What Does It Mean When A Miniature Schnauzer Has One Ear Up And One Ear Down?
As schnauzers can’t communicate verbally, they’ll always try to use parts of their body to communicate what they’re trying to say. When one of your miniature schnauzer’s ears is up while the other is relaxed, it usually means that they’re paying attention to a sound that has got their attention. It’s also a result of their breed’s natural instincts.
There’re different muscles in your miniature schnauzer’s ears that control the movement of the ear. These muscles allow your schnauzer’s ears to move independently from one another, which is why one ear can remain up while the other is down.
The independent mechanism of a miniature schnauzer’s ears allows them to multitask when they’re trying to decipher sounds from different directions. These muscles will move in order for them to receive sounds properly.
Your Miniature Schnauzer Is Paying Attention
Erect ears could mean that your miniature schnauzer is listening keenly and they’re in an alert stance. On the other hand, when their ears are pinned back, it normally means fear or intimidation.
When combining these two, one ear up and one ear down probably means that your miniature schnauzer is cautiously curious.
It’s also possible that your miniature schnauzer is trying to multi-listen.
You’ll know this is the case when you’re observing your miniature schnauzer listening to you, and one of their ears move or flinches when they hear a sound, perhaps a weird noise coming from a room or a rustling sound.
Your Miniature Schnauzer Is Feeling Nervous
When your miniature schnauzer is feeling scared, they may leave one ear pinned back while the other relaxes, maybe because they’re trying to listen to you.
Pay attention to your schnauzer’s body language. Suppose they have their tail between their legs and look tense.
In a case like this, you may want to calm your schnauzer or, better yet, remove them from the fear-inducing situation or environment.
Your Miniature Schnauzer’s Ear Muscles Aren’t Yet Developed
The whole one-ear-up look is always more common to be seen in a puppy rather than an adult dog. This is due to their ear muscles not yet being developed.
The reason is due to it taking time for their muscles to grow strong enough for them to prop up your dog’s ears. Because your miniature schnauzer’s ears function independently of one another, muscles might not grow equally.
Typically, a larger dog breed will develop its ear muscles faster than smaller dog breeds, like a miniature schnauzer.
Another common sign of seeing a floppy ear can also coincide with a puppy going through the teething process. Although, after this process is over, the ears should be strong enough to stand on their own.
What Should You Do?
Normally, you won’t have to do anything. If it isn’t harming you and your miniature schnauzer, then you shouldn’t worry. Just be patient as your miniature schnauzer is still growing.
Not that you would want to urge the process either, considering how cute they look when they have one ear up coupled with a slight head tilt!
Some common reasons your miniature schnauzer’s ears may never stand up include:
- Genetics
- Breeding
- Physical Damage or Accidents
- Improper and Poor Nutrition
- Neglecting Ear Cleaning
While some of these problems can be prevented, others will simply be out of your immediate control.
Genetics
The genetics of your miniature schnauzer play a large part in their physical appearance – including those cute floppy ears.
If your miniature schnauzer carries the genes for their ears to lie down, instead of standing erect, then more than likely, they will have floppy ears during the rest of their lifetime.
This means they may have ears that may never stand up, meaning that they’ll be floppy for life.
Breeding
There are some breeders which choose to pair parents that both have large, erect ears. This is done as some buyers and owners prefer this larger style of ears for show or aesthetic purposes.
However, there’s some theory that breeding a miniature schnauzer that has larger ears than normal could be contributing to ears that will stay flopped over.
That’s why it’s always recommended to see the parents of the puppy you buy from the breeder on the premises to see their appearance.
Physical Damage Or Accidents
Miniature schnauzer puppies are active and can be very mischievous and can get into plenty of trouble. This includes getting some physical damage from an accident that affects the cartilage or muscles in their ears.
How To Keep Their Ears Safe
You should only touch your miniature schnauzer’s ears with soft pets to protect their growing bodies from damage or harm.
It’s possible that rough play between littermates could cause damage to a dog’s ears. So, always be careful and watch out for any rough play that could lead to ear damage.
Improper Nutrition
miniature schnauzers need balanced nutrition, especially during the crucial growing stages, including vitamins and minerals that help with the cartilage and muscle development of their ears.
Improper nutrition doesn’t provide any dog with the right building blocks for growth and can even hinder ear development. You should ensure that your miniature schnauzer is getting the right nutrition from the start to avoid any issues.
Along with Vitamin D, calcium also helps to strengthen the cartilage and helps with the building of a strong foundation for their ears to stand up later.
Don’t Neglect Ear Cleaning
Puppies always need their ears cleaned when dirt and build-up are overly present. Dirty ears that become neglected discourages healthy growth and can cause discomfort for a dog, causing them to excessively scratch their ears which can could result in them having one ear up and one ear down.
If you want to clean your miniature schnauzer’s ears, never stick anything into their ear canal to clean them!
To clean their ears, wipe away the dirt from the skin of the ear with a warm, damp washcloth or use special ear-cleaning wipes.
Conclusion
Occasionally, your miniature schnauzer may have one floppy ear and one ear standing upright. If your miniature schnauzer is still a puppy, then they’re most likely growing and one ear down just needs more time to settle naturally.
Remember, having one ear up and one floppy ear might mean that a dog hasn’t developed the right amount of cartilage or muscle strength to keep both of their ears upright.
