When Do Chihuahuas Ears Stand Up? [Or Why Not!]

Chihuahuas are born with floppy ears which won’t perk and stand up until they’re older. Of these floppy ears, sometimes one might be erect while another has none!

So, when do chihuahua ears stand up?

The ears of a Chihuahua puppy will rise up and straighten out as he grows older. After 5 to 15 weeks, most chihuahua puppies’ ears will rise up and perk, but not necessarily in unison. When the ears rise, however, some chihuahuas can be as old as eight months old.

In this blog post, we will look into why some ears of chihuahuas don’t stand up and what methods we can do to encourage straightening their ears out.

Why Some Chihuahua Ears Never Went Up?

There are several factors that might cause your Chihuahua’s ears to remain floppy. However, there is no single cause or reason why some chihuahuas’ ears will not rise up! Some of these possible causes involve:

1. Breed – There are certain breeds of dogs that have naturally floppy ears instead of perking up. Some examples of such breeds include the English bulldog and some spaniels.

2. Injury – A Chihuahua puppy might have injured his ears as a result of fighting with another dog or clumsiness that caused an injury to the ear. If the injury is severe enough, it may not rise back up!

3. Age – Some chihuahuas are simply too old to perk up their ears! As mentioned, not all Chihuahuas will get to perk their ears by 5 weeks; some don’t get their full perky ears until they reach 6 or 7 months of age. Thus, if your chi has been with you at least for a couple of months and its ears aren’t standing yet, then give it some time!

4. Mother Chihuahua – The mother chihuahua might have been destructive or aggressive to the chi’s ear resulting in the floppy ear gene being passed down. However, this is not always the case! Sometimes, the puppy is born with the floppy ear gene.

5. Nutrition – Chihuahuas are characterized by their small body, so feeding large amounts of food will not be good for their health as this can result in obesity.

Obesity has been linked to different health problems in dogs especially if the dog’s breathing is affected due to an excess of fat in the chest and throat – this results in stuffy breathing.

If your chihuahua has been eating more than it should, try cutting down on food portions as this can help perk up those floppy ears!

6. Stress – Your chihuahua might be stressed out by some environmental factors such as loud noises or human interaction. Try reducing the number of visitors you have at home especially if it’s too overwhelming for your chi. Also, observe for any sign of fear in your favorite dog.

7. Lack of Calcium – A diet that lacks calcium will result in a lower bone density. Thus, your chi might have low bone density and because the ears are made up of bones, this might be why it’s unable to stand properly.

Methods to Encourage Ear Perking

If your chihuahua’s ears have not been standing, here are a few tips and tricks that will encourage those floppy ears to rise up!

1. Gently massage the base of the ear – Because it has been said that gentle massaging helps relieve stress, this is one of the best ways to perk up ears!

2. Chewing treats – Try using chewable dog treats or any other form of edible treat, and place them inside the ear! This will encourage your chihuahua to chew on its own ears which will cause it to stand up in time.

3. When you play with your chihuahua, try not to mess with its ears. Dogs like to keep their ears tucked in when they play but this is not good for the ear health! So if you notice that its ears are up and perky while playing, then that would be awesome!

4. Provide chihuahua calcium supplements. The levels of calcium affect the strength of bones including the ear bones. If your chihuahua is deficient in calcium, then the ears will not stand upright. Supplement your chihuahua’s diet with calcium-rich treats like cheese and yogurt to help its bones grow strong and thus, might cause the ears to stand up too!

5. Avoid pulling the ears up by any means! This might seem like a great way to enhance ear parking but it can be very dangerous for your pet. Poking or pulling its ears can result in injury and swelling.

6. Remember that ear infections are not good for your chi’s health, so prevent this by keeping its ears clean and dry! If you notice any unusual changes in the appearance of the ears such as a dark red color, then immediately bring your pet to a veterinarian as this might be a sign of an ear infection.

7. Be calm and patient! Do not stress your chi as this can also cause its ears not to stand up! If you notice that its ears are down all the time, then try to reduce the amount of stress it is exposed to by avoiding loud noises or too many visitors at home.

Final Words

As you know, chihuahuas are small dogs with big personalities and many of their physical characteristics come with quite a bit of variability. One such characteristic is the position of the ears. Many chihuahuas have ears that lie completely on the side of their heads, but some also have floppy ears that can rest on top of their heads or even point straight up.

Chihuahuas are small dogs but they do not lack the cuteness and beauty of big dog breeds — we just need to wait until it gets older and its ears stand out! It might take some time for the floppy ears to stand up, but do not fret as this is something that can be achieved in time.