# Ear hair plucking



## warmheartedpups (Feb 27, 2012)

I switched groomers about two years ago and the new groomer asked me if I wanted Caseys ear hair plucked……I didn’t have a clue. She said will she wasn’t crazy about doing it as it hurts the dog. I said no, dont do it. So about 14 months later….I am noticing all this ear hair in his ears…..it cant be good…..its really abundant. So I am guessing that Caseys first groomer had been plucking his ears all his life and now it is not getting done….plus he has an ear infection. I mean his inside ears look like a forest! So I googled ear hair plucking and watched someone plucking a poodles ear hair and it didn’t look painful at all. 

My instincts tell me all the ear hair has to go….It really looks like I could do it myself. So, is it painful? Do most poodles have this done? If I do it, is it hard? Do I need hemostats.

I need an eduction about this topic. Thanks so much for reading!

Linda and Casey
Minnesota
10 year old overgrown toy
IBD
Lots of ear Hair!!!


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

I have always plucked, and my vet says to pluck. BUT I always use zymox + hydrocortisone afterwards. Otherwise plucking can irritate the ear and cause infection.

If Misha's ears are healthy it causes him only minor discomfort and I pay him with plenty of treats. Other times if he is starting to get an infection and I try to pluck, it will be painful to him. He may be overly sensitive. I use zymox regularly as a preventive measure and when I do his ears stay good and plucking is not painful.

Always use ear powder when plucking. If there is a lot of hair it is best to do a bit at a time. Some poodles grow less hair and are fine with it just being trimmed. Others I think really do need to be plucked. I do not use hemostats because he flips out when he hears them clamp.


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

Ah! I'm procrastinating this too


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Does anyone have, or can take, a picture (or pictures) of plucked ear hair ears? There is hair everywhere in there and I have no idea of how much of it should be plucked. I'm sure it's not an easy picture to get, but it would help explain how much to do. Contemplating if I should do it. I've seen some who advise against it too. Not sure that will work in the long run though.


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## TK9NY (Jan 6, 2017)

Plucking is one of the things a lot of breeders, groomers, AND vets all have differing opinions on. Some say the plucking causes irritation and opens the ear up to debris and moisture which results in ear infections - others say leaving the hair traps dirt/debris/moisture/wax and causes ear infections. Some say it hurts, some say it doesn't.

In my experience as a groomer, what i see the MOST is that NOT plucking the hair (for some dogs) causes an excess of hair growth which tends to gunk up from ear wax - which forms matts inside the ear canal. Yes, i said inside the ear canal. I have pulled matts as big as my finger from inside ear canals. I have also had to refer dogs to the vet for sedation to remove similarly sized and/or seriously gunky and gross ones. Dreadlocks, in some cases.

You can do it yourself at home - if your dog lets you. Some do not like the process - wether that's because it hurts.... i honestly don't know. Some dogs don't respond at all when you pluck, others act like you're tearing their whole ear off. Depends on the dog, I guess? Kind of like with quacking the nail - i have some dogs that don't react at all and i have no idea i quicked them until i see the blood. Other dogs act like they stepped in a bear trap and i barely got the quick at all. Some of that might have to do with the sensation - even if it doesn't hurt, it can't be very pleasant.

I personally do NOT use hemostats when i pluck ears. Hemostats can pinch the inside of the ear, which IS painful. Plus if your dog jerks its head (itchy ears) then you could potentially jab it into the canal. I pinch it with my fingers - yes, even on smaller dogs. I also shave just around the outside of the ear canal so i don't accidentally grab any long hairs that are attached to the outside.

USE EAR POWDER when you pluck. I cannot stress this enough. Ear powder dries out the hair, making it brittle and giving you something gritty to hold onto.

I leave it up to the owner and the individual dog to decide if i pluck. If the ear looks clear, or has minimal hair, then i won't do it. If it's looking fuzzy then i'll do it. I usually do a little at a time, unless i know i won't see the dog again for a while. I will not do it if the dog starts to scream or tries to bite me. Then i refer to the vet.


