# Afraid to pluck her ears : (



## Dawnsohma (Jan 24, 2013)

you could always ask a groomer to do it and show you how the first time if your not sure. most puppys dont enjoy it and can be screamy the first few times but after that most get used to it if you do it often. there are posts on here tho about weather or not to pluck some do not pluck you might look in to it before you do it. i do personally pluck but i do it once a week so there is almost no hair in there.


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## Indiana (Sep 11, 2011)

A lot of groomers no longer pluck ears. If there is a lot of hair you can shave it, but also you can just wash the ears and examine them carefully to make sure there aren't any problems. I used to pluck my two girls' ears and hated it, but I haven't plucked in a long time now and my girls never have had an ear infection. Not that plucking causes ear infections, I don't mean that at all, but not plucking doesn't either.


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## PoodleFoster (May 25, 2013)

Hello
plucking ears can be tricky at first and as Indiana said, there are 2 sides to this practice.
I have learned to pluck what comes out easily and nothing more. Some poodles can have very hairy ears, some not so much. Using your thumb and first finger isn't difficult and you'll soon learn how to do this. Take it slow, maybe one ear per day. There are some good youtubes, just google it and you'll find several examples. *Since your dog is so young, it is a good idea to start with ears for her future. Same goes for brushing and massaging feet. She needs to learn that this is part of her beauty treatment.
On the other side of the coin, I'd suggest NEVER allowing a groomer to use hemostats to twist the hair and then pull in one fell swoop...that is cruel AND painful. I've seen this at several chain stores where you can see the grooming process. It's shocking.
Explanation: some of the hair is dead, some is not. What comes out easily is what needs to be removed, otherwise, don't force the hair that is really stuck in there.
Good luck wiht your new pup!


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

When I took my Bug in to the vet at about 5 months of age, I had never plucked his ears. I did wash them weekly with his bath and never had an issue (my shih tzu is going to be 10 year old in July and has never had his ears 'officially' plucked and *knock on wood* has never had any issues). Anyway, the first thing the vet did was grab hemostats and yank a handful of hair out of his right ear. I was furious! He screamed! To this day, he has something off about that ear. It randomly gets red and stinky, the other one not. I sniff his ears daily now (poor dog!) and clean when I notice redening or an odor. He is not pleased, but tolerates it well enough. I have found something interesting, though. I use something called DSS (it's pink and a little oily) with his weekly bath. I dribble some in his ears and let it soak while I shampoo, then, I gently clean with a q-tip (don't dig in too far) when I swirl it, the dead hair sticks to the q-tip and just comes out. THen, I rinse with a vinegar solution and let him out of the tub to head to the drying table. After his blow dry, I put in an all natural herbal drying cream. (my DD says it smells like fruit loops lol) and he does fine. I don't believe in plucking, never have, but I do sniff ears often (easy way to tell if they're 'going bad') THe only dogs I ever had ear issues with were the ones that got plucked regularly. I do have a weird habit of occasionally gently clipping them up over thier heads on really humid days to let them air ot a bit, too. (Just use the baby hair clips and grab a bit of the long outside hair - be careful not to pinch the ear leather.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

There have been several threads on ear plucking - as others have said there are different schools of thought these days. Some prefer little and often, others believe it is better to clear the ear in one go, and give any tiny lesions time to heal before the next onslaught; still others have found it better not to pluck at all, and there are some who swear haemostats can be used safely and painlessly.

As your puppy is so young, I think I would suggest doing what I did with Poppy, and think of it as getting both of you used to the process just in case it proves necessary in future. When you are both relaxed and cuddling in the evening, fold her ear back and take the tiniest possible pinch of hair from inside her ear (not in front of it where it is thicker) between your thumb and forefinger. You want just two or three hairs. Then tug swiftly in the direction of growth. That is enough for the first session, and she probably won't even notice. If you do decide the ears need to be kept clear, I would do it myself unless I was absolutely certain my groomer would not resort to the twist and yank method! As long as you use your fingers, and take only tiny pinches, you are unlikely to hurt her and cannot damage the ear.


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## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

If it's any help, I do similar to fjm but do it pretty much every time Pippin sits on my knee. Just get the odd hair out. 

But having said that, I do not pluck in the full context of the word - Pippin still has hairy ears inside. The daily (at least) smoothing out of the long hair in her ears gives me chance to get any dead ones out and also to check her ears. Also, when I am grooming her I use a tiny comb (moustache/beard comb) and comb the long hairs growing inside. This also gets out some hairs but also any wax build-up. She doesn't notice at all.

When she was little (about 4 months or so) she got conjunctivitis in her eyes and when she was at the vet (not our usual one) she also had the haemostat and yank treatment. I felt sick and she was head-shy for ages afterwards. Our usual vet was not pleased... She recommended us not to pluck in large amounts so we just tease a bit at a time.

Took time to get her used to me fiddling round her ears, but if you make it a bit of a smooth tease out rather than "pluck" maybe that will help to start. Then maybe if you want to go for the whole bald inner ear thing you can build up to more.

