How to Tape a Dog's Ears

If you have a dog whose ears you would like to stand up straighter, the ears will have to be taped for a period of time in order to "train" them. Taping is done while the dog is still a puppy, before he or she reaches 8 months. After 8 months, the cartilage will be mostly formed and you will no longer be able to train the ears. It is a good idea to cut all of your pieces of tape beforehand, so that you will not have an accident when cutting it off while it is on the dog's ears.

Things You'll Need

  • 3/4-inch surgical tape
  • 1 1/2-inch surgical tape
  • Pipe insulating foam
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Instructions

    • 1

      Purchase a size of pipe insulating foam that will be a good fit for the inside of the dog's ears. Cut and trim two lengths to match the length of the ears. Make sure it fits from the inside base of the ear, all the way to the tip.

    • 2

      Wrap the foam pieces with 1 1/2 inch surgical tape. Halfway through wrapping, fold the tape and wrap the other direction so that you have the sticky side out.

    • 3

      Press the wrapped foam into the first ear. This is referred to as a "stay."

    • 4

      Leave the tape on for five to seven days at a time, giving the ears one day untaped in between. How long you will need to keep up with the taping will depend on the type of dog, the thickness of the ear, how much the ear was drooping and whether the ear was surgically trimmed.

    • 5

      Use surgical glue inside of the ears to safely glue the stay if your dog has a tendency to shake off the taping.