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

Here is what I like the ear to look like. I am not a groomer. I trim the hair that grows right at the front (see pic) but anything inside the ear is plucked. That part I trim seems to be more sensitive so I avoid plucking that spot. I started when he was a puppy and I believe it has never grown back as full as that first growth prior to plucking.

For hair on the underside that isn't actually inside the year, you can just run a 10 blade over it lightly (toward ear tip) to keep it shorter.


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## TK9NY (Jan 6, 2017)

So, to give you an idea. Here is Dublin's ear. 

It needs cleaned, and i could probably shave a little better along the outside of it, but it's otherwise what i considered "good enough" for plucking. Could be better? Sure. But i wouldn't do much with a dog coming in whose ears look like this.

What you pluck is basically anything not attached to the outside of the ear. You CAN technically pluck some of the whispy stuff along the leather but i don't. Do a little at a time. Offer rewards. Etc etc. I would NOT suggest going to the vet unless there are possible issues with the ear (IE huge matts, infection, etc) - they can be a little... overly zealous with plucking and many dogs that i do who hate their ears done it's because the owner had the vet do it.

Hope this helps!


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I pluck both my poodles’ ears every 6-8 weeks. They don’t like it but it has to be done. I don’t pluck all of it, just move of it, so air can circulate in their ears. In your case, you need to be careful and shouldn’t be doing it before the ear infection is healed or it will hurt.

Also, plucking too much hair at once might cause an ear infection (again). So if I were you I would do it over many weeks. Maybe 3-4 sessions. Plucking irritates the ear canal a bit, even though it’s not painful, and this can lead to infections.


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## LoveMyRedToyPoodle (Sep 15, 2019)

I pluck my toy poodle's ear hair every 4 weeks or so. I keep his ear canals completely clear of hair. My toy absolutely hates it, but I look at it as something that has to be done to keep his ears healthy and the air circulating in there. I use Miracle Care Ear Powder (for sale on Amazon) and my fingers to pull out the hair, not a hemostat. I did buy a hemostat but then found that it was much easier to just grab the hair with my fingers. The powder helps you get a good grip on the hair and is supposed to reduce the pain. Just don't grab too much hair at once as that will hurt them, pull it out in tiny little bunches. Also, don't pull out hair from the ear leather, only from inside the canal. After I've pulled out the hair, I use Miracle Care Ear Cleaner on a cotton ball and wipe away the residual powder. It smells sort of like rubbing alcohol. My boy loves that part!


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

Well, it's only $7. It could be worse.

Here is our starting point:


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## Newport (Jul 16, 2014)

Tip: put a small amount of ear powder into a glass and dip your fingers into it so you have powder-coated fingers. Use these fingers to pull very small amounts of hair. Do a little bit every day until you get the job done.

Don't do what I did and dump a bunch of powder into your dog's ear. It's a good way to gunk things up in a tiny ear.


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## Pavie (May 4, 2021)

I trim mine with round-tip scissors and use ear cleanser for maintenance.


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

Raindrops said:


> I have always plucked, and my vet says to pluck. BUT I always use zymox + hydrocortisone afterwards. Otherwise plucking can irritate the ear and cause infection.
> 
> If Misha's ears are healthy it causes him only minor discomfort and I pay him with plenty of treats. Other times if he is starting to get an infection and I try to pluck, it will be painful to him. He may be overly sensitive. I use zymox regularly as a preventive measure and when I do his ears stay good and plucking is not painful.
> 
> Always use ear powder when plucking. If there is a lot of hair it is best to do a bit at a time. Some poodles grow less hair and are fine with it just being trimmed. Others I think really do need to be plucked. I do not use hemostats because he flips out when he hears them clamp.


I do the same. if I do not get that hair out he will quickly develop an infection. I use my fingers , coated with grooming powder to reach in and pull time amounts out, little by little.


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

I used to have them plucked but she had constant ear irritation and infection. We quit the aggressive plucking and only do light plucking. Since we quit the aggressive plucking (making the canal completely hairless) the infections have stopped.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

@Raindrops I'm looking at Zymox at Chewy and they have a 1.25, 4, and 8oz. size bottles. Smaller bottles are more expensive per ounce. How long would a small 1.25 oz. bottle last? Should I get the big one? Does the bottle size come into play as far as usability? For example would an 8 oz. bottle be too large to use in the ear?