But I'm neither a groomer nor experienced with poodles so don't take my word for it!!! lol. I just muddle along trying to do what's best for mine.

Manxcat


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## Carley's Mom (Oct 30, 2011)

I only plunk a little bit, with my fingers but I do check them all the time and try my best to keep them clean.


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## lindasdoggrooming (Nov 12, 2012)

Hula said:


> Hula is 9 weeks old and she has hair in her ears that Im sure needs to be plucked and I want her to get used to it so its no big deal as she gets older...but Im sooo afraid of hurting her.
> I dont want her to be afraid of me since shes just now started to really warm up to me (We've only had her for just over a week) Any advice?


Here is a link on ear plucking, 
I shave all my clients dogs ears, helps with the air flow.


http://groomwise.typepad.com/bbird/2...-plucking.html


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## Indiana (Sep 11, 2011)

Before baths, I brush and then comb the dogs and when I comb the inside of the ear flap, quite often some hair combs out. I should say, I too think it's important to keep the dogs used to me handling their ears in case I ever need to, e.g. in the event they do get ear infections sometime. Strangely, they enjoy it!


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## ItzaClip (Dec 1, 2010)

Been grooming 10 years. Taught to pluck all ears. Over the years have changed my opinion and only when hair is super thick and needs little air. I find even with powder that fingers grab too much. I like tweezers that are round tipped, takes some practice but you can easily grab few hairs from center where they come out easier. I usually shave all the hair around ear and even stuff I want to pluck to see better. I am thinking of not plucking ears on my new puppy. Just make sure to only do bit at time to ease into it and if you want the ears cleaned out-ask for it to be be done when they under for something then just maintain with few hairs at a time.


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## loves (Jul 2, 2013)

*Plucking ears*

I've been grooming for almost 20 years and always pluck ears when needed. But, I use my fingers. One hand for one side, other for other side along with ear powder. Easier to control what I pull and do it a little at a time. Hate seeing a vet reach in with hemostats and yank out a big wad. Yuck! Also, after plucking, ear cleaner goes into the ear. Was told long ago that not putting in ear cleaner after plucking is what can cause infections. It closes up the pores. Client's dogs that I have been plucking for years don't have ear problems, any with ear problems had them when they started coming to me. Often I kinda tease the hair out, take hold, little twist and pull and eventually it comes out. Sure, I can take a whole 5 minutes to do ears, but being a speed demon is not my thing.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

My poodles have very different types of ear hair - Tangee's is like cotton - easy to pull out with my fingers, and she does not mind it, but really does not need it. But Taylee's ears, and now Teaka's - oh my, that would be like pulling out the hair from the top of their head - would never do that!
I just let the ears get wet in the bath, let them shake it out really good when they get out of the bath, clean with q-tips, and then trim the hair a little bit.


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## loves (Jul 2, 2013)

I have a toy poodle that I groom with really thick coat and very tiny ear openings and ears that look as fuzzy as her coat. It takes more time, but very carefully, about 2 hairs at a time I manage to get the hair out of her ears. Very gently, and have found that if I shave around the opening for some reason it is easier. Lot of ear powder and piece by piece and voila! clean, clear ears. Just have to work slowly and gently.


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## Sara&Audi (Oct 21, 2012)

Is it possible for me to use a tweezer? Audi's ears are awfully hairy but she's super wiggly about letting me hand pluck them. Not sure if she has an ear infection.. Her ears smell like tortilla chips  lol


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## loves (Jul 2, 2013)

Personally, I prefer fingers. That way I know what I am pulling. Guess I like it up close and personal. lol


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## LauraRose (Dec 26, 2012)

I use fingers for Lula. Her ears aren't very hairy. 
I think we need a new ear wash solution though because her's do tend to get yeasty... :-/


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## loves (Jul 2, 2013)

Check her diet, is there corn in what you feed her?


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## LauraRose (Dec 26, 2012)

loves said:


> Check her diet, is there corn in what you feed her?


No. No grains at all. 
She eats raw in the morning, Fromm GF kibble for dinner. RMBs 3-5 days a week. 
All training treats are GF, as well. 


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## loves (Jul 2, 2013)

Wish my client's fed their dogs half as good as you do.


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## vicky2200 (Feb 14, 2012)

I am a non-plucker. Weegee will be 2 in October and he has had no ear problems. My childhood mini never had hers pulled and she had no ear problems her whole life (16yrs). For Weegee I have decided that cutting the ear hair is best. I wouldn't say it is 100% safe, so it should be done with extreme caution when the dog learns to be more tolerable to grooming. I usually wait until Weegee is sleeping and pull out the grooming scissors and pull the hair straight and cut it. I get it as short as safely possible and then make sure no loose hair is down in the ear. This has worked great for him. Sometimes I let it get quite long before I cut it. Really the only reason I am cutting it is because it looks uncomfortable and might impair his hearing if it gets too bad (he is HAIRY).


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