Ear Bracing
Here what you’ll need:
Duct Tape- We use a generic brand because they are a lot stickier than the name brands.
Skin Bond- A glue used on the back of the tape to hold it in place longer. This can be ordered at www.brucemedical.com
Alcohol- To clean the inside of the ear. Alcohol swabs work great.
Directions on how to make the props:
1. Cut a strip of duct tape that is long enough to cover from ear to ear. Be sure to measure from the outside edges of the ears.
2. About an inch from both sides (shown below), make two cuts in the tape, about ¾ of the way up:
-Make cuts in the tape where two vertical lines are drawn-
3. Fold center of prop where cuts have been made. The finished prop should look like this:
4. Next, cut 2 small square pieces of tape to be used for the ear tips.
5. Apply a light coat of skin bond to the back of the tape, both the brace and the tip pieces. Allow the glue to dry until tacky.
Applying the props:
1. First, clean out the ears with alcohol to remove any dirt or oil that may cause the props not to stick.
2. In one ear, apply a light coat of skin bond in the base of the ear where the prop will be placed. Allow the glue to dry for a minute or so until tacky.
3. Place prop in the base of the ear, and hold down until dry.
4. Repeat steps 2 & 3 with other ear. The puppy’s ears should be pretty close together when the props are in. If you don’t get them tight enough the first time, make the length of the brace a little shorter.
5. Next, in one ear, apply a light coat of skin bond to the inside tip of the ear. Allow the glue to dry until tacky. Take one of the tip pieces, and roll it up with the sticky side out. Place in the tip of the ear. Fold ear, and stick the tip piece to the tape in the base of the ear. Hold for a few seconds.
6. Repeat step 5 with other ear.
Be sure to remove the props whenever you see them come loose, and let the ears rest a day before re-bracing.