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

94Magna_Tom said:


> @Raindrops I'm looking at Zymox at Chewy and they have a 1.25, 4, and 8oz. size bottles. Smaller bottles are more expensive per ounce. How long would a small 1.25 oz. bottle last? Should I get the big one? Does the bottle size come into play as far as usability? For example would an 8 oz. bottle be too large to use in the ear?


I'm happy with the small size. It has lasted me 2 years and is not yet empty. Though it should be fine to apply in a big bottle. It has a nozzle but you don't really need to get it way down in the ear. Gravity does that. Sometimes I just put it on my finger and apply it.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Great! If it lasts 2+ years, I'll get the small one too. Thank you!


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

I also get the 1.25 oz.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

What type of Ear powder do you use?


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## Starla (Nov 5, 2020)

This is the one I use. I don’t put it in the ear but on my fingers.
Gimborn Pet Specialties R-7 Ear Powder https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0002XI...abc_GGPWAWFW1YE832K90GMP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

94Magna_Tom said:


> What type of Ear powder do you use?


I don't think it matters so much. I just got some off amazon but it was a random brand. I am one for putting the powder in the ear. Misha seems to feel less discomfort when I do it this way. I try to only put powder in where the hair is.


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

Should my first attempt be with Basil lying on her side on my bed or standing up on our grooming station?

I'll have chicken close by with my clean hand.

I'm not super concerned about any mess, just trying to make the best first experience.


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

Basil_the_Spoo said:


> Should my first attempt be with Basil lying on her side on my bed or standing up on our grooming station?
> 
> I'll have chicken close by with my clean hand.
> 
> I'm not super concerned about any mess, just trying to make the best first experience.


For your first time I would do it on a grooming table and just tug a small bit. If she flinches or seems alarmed just give a chuckle, tell her she's a good girl, and give an ear scratch and some chicken. You want to keep it positive and let her know it's nothing to worry about.

I'll admit I did not do a great job the first time I did it. Misha's ears were infected and I didn't realize this made it painful. But he is quite forgiving and I did a lot of desensitization to having my fingers in his ears.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Elroy saw his Vet today. He got his 12 week shots, a routine check up, and an ear cleaning. My vet is not a fan of plucking ear hair and recommended to just clean them frequently instead. This cleaner, along with cotton balls, is what she uses and recommends. She puts some into the ears, massages it in, and waits 5 minutes (plus). Then uses the cotton ball to clean things up. I think I'll try this for a while before resorting to plucking. She says the ear hairs function is to keep out debris and stuff.


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

all vets are different as well as our poodles. Many poodles have nice curly coats and not a whole lot of ear hair. Renn on the other hand has a very thick curly coat, and it is the same inside his ear. I have used the cleaner but when his hair is so thick it can't even penetrate thru it, hence the ear plucking. He use to have an abundance of ear wax too. I am now using a cleaner I got from Jeffers and its really helping keeping them clean. I do his ears now on ly when they no longer smell good and pluck when I see it getting too thick. There is a balance.


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## Newport (Jul 16, 2014)

When I asked my breeder about whether to pluck or not, she laughed. It is an area where there is more than one right answer. Some dogs need it and some dogs don’t. Some dogs need it but don’t tolerate it well. Other dogs may not technically need it, but tolerate it just fine. My breeder plucks some of her dogs and not others.

I pluck Violets ears, and I don’t pluck Navy’s ears. Violet gets so much hair growth in her ears that she can’t get good air circulation, then it gets damp and yeasty with a bad smell. Attempts to just use ear cleaner resulted in infected ears. It’s a delicate balance keeping her ears comfortable and healthy. I live in a damp climate so that contributes some, too.

I think I need to get a different kind of Zymox. I have this kind: (see pic) Thoughts?


