There are multiple reasons why we adore French Bulldogs. They have a cute face, funny behavior, and loving nature. But their perky ears are also an attractive characteristic of this bread.
In adulthood, they have pointy ears that complement their overall sharp look.
When Do French Bulldogs Ears Stand Up?
The ears of adult Frenchies are standing up, but you might have seen some french bulldog puppies with floppy ears, and you wonder when do french bulldogs ears stand up?
You should know that it’s usually a process that starts when the French Bulldog is about 4-6 weeks old. For the majority, the ears will start to stand up around three months.
For some Frenchies, it can begin at three months or even at 7-8 months, although this is less common.
Every french Bulldog is different, and the process through which the ears begin to stand up can begin earlier or later, depending on the growth pattern and the levels of calcium in their organism.
This process is fascinating and entertaining. During it, one ear can be floppy, and the other one straight up. Your Frenchie will be even cuter in this period.
Let’s find out more about this process.
At What Age Will A French Bulldog’s Ears Stand Up?
As mentioned previously, the age when Frenchie ears will stand up differs from one dog to another.
Every French Bulldog has a different development, and it is nothing wrong if your puppy will start the ear standing process later than others. Regularly, between the 5 and 15 weeks of age, their ears will be able to stand up independently.
In other cases, the puppy’s ears will stand up at three months or even eight months.
During this period, you can observe that one ear is floppy, and the other one is standing up or that both stand-up and then become floppy again or that they are dropped at the top.
If you Frenchie presented one of these cases, you should not worry. All these cases can happen because of the teething process, which will affect the ear’s stand up development.
During teething, the calcium in his organism will be directed to this process, so only a small amount of it will be channeled to the ear’s development, causing delays.
Teeth are essential, too, so be patient to finish this process first and then to develop his ears properly.
The standing-up ears process happens naturally and doesn’t mean something is wrong with your puppy if it takes him a little longer.
However, if your dog reached eight months and they are not signs that the ears will stand out, you can give them a little help. In the following sections, we will talk about this.
How Long Will It Take My French Bulldog’s Ears To Stand Up?
The period in which your Frenchie will develop his ears depends from one dog to another.
There is no set date for this, but usually, it takes a couple of days from when the process started.
Can I Help My French Bulldog’s Ears To Stand Up?
The most utilized technique by breeders is to tap a Frenchie’s ears. It is not a hurting process, but you should discuss it first with your veterinary.
The process requires cutting 1.5 inches of masking tape that is easy to remove. Pull the puppy’s ear upright, so it’s flat. Wrap the masking tape loosely at the base of the ear. Do the same for the other ear, and then use a strip of tape to connect both ears.
You should keep them in this way for five days if the puppy doesn’t show clear signs of discomfort.
If he shows signs of distress, you should remove it.
There are some theories that a diet rich in calcium can make your French Bulldog’s ears stand up quickly, but there is no scientific data for this.
You should give your Frenchie the amount of calcium suggested by his veterinary and not give him more because it can cause his overall health.
It is important to understand that the ears standing up the process of a Frenchie is natural, and you shouldn’t force it. After all, you will love your Frenchie no matter if he has floppy ears or stands up ears.
He will be adorable anyways, and most probably, the ears will stand up at some point.
You should be patient and offer him the time he needs for development.
Do All French Bulldogs Ears Stand Up?
In most cases, Frenchies have ears that stand up by the age of 2 months old after the teething process finishes.
However, some owners state that their bulldog ears stood up at seven months or even one year.
In approx 10% of cases, french bulldogs remain with floppy ears.
The chances that your French Bulldog will have floppy ears in their adult life are small. Even if this is your less likely case, you should love his imperfection and be proud of him, no matter what.
I bet that he will draw even more attention if he has floppy ears.
Can French Bulldogs Have Ear-related Health Problems?
Unfortunately, French Bulldogs often pay the price for those adorable ears.
They are prone to numerous allergies and ear infections; that is why you must keep their ears clean.
You should develop a habit of cleaning your Frenchie’s ears every week. We will talk more about this subject in the next section. The signs that your dog has an ear infection are:
- excessive head shaking
- bad odor of the ears
- the ears are red in the interior
- he scratches his ears constantly
- presents a yellow or brown discharge from inside his ear
At any of these signs, you should get him immediately to his vet.
Also, if your dog develops an allergy, the ears may present redness or become itchy. Regularly they develop allergies from the food, so you must be careful what you feed your Frenchie.
You have to observe him and notice if is something wrong with his ears and relate this to any environmental factors that he experimented with recently.
Your vet could ask you if something in his diet or environment changed recently.
How To Clean A French Bulldog Ears?
As we mentioned previously, you should take great care of your Frenchie’s ears.
This means that you must clean them regularly to avoid building up detritus and debris. You can clean them weekly or monthly, depending on their state.
Check them periodically, it is recommended daily, and you will know when it is time to clean them.
Let’s see how you can clean the ears properly:
- You should prepare one or more cotton balls and an ear cleaning solution approved by the vet. Apply the cleaning solution on the cotton balls and keep them near you.
- Calm your French Bulldog and induce him a relaxing, safe mood. You can give him treats for helping him feel comfortable.
- Lay him down gently.
- Clean the outer part of the ear gently, with the cotton ball soaked in the solution.
- Avoid deep cleaning of the ear because you can hurt the ear canal.
- Also, make sure that it won’t remain parts of the cotton ball in the ear canal because they can cause infections.
Another way is to pour a few drops of ear solution in the ear canal and allow your Frenchie to shake their head after a few seconds.
This is one of the best methods because you will not stress him very much through the process.
These two methods you can perform at home. If you are outside and need to clean his ears immediately, you can use wet baby wipes, alcohol-free.
You should never use water to clean your Frenchie’s ears. Water can cause the skin to soften and swell, putting it at risk for infections.
You should pay great attention to your Frenchie ears and clean them properly. At any sign that something is wrong, you should get it to the vet.
Conclusion
We all love Frenchies! They are beautiful, smart, and their pointed ears make them look curious and funny. Unlike other breeds, Frenchie’s ears have a natural development process going through floppy to stand out.
It is a normal process for this breed that makes them truly unique, and you, as an owner, should do a little research on this subject and be prepared for when this will happen.
Also, be patient and wait until your French Bulldog’s ears stand up. As you find out before, the timing of this process differs from each dog, and if your Frenchie has a later ear development, you shouldn’t worry.
It is best not to intervene in this process. If you, however, decide to intervene, discuss first with the vet the possibility to tap the ears.
No matter if your Frenchie’s ears are standing up or floppy, you will love it anyway. He is such a beautiful companion with a funny behavior that will make your heart melt every time you stay near him!
