach a popsicle stick one inch away from the center of the roller, then cover almost the entire roller with the glue.
If you’re not comfortable with using glue, you can just use the roller and the tape. I admit… it’s much simpler.
In fact, I’ve seen dog owners using only the tape and it worked out well, too! But, you do you and pick your own method. The one with the stick and the roller is a professional one.
Step #3
Don’t forget to put a piece of another roller or some cotton pads to cover your dog’s ear canal. Be extra careful with the glue so it doesn’t get into your dog’s ear canals and cause discomfort or possible infections.
The foam roller should be placed in the center of the ear, with the base about two fingers away from the dog’s head. The ear should be completely wrapped around the roller.
As you start taping the ear, work your way down from the tip of it. Do it in circular motions, but don’t make it too tight. Otherwise, you’re risking a blockage of the blood flow.
Step #4
Remember those popsicle sticks? They were 1 inch away from your roller all the time. Now, it’s time to remove them as you don’t need them anymore.
What else you can do with these popsicle sticks is to place them on the back of the ear. Add more glue to those sticks so they can provide even more support to your dog’s taped ear. The ears should remain in an upright position for a couple of days if you play everything by the book.
Step #5
During the whole process of taping your Frenchie, you should remain as calm as possible. But, easier said than done. Frenchies aren’t that calm like adults, not to mention as puppies. So, keeping them at their best behavior is a difficult task.
Still, what needs to be done, needs to be done.
Make sure your Frenchie is entertained while you’re entertained with the taping process. I recommend you do this with another person… someone your puppy loves, so he or she can turn the pup’s attention away from what you’re doing.
Also, the taping process lasts for a couple of days, so further distraction during that period is in order.
Step #6
Your Frenchie’s ears should be taped for a maximum of two weeks. After seven days, you can unwrap the tape to see if the ears now stay up. In most cases, the ears will be upright after only a few days.
If the ears are still not ready, retape them and wait for another week or so. But, don’t do it for more than two weeks.
After that period, the ears should be nice and pointy like with Frenchies you see with professional breeders.
Gently remove the tape, the roller, and the popsicle sticks. Be extra careful if you have a long-haired Frenchie so you don’t pull out too much hair.
All that glue can be removed by using an adhesive cleanser, which is safe to use on animal and human skin. It may take a while to get it off, but you’ll eventually manage it.
Step #7
An alternative to this entire process is just using the tape. Basically, you’re taping your dog’s ears together, side to side. Between the ears should be tape placed like a headband in order to keep them straight and sturdy.
This is a much simpler procedure because it does not involve glue, sticks, or rollers. Medicine tape is safe for your dog’s skin, so don’t hesitate to use it.
What’s so great about French Bulldog ear taping is that all the methods I mentioned today really work, and the improvement is visible within a few days.
Natural Ways Of Making A Frenchie’s Ears Stand Upright
Ear taping is a much more effective process than using any natural way. But, since they are natural, they won’t harm your Frenchie if you use them. As a matter of fact, they can only bring certain benefits to your pooch.
What you can do is add chondroitin supplements to your dog’s diet. Of course, you should always consult with your vet before you do that. If supplements are off the table, then you should consider a natural source of this molecule like shark cartilage.
The problem with dog ears is that people believe it’s calcium that helps them stay strong and upright. But, a lack of calcium does not equal floppy ears at all. Ears have no bones! They have cartilage. And, what feeds the cartilage?
Chondroitin!
Don’t add too much calcium to your dog’s diet. It can actually cause more problems than bringing some benefits to your dog.
Another great thing you can do to make those floppy ears stand upright is give your dog a bunch of chew toys or chewy snacks. When a dog chews on something, i.e., a durable toy, he actually exercises his jaw. And, a jaw that exercises will help the ears stand upright!
Final Words
There’s nothing wrong with French Bulldog ear taping if you want to do it. It does not hurt the dog, nor does it cause any defect.
As you could see, upright ears can also bring lots of benefits like the reduced percentage of ear infections. We all know how nasty those infections can be.
If you want to own a French Bulldog, you should think through whether you want him to have floppy ears or upright ones. The decision is absolutely up to you. Of course, you should consult your vet so he can give you advice on the right technique of taping.