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

Newport said:


> When I asked my breeder about whether to pluck or not, she laughed. It is an area where there is more than one right answer. Some dogs need it and some dogs don’t. Some dogs need it but don’t tolerate it well. Other dogs may not technically need it, but tolerate it just fine. My breeder plucks some of her dogs and not others.
> 
> I pluck Violets ears, and I don’t pluck Navy’s ears. Violet gets so much hair growth in her ears that she can’t get good air circulation, then it gets damp and yeasty with a bad smell. Attempts to just use ear cleaner resulted in infected ears. It’s a delicate balance keeping her ears comfortable and healthy. I live in a damp climate so that contributes some, too.
> 
> ...


That one definitely looks different but I don't know what all their different ear products do. I know zymox + hydrocortisone is the favorite of the poodle world and what my vet recommended.

Poodles aren't a naturally evolved species. Other canids don't grow that type of hair in the ear. It isn't advantageous. To suggest it's a defense against dirt is ludicrous to me.


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

Ah, good thing this thread happened.

Basil had this huge ball/mat in her ear the thickness of a skinny cheeto and 2/3 the length of a pinky finger! I cut it out like a surgeon. The size reminded me of a moth chrysalis.

Used ear cleaner after, then an anti itch spray. Poor girl. I felt some guilt, but I know it's not about perfection, but progression. Still needs more work.

And I followed your advice and tips @Newport and @Raindrops

Day 1:


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## Starla (Nov 5, 2020)

Oh BtS, I bet she is so relieved to be free of that. I was going to comment that she might be a good candidate for not plucking since her inner ear hair didn’t seems to be plentiful, but it’s a good thing you did!
I also call BS on the hair deep in the ear doing any protecting. I wanted to not pluck Starla, but it really isn’t a huge deal and you end up preventing mats in the ears and moisture causing irritation and fungal/bacteria growth.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Maybe my vet doesn't have experience with poodles. I'll still give it a go (not plucking, but cleaning only) for starters. As long as I keep an eye on it, it won't get out of hand. If it starts to become difficult, I'll (or my groomer will) pluck.


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## Johanna (Jun 21, 2017)

Raindrops said:


> I don't think it matters so much. I just got some off amazon but it was a random brand. I am one for putting the powder in the ear. Misha seems to feel less discomfort when I do it this way. I try to only put powder in where the hair is.


That's what I do, too, Raindrops. I need to do Zoe's ears today - I clipped her yesterday and when I looked in her ears she had grown a forest!

I use R7 ear powder and pull very small amounts at a time. When I am done, there is no hair in the ear at all. I have had many, many poodles and so far no ear problems. I'm sure it helps to live in a dry climate, but I did not have ear troubles in Florida or southeast Texas, either.


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

@94Magna_Tom do you have a snood for Elroy yet?

I'm not sure if you read about it yet or it's purpose. 

I use a 2 pack of leg warmers that I picked up from Goodwill because it's inexpensive and serves the purpose.... It's basically an open toed head sized sock to protect their ears from unusually excessive head shaking. It also can keep their head warm during winter.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Basil_the_Spoo said:


> Ah, good thing this thread happened.
> 
> Basil had this huge ball/mat in her ear the thickness of a skinny cheeto and 2/3 the length of a pinky finger! I cut it out like a surgeon. The size reminded me of a moth chrysalis.
> 
> ...


Oh no. Now I’m feeling guilty for not doing Peggy’s! I’ve had sort of an “If it ain’t broke...” mentality. But maybe she’s got the same thing going on out of sight. I wonder if I should ask the vet to check her ears while she’s under for her spay? She shakes her head if I manipulate any of the little hairs coming out of her ear canal. Just ticklish, I think. Not painful. So I’ve been slowly desensitizing her by sneaking a little touch when I’m massaging her.


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Oh no. Now I’m feeling guilty for not doing Peggy’s! I’ve had sort of an “If it ain’t broke...” mentality. But maybe she’s got the same thing going on out of sight. I wonder if I should ask the vet to check her ears while she’s under for her spay? She shakes her head if I manipulate any of the little hairs coming out of her ear canal. Just ticklish, I think. Not painful. So I’ve been slowly desensitizing her by sneaking a little touch when I’m massaging her.


