I don't know whether or not anyone would know what I'm talking about.  I've had this breed and similar but have never ever seen v cuts in the side of the ears.  What am I seeing?  Puppy is 11wks old.  The ears have always flopped over and I never noticed when I was cleaning them.  Now they are starting to prick and the sunlight shining through showed them more visible.

I don't know whether or not anyone would know what I'm talking about.

Can't speak for the others but you are right I don't understand what you are talking about. Do you mean the ears are damaged?

What breed is it - do you mean they should not be prick eared?

Sure I am being stupid but I can't understand what the problem is.

All dogs have a bit on the bottom of the outside edge of each ear where the ear sort of splits into two. Is that what you are seeing?

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/cliented/images/dog_ears/inner.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/cliented/dog_ears.aspx&h=314&w=250&sz=20&tbnid=HgZTFmhIOG0cNM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=72&zoom=1&usg=__tUocNZTTo3Gam3d4w6lHvJai3mU=&docid=dAN4yC2iej5aVM&sa=X&ei=gfvLUbqWGcTF0QWj3YD4Bg&ved=0CDIQ9QEwAQ&dur=3877

Do you mean like this? If so it is normal.
Aileen

It is a collie and on the ear flap a definite v shape looks like it has been cut out.  So in the v shape you only see the skin with the hair on.  The v shape is sidewards >  left ear   <  right ear.  I found on the internet a tool that does something similar on farm animals but it doesn't show the result.   It is just where the ear would tip over normally.
I've got to go to vets next week for jabs so I shall ask then but just wanted to know if you thought the ear had been tampered with for cosmetic reasons, maybe for showing.

sounds peculiarly like a pig that's been ear-notched! no idea if this may have been done to help them fold over though or it's just a natural shaping. where did you get the pup from? was it a show breeder? And could you take a pic and link/add to your profile? (not sure how people add pics here but know I've seen some)

That sounds perfectly normal; all dogs have that - as if a V has been removed and there's a thin flap of skin covering it, so from the outside you don't notice it.

Here's a picture; is that 'notch' what you mean? And another one

Just went and confused all my dogs by staring intently at their ears! if the OP means the notch is right down near the base of the ear then yes, def agree all mine have it, was quite surprised when I peered closely though to see that with the little flap of skin that covers it from the outside it''s almost like a little pocket, can't believe I've never noticed that before! ( I was aware that there was a nick in the gristly bit of the ear which you can feel when rubbing their ears but never noticed the bit of skin.) 

Not sure what sort of Collie but do any of them have pricked ears, really can't remember but thought they had 'hooded' type ears - upright but with the tip falling forward although I have in my mind that the smooths may have more alert ears but I may well be wrong.

EDIT - just had a look and no the smooths are like all the other collie breeds the tip falls forward.

ours have always had dropped ears but google says it's normalish, I just searched for prick eared collies in google images. thinking about it I have known collies that can prick their ears right up but not permanently pricked (if that makes sense, is there a better word for what I mean?)

Many border collies have pricked ears, you just won't see them in the breed ring! Two of our four are prick eared :) I have never heard of nicking dog's ears so would assume it's either an old accident or the fold people have mentioned.

is there a better word for what I mean?)

Difficult isn't it, I called it 'hooded' but really it is like the base of the ear is pricked and the top of the ear drops forward - bit like a fully dropped ear that has been blow dried.

LOL it is years and years since I have a dog with hanging ears at lease 50.

sounds about right for that but what I mean is  dogs who usually carry them down most of the time but can prick them right up when alert, obv not all dogs can do that but I've definitely known some collies that can (and terriers).

>I called it 'hooded' but really it is like the base of the ear is pricked and the top of the ear drops forward

I think the proper name for that is semi-erect or 'tipped'.

Many border collies have pricked ears, you just won't see them in the breed ring!

At open shows you do. I had 2 friends who showed BCs that I used to go to shows with- each showed a prick eared Red Merle, both did a fair bit of winning.

Breed standard:
Ears

Medium size and texture, set well apart. Carried erect or semi-erect and sensitive in use.

I think the proper name for that is semi-erect or 'tipped'.
Quote selected text

You are correct they are thus described in the standard, amused me as in the Rough they are said, in the standard, to be thrown back in repose but they don't say thrown back to whom. Interesting perhaps the placement and size are different for the Rough and the Smooth I had rather thought they would be the same.

