# Question about ear leather length



## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Penny has always had small ears compared to other Goldens. The breed standard says it should just cover the center of the eye (as I recall it). Has this changed because it's looks like everybody else has much longer ears.

When she was a little pup, her ear leather was so short it was always 'stuck' inside out on the back of her neck. Still happens a lot.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Can you post pictures?


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Penny's Mom said:


> Penny has always had small ears compared to other Goldens. The breed standard says it should just cover the center of the eye (as I recall it). Has this changed because it's looks like everybody else has much longer ears.
> 
> When she was a little pup, her ear leather was so short it was always 'stuck' inside out on the back of her neck. Still happens a lot.


You cannot look at the length alone, but need to consider the ear set, as well. That is, where the ear is attached to the head - too low = houndy looking, too high = Borzoi-ish.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Yes - pictures please<: 

It could be her ear set or the way she's holding her ears that's making them look shorter? 

One thing I do know with our Jacks... his ears were too long at one point, like when he was 8 to 10 months old. But then his head grew big enough for them.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

ears should cover the center of the eye
do you mean when you hold on to the ear leather and pull it to try to cover the eye, it would only cover to the middle of the eye?
I just pulled Brooks ear leather across his eye and that's where it came to.


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

Ruby has small ears (I LOVE them), Piper has what *I* would consider pretty normal sized ears, and Sage's ears seem a little Dumbo-ish to me. I personally think a lot of goldens' ears are too big, but maybe I'm comparing them too much to Ruby's ears.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Here she is at 8 weeks:










This is at about 6 months:










This at 6 1/2 years old:


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Ignatuh, I use the palm of one hand to fold her ear forward and the fingertips of the other to hold it over her eye. It comes just to the center.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I will try to get some new pictures of my foster CoCo. He has the smallest ears and shortest tail. But oh what a cutie and sweetheart.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

They look small to me... but it's hard to tell because it also looks like she has a high ear set. She was as cute as a button when she was little and looks like she's grown into a lovely dog.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Penny's Mom said:


> Here she is at 8 weeks:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
She has high earset, and the ears are somewhat small.


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## C's Mom (Dec 7, 2009)

I just measured Cocasse and his ear covers his entire eye. Then I folded the other over and both ear tips meet in the middle. I told him that if we ever get stuck in a sand storm he is good to go.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Here is what the Breed Standard (US) states for ears
*Ears* -- _rather short with front edge attached well behind and just above the eye and falling close to cheek. When pulled forward, tip of ear should just cover the eye. Low, hound-like ear set to be faulted._

So the tip of the ear should go just far enough to cover the eye on that side of the head. And this is provided the ear set is proper also (not to high oor low). The ear can be of proper length yet if not properly set will appear to long/short. I think that is why Penny's ears appear to be short, they are set high.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Yep, Ambika, they are definitely more than 'just above the eye'. So her ears are probably just fine, just put in the 'wrong' place. Also, she tends to always have them 'up' like the photos. She always looks interested in something.

I like the idea of saying her ears are set high instead of her ears are too small. Thanks for helping me sort this out. It's been bugging me since we first got her.

Of course, she's perfect in every other way. :smooch:


Thank you everyone for your helpful replies.


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