It wouldn't hurt to double check. 

I imagine the pain equivalent our pups feel is parallel to getting your eyebrows threaded. It doesn't really hurt, but it's not pleasent either. It feels like a lot of pinching. Then, after the swelling and redness goes down after 24-36 hours it's back to business as usual.


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Oh no. Now I’m feeling guilty for not doing Peggy’s! I’ve had sort of an “If it ain’t broke...” mentality. But maybe she’s got the same thing going on out of sight. I wonder if I should ask the vet to check her ears while she’s under for her spay? She shakes her head if I manipulate any of the little hairs coming out of her ear canal. Just ticklish, I think. Not painful. So I’ve been slowly desensitizing her by sneaking a little touch when I’m massaging her.


Annie loves to have people stick fingers in her ear canals as part of an ear massage. If you do that, you can feel around and see if there are any lumps. It's how I figured out I needed to start plucking!


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## LoveMyRedToyPoodle (Sep 15, 2019)

Basil_the_Spoo said:


> Ah, good thing this thread happened.
> 
> Basil had this huge ball/mat in her ear the thickness of a skinny cheeto and 2/3 the length of a pinky finger! I cut it out like a surgeon. The size reminded me of a moth chrysalis.
> 
> ...


Wow! That looked pretty dense. I bet she can even hear better now!


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Basil_the_Spoo said:


> @94Magna_Tom do you have a snood for Elroy yet?
> 
> I'm not sure if you read about it yet or it's purpose.
> 
> I use a 2 pack of leg warmers that I picked up from Goodwill because it's inexpensive and serves the purpose.... It's basically an open toed head sized sock to protect their ears from unusually excessive head shaking. It also can keep their head warm during winter.


I do not have a snood. Do I need one? Not sure what you mean by "protect their ears from unusually excessive head shaking". When does this head shaking occur? I haven't seen Elroy do it. I wouldn't want him to wear it except during grooming, perhaps.


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## Newport (Jul 16, 2014)

Snoods are helpful when dremeling nails. Keeps those ears out of the way even if the dog looks down at what you’re doing.


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

94Magna_Tom said:


> I do not have a snood. Do I need one? Not sure what you mean by "protect their ears from unusually excessive head shaking". When does this head shaking occur? I haven't seen Elroy do it. I wouldn't want him to wear it except during grooming, perhaps.


I read their ears can get hurt from too much shaking. 

Can anyone confirm?

So, the pros are:
1) in expensive
2) can be a hat to keep top knot dry in rain and head warm in winter
3) keeps ears out of the way and safe from scratching or shaking or grooming if necessary
4) they looks funny & adorable.

If you don't need it now then that is great. Just keep on your radar for when "ears" become a thing for poodle care over the first year. 

Check the search, and look up "snood" just to familiarize yourself.


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## Starla (Nov 5, 2020)

That’s true, shaking the head over and over can cause a bruise that can get really gnarly in dogs. The blood can essentially fill up the ear flap. I’ve only seen it once in a neglected dog that had ear mites (hence the shaking), so I don’t think it’s a huge concern for most unless your dog is going crazy shaking their head, but I could be wrong. I love a snood for drying. The dryer is loud! I wear ear protection, stuff cotton in the ears, and use a snood over top.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Wow. I’d never heard that. I think if my dog was needing to excessively shake her head, I’d be more concerned about the underlying cause.

But that doesn’t make snoods any less adorable.


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

Snoods can be useful when force drying (but I just plug the ears). Another use for them is for wearing after shaving the ears, especially if the ears were matted. It can make the dog shake the head a lot which can damage the ears. Another use is for when the dog is eating wet food so they don't get their ears gross. I've never had to use a snood because Misha's ears have never been in a style long enough to make one necessary. But they can be very helpful.


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## Newport (Jul 16, 2014)

Heads up: lots of cute snoods on Etsy. I like the kind with three rows of elastic like this one:
Unicorns dog snood purple snood girl dog snood spring | Etsy


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## Starla (Nov 5, 2020)

Whyyyyyy? Oh why did you show me this? 😫😂


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

or a turkey..


