But not all Yorkshire Terriers have erect ears.
In fact, when they are young, no Yorkies do.
They all begin with floppy ears. And some have floppy ears their whole lives.
The vast majority start out floppy-eared, but develop the upright, perky ears as they age.
Keep reading to learn when the average Yorkie develops upright ears, plus everything else you need to know, including measures you can take to help your Yorkie’s ears stand up.
When Do Yorkies’ Ears Stand Up?
Most Yorkies’ ears stand up at an age of between three and six months. The ears gradually become erect on their own without assistance.
In some instances, both ears do not stand up at the same time. One does so earlier and the other follows a bit later. Usually it’s about a week later.
But there’s more to the story.
Let’s take a closer look at Yorkies’ ears and get into all the details. We’ll cover everything you need to know about their ears in order to properly care for your Yorkie and keep it happy and healthy.
Yorkie Ears
Yorkshire terriers have small V-shaped ears set not too far apart and carried erect. That is according to the standards set by the American Kennel Club (AKC).
But there are instances when a Yorkie’s ears remain floppy instead of standing upright.
Fortunately, there are some effective methods to help make a Yorkie’s ears stand erect, depending on its age and the physical characteristics of the ears.
Yorkies Are Born With Floppy Ears
It should be noted that all Yorkies are born with floppy ears. Their ears will remain that way, until they have developed the required muscle strength that allows them to stand up.
The muscles used in making their ears stand up are at the base of their ears. We also want to emphasize that some Yorkie puppies may take longer than others to manifest erect ears.
There’s also the possibility that Yorkies with large ears, or ears with a sturdy texture, will always have floppy ears regardless of their age.
Yorkies’ Ears Usually Raise Within A Few Month After Birth
To reiterate, most Yorkies will have upright ears between three and six months of age. Their ears stand up and do so on their own, without assistance.
In some instances, one ear becomes erect earlier than the other ear. But the later one always follows the lead of the former and usually is upright too after a week or so.
But there are also so-called late bloomers among Yorkies!
In these cases, a Yorkie puppy may not have erect ears until as late as nine months nine months. Some Yorkies also develop erect ears much earlier, between six and eight weeks.
If you have a late bloomer on your hands, you have to determine whether you want to wait for your Yorkie’s ears to stand up on their own, or if you prefer to adopt specific measures to achieve it.
We generally recommend just letting nature take its course. There are also some instances when the ears will not stand up at all.
If your Yorkie is older than nine-months and still has floppy ears, it is probable that its ears will never stand up. In AKC (American Kennel Club) terminology, full-grown Yorkies with floppy ears are referred to as Floppy Ears.
If your pup’s ears do stand up, they will remain that way, unless some unusual issue causes them to droop again. One such potential issue is a vaccination.
Even in full-grown Yorkies, their ears are likely droop for a period of time after vaccination. It may also happen during the teething period and due to stress, injury, or illness.
Afterward, their ears will return to their erect state, usually when the Yorkie is in good health again.
Does It Matter If Your Yorkie Has Floppy Ears?
No, it does not matter, unless your Yorkie is a regular participant in dog show conformance events. In these events, judges look for balanced V-shaped ears that stand erect.
But a Yorkie with floppy ears can still be considered a purebred Yorkie! Some pet owners actually prefer floppy-eared Yorkies. In the end, it’s the love that matters, not the physical appearance.
Three Categories Of Yorkie Ears
How do you know if your Yorkie puppy’s ears will stand up in time? There’s no way to know. But if your puppy comes from a kennel or a shelter, you will likely know right away, or very soon, which category it belongs to.
- Ears that will become erect on their own (without external intervention)
- Ears that will stand with external intervention when he’s still young
- Ears that will not become erect even with external intervention at any age
Keep in mind that puppies from a kennel or shelter are only released when they are at least 12 weeks old.
If your adopted Yorkie’s ears aren’t standing by this time, they will likely stand very soon. If not, they probably won’t ever stand on their own.
If the Yorkie puppies were born in your home, then you will have to wait for three to six months to see what category they fall into.
There will likely be on-point and late bloomers in the litter, as well as some whose ears will remain floppy throughout their lives.
All the puppies may also have ears that become erect without external intervention, or all of them may be floppy-eared.
The bottom line: it is Mother Nature’s call. Your job is to accept the outcome and adopt measures that will make your puppies’ lives happier.
That said, if you need your pup’s ears to stand up for whatever reason, and they don’t seem to be doing so on their own, there are some measures you can take.
How To Make A Yorkie’s Ears Stand Up
Keep in mind that any external interventions need to be performed very carefully. You should never let your Yorkie suffer just because you want its ears to be erect!
Your goal here is to aid your Yorkie in developing the muscles at the base of his or her ears. You want the muscles to become strong enough to hold up the ears.
The most common method of aiding your Yorkies ears is taping them. Here is how to tape Yorkie ears.
- Massage the base of your Yorkie’s ears. Do this gently so as not to spook it.
- Shave the hair off the ears (it is best to only shave the top third), both the inside and outside. Use a clipping machine for safety reasons. Shaving the hair reduces the weight carried by the ears. Read this article on how to trim Yorkie ears.
- Clean the inside of the ears. Use cotton buds dipped in a canine cleaning solution. But don’t enter too deeply into the ear canal to avoid damaging it.
- Fold the ear so that it forms a cone. Your Yorkie’s ears should be standing straight up with a pointed end at the top.
- Wrap a small strip of gauze around the base of each ear and secure with bandage tape; scotch tape also works, but it can stick to the remaining hair.
- Use bandage tape to hold both ears in alignment. Check that the fold is neither too tight nor too loose.
- Leave the taping on for three days, then remove it to let your Yorkie’s ears relax. Repeat the process, if necessary. Clean the ears between the tapings.
Depending on your puppy’s age and ear characteristics, this process may take between three days and three weeks. In some cases, a Yorkie may not respond to taping.
But whatever the result in your Yorkie, you should never resort to cropping! If taping does not work, you have to accept that your Yorkie is a later bloomer, or that it will have floppy ears for the rest of its life.
Yorkie Ears Standing Up: Conclusion
In conclusion, Yorkies are lovable pets, with or without erect ears! While erect ears make them more beautiful, these aren’t the be-all and end-all of their welcome presence in our lives.
You have to love your Yorkie, erect ears or not. That is the most important thing when taking care of pets.
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