# How do you trim Poodle ears?



## PammiPoodle

Hmm, I usually start by making a straight cut across the bottom to set the length. Then I angle the scissors upward the bevel the edges on the back, outside, and front of the ear, creating a curve or bell look. I like soft edges. : ) You may have to comb out the ears a few times while you do this to get those stray hairs to hang out so that you can trim them off. When I trim the inside of the ear, I point the scissors down and away from the face/body to soften the inside edge, too. You don't want to point the scissors up toward Panda's face or ear canal in case he gets a tickle and shakes! I do all or most of this while the ear is laying naturally. No need to move it about to trim the hair if that means when it goes back to natural position it won't be even! I only move the ear if needed to get to certain areas safely, like the back or inside of the leather. I also sometimes shave the inside of the leather with a 10 blade or shorter. They don't need that hair and sometimes it just creates too much volume!!

Also, when scissoring, try to glide your scissors over an area with a constant snipping action (doesn't need to be fast - whatever you're comfortable with!) to sculpt the shape you're looking for, as opposed to targeting individual sticky-outies. Also, the better straightened his hair is, the smoother scissoring you'll get. : ) Remember, if it looks a little wrong but you're about to go to the park and you want him to look his best, just dampen them and let them go to his natural curl. Instant fix! You'll get better and better the more you do it. : ) I don't know if pictures will help, but this is the look I go for with the method above, demoed by Miss Kacie. : )


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## Anntig

there's a sneaky little trick you can do similar to the bevelling trick, if you comb all the hair very straight then hold the ends of it between your forefinger and middle finger then cut a straight line across with you scissors when you let go you end up with a nice rounded curve, you can also grasp with your thumb and forefinger but I found that never left such a neat line.
Or if you're after very short rounded ears (just below the leather)I always found it easier to get a more natural shape with thinning scissors.
Either way you'll get the best result if you get the ears really straight during drying.


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## Bellplain

Hi, 
In addition to the above, I would recommend using a very sharp scissors of high quality as it sounds in your description like you have a dull scissors (Only getting bits of ear hair.)


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## Panda

I do want to get some new scissors, I have 6.5" i think and want longer so I can hopefully get a less choppy look as I am not very good at smooth lines.

I have tried to use a comb attachment on the inside of his ear before but worried that when I got to the bottom of his ear that I was taking hair from the outside of his ear off too. I go for a short rounded ear (kind of like in my avatar from when he was a pup but a bit longer and fuller now) I like them to come to the bottom of his chin.

I will give it a go, I am always terrified of making a massive mistake so only cut small amounts off (hence why I hand scissor the top knot as it is rather than comb it forward / to the sides to do properly)

I only paid something like £25 for my scissors so they probably are blunt, I want to get some new ones for my birthday so will have a look, thinking of getting 7-8" scissors this time, I would also like a curved pair for doing the back of his legs.

Pandas ears look really cute from a distance at the moment but if you look closely there are straggly longer hairs and each ear is a different shape.

Thankfully he is very good at being groomed and sits still but last time i did his ears he obviously heard something and kept twitching his ears which made me end up with his ears shorter and shorter lol.


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## Panda

Oh I am really bad at drying his ears too as I feel the blaster is a bit much on his ears, I try to hold the ear leather and blast downwards to make sure no air ends up in his ear canal but I normally only part dry them as I am not sure how to do it properly.


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## Panda

This is how I do his ears.

It is so hard to get them straight..... and i just realised it looks like i have left some longer hair on his lip too.....better go get the clippers again


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## Anntig

I always put cotton balls in the ear before I start drying also if you place your fingers along the top of the ear and place your thumb over the ear opening you can flip the ear back and forth to do both sides and protect the ear at the same time.
If he's got really thick feathering on his ears you could also shave the underside with a ten blade.


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## CharismaticMillie

I dry the ears with my stand dryer. I don't even tough them with the HV. I don't put cotton balls in the ears. In fact, I actually turn the dryer on cool air and blow it gently into the ear canal to aid in drying. I would have already put a drying agent in the ear, so this is a nice combination. OF course, I would never use an HV dryer near the ear canal. The stand dryer several away, on cool temperature, has a very nice, gentle stream of air that helps dry out the ear.

When I am actually straightening the ear hair, I use my comb/brush as I dry. I do this towards the end. It takes only a few minutes to get Millie's think, fluffy ears straight and dry.


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## Anntig

lol stand dryers start at about $1200 over here, well out of my price range. I've learnt to improvise and make do without a lot of the stuff most overseas groomers take for granted.


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## CharismaticMillie

They start at $1200? That's insane. Doesn't even make sense..


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## Anntig

Grooming down here is expensive most of the independent groomers don't make much more than minimum wage, since I went part time I'm not even making that.
my last HV $600 laube clippers $800 1 gallon shampoo $90 Trade prices.
for the non electric lighter items it often works out cheaper to import from the us but heavy things cost too much in freight and electric things aren't compatable with our voltage.
I frequently drool over the things you guys have available especially the shampoos, here we've only got access to two or three brands.


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## Panda

Good idea, I will try using just a normal hair dryer as I only have a blaster and cant turn it down low enough to do the ears properly.

I might look at shaving inside his ear leather as I dont like the ears to be too heavy and i find his hair matts more if his hair is long on both sides of his ear.


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