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

94Magna_Tom said:


> I do not have a snood. Do I need one? Not sure what you mean by "protect their ears from unusually excessive head shaking". When does this head shaking occur? I haven't seen Elroy do it. I wouldn't want him to wear it except during grooming, perhaps.


Excessive ear flapping can break blood vessels and lead to scarring in the ears. Most times my guys are shaking their heads it means they have either an ear infection or else an embedded tick. I deal with the head shaking by dealing with the underlying cause. I never tried a snood to stop the flapping; I doubt any of my guys would have tolerated a snood when they were in distress.

I did make a snood for Galen by chopping the leg off an old pair of long underwear. Right now his ears are so long they trail in his food when he's eating. I slide the snood over his head when he's eating canned food or something extra gunky.


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## Starla (Nov 5, 2020)

I assumed BtS was saying Basil would be shaking her head a lot because he was just messing with her ears a lot, so the snood was a preventative, protective measure until she was no longer reacting/her ears didn’t feel funny anymore.


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

Starla said:


> I assumed BtS was saying Basil would be shaking her head a lot because he was just messing with her ears a lot, so the snood was a preventative, protective measure until she was no longer reacting/her ears didn’t feel funny anymore.


Yes that makes sense. A dog feeling a new sensation in their ears (such as airflow) is likely to shake their head until they get accustomed to it.


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## Pat Mc (Sep 27, 2020)

I don't have an informed opinion regarding plucking ear hair, but I want to thank @warmheartedpups for starting the thread and everyone for sharing their experiences. My little bich-poo is on his 3rd ear infection in 7 months, and I've been at a loss as to how to prevent this from recurring. This thread gives me some good ideas.


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

Day 2-

So day 2 (36 hours) was a hot mess cleaning her ears. We accidently had her snood on from prevent her from shaking her head so much. It was maybe for the better because the moisture from the ear cleaner the previous day and the heat brought out a lot of wax. My dad got hear infections as a young boy and mentioned that a hot towel would help clean them easier. I used 10+ cotton balls and a lot of basic ear cleaner solution until the job was done. Her ears were warm border line hot, and peaches-and-cream colored.

Today, day 3. They're clean. Still some head shaking. She didn't wear her snood all day because I think airflow is the right play. Below are "afters" after one session with the "before" in spoilers for you to open.

Her left:











Spoiler: Before















Her right:












Spoiler: Her right before



This one had the gross ear/hair wax cheeto













Spoiler: Somewhere in between


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

My Spoo had one ear infection after another for about 4 years. We tried everything, vet prescribed and otherwise. He hated having his ears plucked. 

I finally changed groomers because he did not like the one we were using. The new one didn't pluck ears, and he has not had an ear infection since. However, I just looked at them and it is indeed a forest in there. I can't see a thing. He will be having his teeth cleaned in July. Wonder if I should have the vet do a good job of cleaning while he is under and then we can start over?


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

kontiki said:


> My Spoo had one ear infection after another for about 4 years. We tried everything, vet prescribed and otherwise. He hated having his ears plucked.
> 
> I finally changed groomers because he did not like the one we were using. The new one didn't pluck ears, and he has not had an ear infection since. However, I just looked at them and it is indeed a forest in there. I can't see a thing. He will be having his teeth cleaned in July. Wonder if I should have the vet do a good job of cleaning while he is under and then we can start over?


I wouldn't, Kontiki. The one nasty infection Annie got was when I took her to the groomers to show me how to pluck and they did a thorough job of it. A little at a time (every few weeks until they look good enough) seems to be all you need to start and seems to avoid irritating them enough to get infected.


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

For Want of Poodle said:


> I wouldn't, Kontiki. The one nasty infection Annie got was when I took her to the groomers to show me how to pluck and they did a thorough job of it. A little at a time (every few weeks until they look good enough) seems to be all you need to start and seems to avoid irritating them enough to get infected.


He just refuses to allow any plucking after his experience with that groomer that always forced him. He is 12 now.


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