Speaking of EARS

[Scoo's Mom]

I had been noticing that there is a wide range of ear sizes in the Cairns. When I watch the show Cairns they seem to have very tiny pricked ears and also noticed that the european Cairns appear to have very small ears.

This may be a question for Brad or the other show people about the big difference in the ear sizes. I really love the little ears but seems many Cairns bred here in the U.S. have quite large ears. I've tried to figure out if it is actually that the ear size is smaller or how the hair is set around the face

Are the larger ears a conformation fault?

[bradl]

AKC Breed Standard (current, adopted 1938)

Ears: Small, pointed, well carried erectly, set wide apart on the side of the head. Free from long hairs.

Faults: Ears: Too large, round at points, set too close together, set too high on the head; heavily covered with hair.

Breed Standard (1925, 1921)

Ears: Small, pointed, widely-set, well-carried and erect.

Faults: Ears: Too large or rounded at tips, or too heavily furnished with hair.

Grooming can make a big (no pun intended) difference. Well trimmed ears poking out of nicely shaped head furnishings will look a heck of a lot smaller than the same size ears sporting scraggly hairs setting atop limp, dead coat. Puppies also often need to 'grow into' their ears. All that said, small well-set ears are apparently easily lost with casual breeding.

[savannahsmom35]

Savannah's ears are HUGE!!!!!!! I often call her a bat, Yoda or an Ewok (spelling) because of it. Now that her fur is growing in better on her head, they don't look quite so big but they are still big compared to most show dogs that I have seen.

[Scoo's Mom]

But she's a very cute Bat!!

You know hers are not that big, some are really big. I was just wondering because the show dogs look like they hardly have ears at all.

Don't you just love how they cock their heads when you talk to them.

[JazzMom]

I've wondered the same thing. Jazz's ear's look big too but then his 'furnishings' (thanks Brad) haven't grown in yet. The woman I bought him from ("sister" of the breeder - but we won't go there.) had trimmed his face when I got him at 10 weeks. Go figure - anyway I think he looks like a fox . I love the way he talks with them.

Looking at Savannah's picture - see the long hairs in front of her ear? If she had more of those her ears would look tiny but not nearly as alert!

[kcsdogs]

I have seen a lot of ears that are larger my Cairn's ears are larger but not huge. I have also noticed on these dogs that the ears are set closer together as well. Depends on the breeding.

[Flyboy]

I'm going to have to get a picture of chewies ears when he looks up at us. Those long floppy things lay back like they are standing up and they are huge. It's really funny to look at.

[savannahsmom35]

[hallswel]

Grooming has alot to do with how big the ears look as does age

Here are pictures of Sugar's head see how in some pictures her ears are big, as she gets older and her head broadens they look better

Now here is Sugar and Harley and as Harley matures and changes, and I work on grooming she should grow into her ears

Now here is Sugar as a pup

I have learned that all dogs mature at different rates and grooming does play a hugh role as to how your babies look.

I have worked and worked on Sugars head to get the hair thicker, it is an ongoing thing, grooming it to be round. I am doing the same with Harley although right now her hair seems thicker than Sugar's was at this age.

You are doing a great job with Savannah, she will have to come over some time for a play date. I know Sugar and Harley would love having her visit.

[savannahsmom35]

Savannah would LOVE that!! She loves to play with other dogs! How much fun would that be!

Sugar is so sweet that she would probably make Savannah look like a demon!