Will my German Shepherd mix’s ears stand up?
Crossbreeds have gained popularity in recent years due to their status as “designer dogs.” It can be difficult to determine exactly what a mixed dog will look like. Breeds with completely different qualities will produce puppies with characteristics of both parents, and there is no way to guarantee exactly what the puppy will inherit from each. Different puppies from the same litter may also exhibit different traits than their siblings.
That said, some traits, like short hair for example, are genetically dominant and will therefore be passed down over others, like long hair, which are genetically recessive. Dominant traits are those that require only one copy of a specific gene for the trait to be passed on to a puppy. Recessive traits, on the other hand, require two copies; one from each parent.
However, just because a trait is passed down or carried does not necessarily guarantee that it will be physically present and visually identifiable in the puppy. They might just carry it and pass it on to their own offspring, even if they don’t seem to have it themselves. It’s rare, but it happens !
So which one is dominant? erect or drooping ears? The answer is: floppy ears! Drop ears are genetically dominant to erect ears in dogs. So when predicting what your German Shepherd mix’s ears will look like, look at its parents. Or, if you don’t know the parent dogs, consider the other breed in the mix.
For example, according to the German Shepherd website SheppéSome of the most popular German Shepherd crossbreeds of 2021 are Golden Shepherds (a German Shepherd/Golden Retriever mix) and Siberian Shepherds (a German Shepherd/Siberian Husky mix).
Golden Shepherds are more than likely to have floppy ears as the majority of Golden Retrievers have floppy ears, while Siberian Shepherds will almost certainly have erect ears as Siberian Huskies’ ears are always erect.
Can a dog’s ears affect its temperament?
No, the shape of a dog’s ears does not affect its temperament. It is well known that certain genetic physical traits can marginally affect a dog’s personality. For example, long-haired German Shepherds are generally known to have a gentler temperament than short-haired ones and black german shepherds they are said to have “an advantage” over other colors of the breed.
However, there is no suggestion that ear size, shape or type affects a dog’s personality in any way – and nothing shapes a dog’s temperament more than how it is treated by dogs. humans.
That said, the different ear shapes in dogs tend to reflect their original working purpose. For example, the spaniel, a hunting dog, has floppy ears that collect and retain odor particles. This helped them find what they were looking for much faster at the time.
German Shepherds, on the other hand, as well as other wolf-like breeds, like the Siberian Hoarse, have erect and pointed ears. This is thought to aid their hearing during guard work, keep their body temperature in check during intense hunts, and give them an alert look to ward off predators.
This may be why people are statistically more likely to perceive dogs with erect ears as more threatening, according to research conducted by James Madison University, USA, in 2015. However, this is not necessarily true, as any dog lover knows. This is likely due to something old and instinctual, as they also found that people perceive coat colors differently as well.
Does ear shape affect a dog’s hearing?
The type of ears a dog has can affect its hearing. Specifically, heavy, drooping ears that cover the canal can slightly muffle sound and reduce a dog’s hearing distance, but only marginally.
Whether a dog has erect ears or drooping ears, they have 18 different muscles that control them to channel sounds coming from all different directions. Regardless of their type, a good-hearing dog can still hear between 40 and 60,000 hertz, which is more than double what human ears can hear!
The essential
Whether your German Shepherd’s ears are erect or droopy, as long as they are safe and loved, that’s all that matters.
However, if you are concerned about these animals, watch out for other signs of potential problems and ask your veterinarian for an examination if you are concerned.