# Tips on clipping ears please



## fantastic poodle (Sep 8, 2012)

Ears are scary to cut so be very careful. You can shape the ear round by following the shape from inside the ear so you can see the leather. hold the leather in your finger and trim around you finger so you dont accidently cut the ear. start from about half way down on both sides cutting toward the bottom of the ear then shape up the bottom.Its going to need some blending or the hair will stick up and always go longer at first to leave room to trim it in. 

Another way is to use a long snap on comb and go down the ear but again be careful. if the leather gets up in the teeth of the comb it will open her right up. Then just scissor the end up a little.This can make for a very short ear though...must be perfectly clean fluffed and no tangles.

A less drastic approach is to use thinning shears all over the bottom parts of the ear hair until the lenghth is about right and trim of stray hairs. This looks more natural and is the least dangerous of all .
I am sure I saw a video on the U tube showing this...Ill see if I can find it.


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

Now I am scared. I think I will have her groomed by someone else next time and have them do it. Thanks!


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## Doggroomer812 (May 4, 2011)

*quick trim*

One way to sort of set in the rounded shape, is to take all the hair (when it is clean and blown out), and twist all of it around a few times so you have a little compact tassle at the end of the ear leather. Then you can take your shears and cut straight across the twisted area (you can try it at the very end of the hair first to see how it cuts, then twist and cut again at the length you want it, but make sure to cut below the ear leather!). You can then use thinning shears to neaten up the shape/length once the hair is lying flat and combed again.

Before you cut ears, check to make sure the ear leathers are the same length. I didn't check before I cut my spoo's ears the first time.... he had lopsided ears! I had trimmed the shorter ear all the way to the edge of the leather, so I couldn't make up the difference on the other ear. So he walked around looking like his head was tilted for a while


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## pgr8dnlvr (Aug 7, 2011)

Awww... No advice here but just wanted to say it'll be sad to see her ears shorter. They're so beautiful and feminine  .

On another not can you post current pictures showing the current groom of Carley?

Rebecca


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## fantastic poodle (Sep 8, 2012)

Why dont you see if you can find a groomer to show you how. Lots of people used to ask me to show them how to maintain their pets between grooms and I never minded. I have seen more ear leather cut than any other part of a dog....some by groomers even. 

That lopsided ear thing doggroomer812 said actually happened to another groomer in town except she sliced off an inch of leather at the bottom of one ear not realizing the leather was not the same length on both sides.

Just be careful and doulble and triple check that the leather is not wrapped up in the hair your going to cut. Hair grows back- ears dont....lol


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

pgr8, Here is my most recent picture of Carley. She had been rough housing and is not just brushed and fluffed, but this it how she looks most of the time. I like her a bit on the wild side. Messy big tk ect. I don't know if you can tell, but I tried to leave some "pants" on her legs and cut he body shorter. I don't really know how to do that...
edit. I don't know what happened to this photo, but half is cut off ! I will post another one. Sorry.


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

As you can see, most of her hair has come out of the band... I love this girl. There will never be another one like her.


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## Ms Stella (Aug 16, 2010)

They do look really long and thin. I would just cut them a bit...even a straight across look that is shorter will look better. You can easily tell where the ear leather is when cutting. You can do it


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## kukukachoo (Jul 26, 2012)

Carley's Mom said:


> As you can see, most of her hair has come out of the band... I love this girl. There will never be another one like her.


She is awesome-looking!


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## pgr8dnlvr (Aug 7, 2011)

Hahaha!!! Carley is too cute, that groom is one to make you smile! 

Rebecca


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## Anntig (Jun 9, 2010)

The trick I use when I want a rounded curve:

Comb the fringe straight, slide the hair at the leather between your second and third finger holding your hand flat and horizontal, pull your hand down until it's a little longer than you want the hair, then scissor straight along the underside of your hand, when you let go the fringe should have a nice subtle curve in it and there's no risk in cutting the leather


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

I took about 2 inches off and it does look better, more full ect. I noticed that alot of mats had been recently cut out too, so maybe they won't be so thin as they grow out. Thanks everyone !


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