# Plucking ears



## artsycourtneysue (Jul 21, 2009)

I have a question for all of you who are so brave and groom your own poodles...

Cozi has very fluffy ears (so I hear from the groomer and vet) and it makes her more succeptible to ear infections. I am wondering how complicated it is to pluck the ears myself?? What is really involved???

Thank you!


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## roxy25 (Dec 18, 2008)

There is a ear powder you put in the dogs ear and the start plucking. This is what my sister does . At first they won't like it but then they get used to it. Enzo did anyways lol


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

it's not hard at all. You need the ear powder which can be purchased at a petstore or ordered from a groomer's supply. Powder goes in the ear and the hair comes out. I usualy pluck with my fingers a little at a time and only what is in the opening to the ear not all around it. You can clean the ears shortly after you finish plucking but I like to wait a few minutes. Some ear cleaners seem to burn freshly plucked ears so I usualy pluck before the bath, bathe, and then clean the ears.


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## *heather* (Jul 30, 2009)

my understanding is that the ear powder is just to help get a better grip on the hair right?


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

*heather* said:


> my understanding is that the ear powder is just to help get a better grip on the hair right?


Yup. You can test it on your own arm hair or what not to see how it works. It washes right off though.


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## Purple Poodle (May 5, 2008)

It also has antibacterial properties.

Some dogs are mauch harder to pluck then others. My moms Shih Tzu, Mini and my Toy have very fine hair in their ears and very little of it and I pluck maybe once a year. My Standard on the other hand has some thick ear hair and LOTS of it and I pluck at every bath and have to clean out her ears before plucking beause she has so much wax build up (its not an ifection we have been to vet about it) plus I have to use forcepts.

Anyway ear powder is a must and pluck a little at a time in quick pulls.


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

Purple Poodle said:


> Anyway ear powder is a must and pluck a little at a time in quick pulls.


Good advice right here.

When I was learning how to groom, my teacher would get all the hair in the ear in her forceps and lock them, then she would twist them around her finger, ripping ALL the hair out of the ear at once. The dogs would SCREAM and it traumatized me from doing ear hair for a long time.


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

Fluffyspoos said:


> Good advice right here.
> 
> When I was learning how to groom, my teacher would get all the hair in the ear in her forceps and lock them, then she would twist them around her finger, ripping ALL the hair out of the ear at once. The dogs would SCREAM and it traumatized me from doing ear hair for a long time.


Yeah I hate that method and use it very very rarely when I can't seem to get that last little bit of hair and the powder isn't allowing me to get a good enough grip. I worked with a groomer though who did it that way all the time. It kind of freaked me out when I saw her pluck the bushiest bichon ear I had ever seen that way all at one time. I don't even know how she got that much hair in the hemostats to begin with but the ear was totaly bald when she finished with that one round of twist. The dog of course went into meltdown, screaming so loudly they could hear it in the waiting room at the front of the building  I always figure that there is a reason the dog is screaming and it probably there is an alternative way to go about things.


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## MericoX (Apr 19, 2009)

WonderPup said:


> Yeah I hate that method and use it very very rarely when I can't seem to get that last little bit of hair and the powder isn't allowing me to get a good enough grip. I worked with a groomer though who did it that way all the time. It kind of freaked me out when I saw her pluck the bushiest bichon ear I had ever seen that way all at one time. I don't even know how she got that much hair in the hemostats to begin with but the ear was totaly bald when she finished with that one round of twist. The dog of course went into meltdown, screaming so loudly they could hear it in the waiting room at the front of the building  I always figure that there is a reason the dog is screaming and it probably there is an alternative way to go about things.


My groomer (also good friend) does this with my dogs (and I'm assuming more). Of course.. she didn't start right off with that. Mostly uses it for the deep down wad of hair.


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## Shereen (Aug 10, 2009)

I had a good tip from my vet, which was when your dog is at home to tie the ears together at the top using a soft hair elastic. This allows the air to circulate in the ears which helps the bacteria build up. It has worked really well with Jake. Has anyone else had the same advice?


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## highhorse (Sep 17, 2008)

I use Thornit powder in my girls' ears. It helps with the grip and is antibacterial. I use my fingers so I know what I'm getting out. Also, a little plucking - often.


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

Oh, and also when I do ear hair I always use my fingers, and ALWAYS keep my nails super short so I dont cut the inside of the dogs ears. I cant' stand my nails being long anyway, but make sure the fingers I use for ear hair are extra short and dulled.


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## thestars (May 2, 2009)

My ear cleaning regime. As puppies they get a bit of powder, Cardinal Ear powder, not poured into their ear but my fingers before their ear. BTW- mom's finders are always rubbing ears, feet, between pads, twitters and peepees.. you get the drift. The more you touch them the better off they learn to accept grooming. After they get older and are more used to lying on their sides and accepting momma fingers then I use a hemostat a nice bright led light I can hold into my mouth or a nice cap light that fishermen use, powder poured onto heavily haired ears. Still on fingers if not heavily haired. As for the liquid cleaners, I use Epi-Otic Advanced. It is less stingy on the open hair follicles, does burn as much or what long time breeders have used, Blue Power. http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/Adobe/Blue%20Power%20Ear%20Treatment.pdf Instead of all alcohol I use 2/3 Witch Hazel and 1/3 alcohol. This is great for the ear infection prone. BE CAREFUL the BLUE can stain. I use a bit and leave in the ear and massage especially for the ear infection prone. pull out and wipe away with moist but not saturated cotton balls that I've rubbed between my hands and shaped long. Sweep in and around never pushing into the ear. Let them shake it out like in the bathroom where you clean regularly.


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