Moleskin Padding for German Shepherd Ears

Moleskin Padding In case you are looking for something a little less expensive than ear forms you can try Moleskin padding. It seems to be the most comfortable thing I’ve ever used to assist with the ears, and without really paying attention you would not even notice they were in there. They seem to hold up real well and they don’t fall apart like pipe insulation does. Here is how you do it:

1) Purchase Moleskin Padding with adhesive backing from a pharmacy.

2) Purchase Torbot skin bond online.

OR

Purchase 3M Black Super Weatherstrip and Gasket Adhesive from any auto parts store. PLEASE READ WARNING LABEL BEFORE CHOOSING TO USE THIS PRODUCT!

3) Purchase large Nasal Strips from a pharmacy.

 

4) Purchase some Adhesive Remover wipes online. Or you can use baby oil.

5)  Clean out the ears real well with an ear cleaning solution. Inspect the ears for any irritations or infections and allow ears to dry completely.

6) Cut the moleskin to the shape of the inside of the ear… kind of like a teardrop. Making sure it is small enough to have 1/4″ all around the moleskin.

7) Next  remove the backing off the moleskin and apply a thin layer of  Torbot or adhesive to it. Allow the Torbot glue to dry for about a minute or apply the 3M weatherstrip adhesive instantly.

8) Have an assistant hold the ear open to where you can easily fit the moleskin into the ear as centered best you can… making sure it is covering the crease in the bottom of the ear.

9) Inspect the moleskin for any loose spots and touch up the edges with Torbot or adhesive to make sure it is secure.

10) Last  decide where the weakest parts of the ear are at and place the nasal strips over it vertically to help the ear stand correct. You can also place one horizontally at the lowest part of the moleskin over the crease to form a triangle shape with the nasal strips.You should end up using two to three strips per ear, and they stick really well to the moleskin. I noticed it still allows for a full range of motion of the ears. When they are erect they are perfect and not heavy; like with pipe insulation. It also does not restrict any blood flow or have to be removed so the ears can breathe; unlike with taping the ears. Even if the ears never stand perfectly on their own this is a technique that can assist them to be erected without being cumbersome. They can last for days up to weeks with no signs of coming loose. When they begin to come loose use the adhesive remover wipes to remove any glue remaining in the ear. The moleskin should fall out naturally.

P.S. I will add a video showing this process the next time I need to do it. It’s very simple and a lot less frustrating than re-taping every other day. If you have tried other ways to do this please leave a comment below. We are looking for people with all types of experiences working with German shepherd ears and look forward to hearing from you!