OK I am now confused, Lawson at 1o weeks had half pricked ears, 11 weeks they fully rose with the left one crossing slightly towards the right, they looked too big for his head at this stage when pricked. Now they have reverted back to half risen. Its cute and of no real concern to us, but the question is...
Is this a physical trait which is indicative to all working dog pups in general(due to the mixture of the heritage of ACDS, Aussie Shepherds, et.al)?

I ask, as in the past our two ACDs had similar instances of pricking at about 12 weeks and remaining pricked (Tolkien) but in Jemma (who has more dingo in her than the norm we are told) she had the same instance as Lawson is now ,but at 13/14weeks.And her ears remained half pricked but she can rise them when there's something worthwhile to hear.

Just an observation.

Hi Lawson Legend

Interesting to see just what is going to happen isn't it. Lawson's dad Chauncey has quite big ears and from memory they did a bit of up and downing, now he has one with a slight tip over which becomes more prominent when he is tired (poor boy, such a hard life). But his mum is Ripper, who has both ears tipped over at the top. Whereas her mum's natural ear set is one up one down! Her mum's (and dad) were two nice pricked ears (until suffering a fat ear). Josie, Lawsons mum has nice pricked ears, but from memory her mums ears were dropped....so the long and the short of it is....who knows??? There is no guarantee I'm tipping they'll both come up.

Chauncey Click to view attachment

Josie and their first litter including Smokey Click to view attachment

Yep I agree with Silhouette, if their going to be dropped I have never seen any indication of them rising at all.
The ones that do show activity usualy wind up either pricked or with the little curl at the top, do we call that button or semi dropped?
But I only speak of my own pups and lines, don't know about others.
I have some who had pricked ears by 8 weeks and other who didn't make up their minds until they were 12 months.
But each night I go to bed and pray for nice pricked ears, just cause I like them.
I wonder if there is a genetic connection, stronger bloodlines may be more prone to pricked because that gene is more imbedded?
Didn't it say somewhere that of the two genes Pricked and Dropped that pricked was the dominant.
Back to you Silhouette your the one with the Genetics grip.
I believe that Australian Shepherds are predisposed to simi dropped ears, maybe JJ can shed some light on the subject.

I thought it interesting given that ACDs, Koolies, Aussie Shepherds and other breeds of;relatively speaking; recent (one or two centuries)of breeding have either "uppsies" or "droppsies", or half folds. And that many of the OLDER established breeds have one or the other with anything opposing the norm being corrected or :rolleyes:sometimes seen as a "defect" .
As I said, we don't much care either way, he's cute, he's dads cute and smart, his mums cute and smart, ears are irrelevant really.
Would love to hear if there is a genetic link.