Boxer Mailing List Glue In Ear Taping

GLUE-IN SUPPORT METHOD FOR EAR CROPS

by
Lee & Brenda Muirhead, Dauntae Boxer's Reg'd

Materials Required:
-Dr. Scholl's Air Pillow Insoles
-Wooden Popsicle Sticks (Hobby Sticks, Stir Sticks)
-1" Adhesive Tape
-1" Micropore Tape
-1/2" Adhesive Tape
-Can of Skin Bond Glue.
For making up the ear supports you do the following:

Cut the foam to the pattern (Diagram at end of Article and Diagram A). You are able to get 2 or more sets from 1 package. Do not separate the pair of insoles until you are through cutting them. This will insure that the pair of supports are exactly the same.

Draw the pattern on the insoles and cut the foam to the shape of the pattern. Trim the corners as shown in (Diagram B). You don't want the end of the support to be bulky.

Take the foam apart and lay them foam side down. Take a popsicle stick and apply a layer of Skin Bond to it. Place the stick (glue side down) in the middle of the support (Diagram C). There should be about 3/16" space where the stick is above the bottom of the foam. Tape over the stick with 1" adhesive tape and trim the edges
.

On the bottom of the support roll the edges inward and wrap with a piece of 1/2" adhesive tape. Wrap this tightly as this will be going into the bell of the ear. The support is now complete. (Diagram D)

Make sure that the ears are clean and dry. Prepare your tape first. You will need 2 pieces of Micropore tape 2" long. You will need someone to hold the puppy's head square while putting in the supports. Apply a layer of Skin Bond to the Support and the inside of the ear. The layer of glue in the ear does not need to come below the top of the opening of the bell. With your index finger and thumb stretching the tip of the ear, gently insert the support with your index finger pushing it into the bell of the ear. The support should go into the ear approx. 1/2" - 3/4". DO NOT FORCE THE SUPPORT INTO THE EAR. Gently push the support against the ear and hold for a few seconds. The ear should now stand on its own. (Diagram E)

Take a piece of the precut Micropore and place it behind the ear folding the edge slightly around the ear tip (Diagram F). Place a second piece of Micropore in the same manner, making sure that they overlap. If the support is too long, trim off the excess. Be careful to leave the ear in one piece.

If the ears fall or droop outwards, you will need to tape across the top of the head. This will add support so that the ears stand straighter and so there's no rubbing on the inside of the ear. For taping across the top of the head you will need to have 2 pieces of precut 1/2" tape about 8" long. Have someone hold the puppy's head still and if possible some one to gently hold the ears up tall. Place one piece of tape from the bottom of the right bell to the bottom of the left bell. Then take the other piece of tape and go from the back of the bell on the right to the back side of the left, then stick the 2 tapes together and roll to tighten (Diagram K). Then grasp the bells of the ear and squeeze the tape to stick well to the base of the ears. You can let go of the ears and make sure the tape is holding them in the proper position, if not redo it.
Initially after putting in the supports the puppy's will shake their heads and possibly scratch a bit at them. After a few minutes this should subside. Using this method you should change them about every 7-10 days. By this time the glue will have let loose and you'll be able to see that they need changing. If the sticks are broken or the supports become damaged or loose, replace them immediately. Do not leave the supports out for an extended amount of time or you'll defeat all the time spent trying to get them to stand. You may quit using this method when the ears are standing without support. (The average for us has been about the age of 6 months. This method has worked wonderfully for the last 6 years of litters and all our ears have stood.

Copyright July 1997 Lee and Brenda Muirhead,
Dauntae Boxer's Reg.
Diagrams Copyright July 1997 Lee and Brenda Muirhead,
Dauntae Boxer's Reg'd

BML Information

Other Information

	Cut the foam to the pattern (Diagram at end of Article and Diagram A). You are able to get 2 or more sets from 1 package. Do not separate the pair of insoles until you are through cutting them. This will insure that the pair of supports are exactly the same.
	*Draw the pattern on the insoles and cut the foam to the shape of the pattern. Trim the corners as shown in (Diagram B). You don't want the end of the support to be bulky.*
	Take the foam apart and lay them foam side down. Take a popsicle stick and apply a layer of Skin Bond to it. Place the stick (glue side down) in the middle of the support (Diagram C). There should be about 3/16" space where the stick is above the bottom of the foam. Tape over the stick with 1" adhesive tape and trim the edges .
	On the bottom of the support roll the edges inward and wrap with a piece of 1/2" adhesive tape. Wrap this tightly as this will be going into the bell of the ear. The support is now complete. (Diagram D)
	Make sure that the ears are clean and dry. Prepare your tape first. You will need 2 pieces of Micropore tape 2" long. You will need someone to hold the puppy's head square while putting in the supports. Apply a layer of Skin Bond to the Support and the inside of the ear. The layer of glue in the ear does not need to come below the top of the opening of the bell. With your index finger and thumb stretching the tip of the ear, gently insert the support with your index finger pushing it into the bell of the ear. The support should go into the ear approx. 1/2" - 3/4". DO NOT FORCE THE SUPPORT INTO THE EAR. Gently push the support against the ear and hold for a few seconds. The ear should now stand on its own. (Diagram E)
	Take a piece of the precut Micropore and place it behind the ear folding the edge slightly around the ear tip (Diagram F). Place a second piece of Micropore in the same manner, making sure that they overlap. If the support is too long, trim off the excess. Be careful to leave the ear in one piece.