That sounds perfectly normal; all dogs have that - as if a V has been removed and there's a thin flap of skin covering it, so from the outside you don't notice it.

Here's a picture; is that 'notch' what you mean? And another one

does anyone know what its actually for? other then looking weird.

No idea, but cats have it too.

unless I'm confused (always a possibility) the rough coated collie (what people call a 'lassie dog' ) is a completely separate breed. it is as far as I know purely show bred these days, I doubt there are any being bred as working dogs any more. I don;t believe there is a smooth coated version of the rough.

What most people mean by collie is surely a border collie? which are a totally different breed (so a separate breed standard)  and can be smooth or long coated depending on type, I have really only known working bred WSD's so I don't know how much different the show type may be of course.

unless I'm confused (always a possibility) the rough coated collie (what people call a 'lassie dog' ) is a completely separate breed.

Separate to what, there are four collie breeds in the UK, Bearded, Border, Rough and Smooth- they are all listed in their own right but the Rough and Smooth are very similar and I believe in some cases mixed litters are born (but I am not sure about that)

The smooth coated version of the Rough Collie (Lassie collie) is indeed called a Smooth Collie :)

Well I didn't know that! Thought they (BC) should be tipped for breed, that's good to know :)

That's interesting, I've never heard of a Smooth type rough collie, just google image searched and def never seen one, it looks very strange to me to see the distinct head of the rough coat but without the coat! are they especially rare do you know or is it just chance I've never come across one?
When I say separate I meant the Rough coat to the border, as I didn't realise it was possible to get a smooth coated rough coat (?!) it sounded like you were bracketing a smooth coated border with rough coats. I was clearly wrong!  BTW, if they can occur in the same litter, ie from the same breeding then surely they are the same breed? to qualify as 2 breeds wouldn't there have to be 2 totally different sets of breeding?

> Here's a picture; is that 'notch' what you mean? And another one

They are called "Henry's Pockets"
http://www.lomondhillsvets.co.uk/harvest.htm

Lol, that's my vets site !
I always thought the pocket was to make the ear more manoeuvrable.

are they especially rare do you know

No, not rare, I was looking for the numbers registered but could not find the link but at Crufts this year there were about 70 entered and we, Elkhounds, had about 50 and we would not consider the Elkhound rare.

I am no expert but think the Rough and Smooth are very alike apart from the coat but because they are registered a separate breeds people breed them as separate breeds so they have become more defined as the years go by, the temperament in particular being different and it would seem from the standard the ears.

As most things it is a matter of taste but I really like the Smooth  - also like the Beardy.

The Smooth Collie is on the KC Vulnerable Native Breeds list. When we got ours in 2006 only 53 pups were registered that year. Sometimes a rough coated can come up in a smooth litter. The rough coat was suited to the Scottish Highland weather and the smooth for the milder, wetter Lowlands when working. :)

Thank you Ms T, I've always wondered what they were called.

Tried to edit by is will not allow so new post -

EDIT - just found the registration numbers for 2012 and picked 4 so you could judge
Greyhounds - 30
Elkhounds - 62
Smooth Collie - 88
Aus. Shepherd - 124

> Sometimes a rough coated can come up in a smooth litter

And it must happen in other breeds.  Certainly a Chihuahua Long Coat can appear in a litter of Chihuahua Smooth Coats.  They can still be KC registered.

Jeangenie, your second photograph is the nearest.  I have had many dogs and never noticed before but then again they have been hairy dogs so probably not so visible.

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That's interesting, I've never heard of a Smooth type rough collie, just google image searched and def never seen one, it looks very strange to me to see the distinct head of the rough coat but without the coat! are they especially rare do you know or is it just chance I've never come across one?

they are pretty rare, a vulnerable native breed in the UK

> xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Jeangenie, your second photograph is the nearest.  I have had many dogs and never noticed before but then again they have been hairy dogs so probably not so visible.

they do all have it bunny fluff so don't panic :) I can see why you were shocked though if you haven't noticed it before and thought someone cut the dog! that would be awful!

I had to go and check all my dogs' ears when I read this, but they are all hairy too!!