Prick ears — Dogs

The story behind the answer

Prick ears stand upright from base to tip, with firm cartilage holding them erect and the ear opening facing forward—ideal for pinpointing sounds. That’s what you see here. In contrast, button ears fold forward at the tip to cover the ear canal, rose ears fold back to expose the inner ear, and cropped ears are surgically altered to stand.

Fun context: Prick ears are common in spitz-type and herding breeds and reflect canine wolf ancestry, where upright ears aid in sound localization and heat dissipation. Puppies of erect-eared breeds often have “wonky” ears as cartilage strengthens; they usually settle upright with maturity. Memory tip: “Prick ears pick up sounds,” pointing like little antennas.