Suggestions on beds, hair brush and getting drops in earsC

[Amy Galvin]

Clara is 8 months old and she does not like to sleep on a dog bed. She chews it as fast as she can or pushes it out of the way. This concerns me because she's laying in crate on tile floor. I have put rugs underneath crate. Is this a puppy phase? Or can you recommend a bed or mat?

Question 2 - hair brush. I have two different types and they work fine on brushing her body,but her hsir matts up around face neck. What works best on coarse type hair?

Lastly she keeps getting recurring yeast infections in her ears. Getting drops in her ears is like trying to break into Fort Knox. I have to do this solo. Does anyone have tips?

Thank you

[Tammy and Violet]

Violet also chewed up her bed,towels anything at that age (better now cuz she is over 1 yr now ) I put  nothing in her crate for her own protection ....eating stuff she should not.

Hair brush I got one like the groomer had.ask at Petco or Petsmart perhaps ?

 

ughh.... bad ears... V has that now too ..and only me to get drops in there... NOT GOOD ....I feel your pain....I sit her down ..straddle her and go very fast with the drops and cotton balls in each ear...only hoping I got the stuff in there !

[Carolyn, Jules and Jett]

Our breeder told us dog beds were a waste of money for a lot of dogs. She said a towel or blanket in their crate if they'll sleep on it, but especially when it's hot, they may just kick it into the corner to sleep on the cooler floor. If Clara's eating the bedding and doesn't have joint issues requiring soft surfaces to sleep on, let her do without or maybe try the hammock type that doesn't have filling.

I don't have a secret for getting drops in, but the breeder did mention that if we thought their ears had gotten damp, to put alcohol in them to dry them and prevent yeast infections.

[Kelly & Zoe]

For the drops and any other undesirable task, you may want to try these lickety sticks: licket sticks.  They're kinda weird (like a roll-on deodorant but with liver and bacon flavored liquid - 1 kcal for 10 licks).  I found those work reasonably well for drops, brushing etc, although my dog is super sensitive to anything going anywhere near her ears (perhaps because she's had multiple ear infections and we keep having to mess with them), so the lickety sticks for ear drops are only somewhat effective with that task.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Thankfully, Enzo is NOT a chewer, so I am no help on beds.  We have 3 that she loves ( and shares with "her" cats). 

Brush....I am patiently awaiting my order from Les Poochs.  I have seen people rant and rave how wonderful they are and finally got a chance to use one on Enzo ( a friend let me borrow hers).  They are pricey, but I am told you will never want/use another brush and are perfect for Doodles. 

Ears:  are you plucking?  If she has "Poodle" ears, then chances are, you will need to keep the ear canals clean.  On the advice of a Breeder here, I bought some ear powder.  Helps keep the ears smelling nice, drys them out ( Enzo loves to swim) and makes plucking those hairs out of the ear very easy.

[Amy Galvin]

I have never plucked the hair. Her ears are hairy.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Plucking that ear hair might help with re-occurring ear problems. You will save a ton in Vet bills and save Clara some painful ear problems. The hair tend to keep the ears moist where bacteria thrives.

[Janet & Dunbar]

I am with Rosemary and Enzo with the brush - Les Poochs  is the best.  I also thought it was very pricey, but worth every penny.  Dunbar has the poodle ears that need to be cleaned regularly - I have to pin him between me and the door; once I start rubbing his ears he calms down.  Good luck with Clara she is adorable.

[Vicky loves Chachi]

Only advice I have is for getting ear drops in - give her treats while u touch her ears then progress to giving her treat before drops and give treat after drops. Doesn't have to be a lot of treats but make sure she loves the treats u give her. She will eventually associate drops with happy feelings. That's what I did with my doodle.

[Amy Galvin]

Thank you for all the suggestions.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Chewing up things is mostly a puppy phase.  It is okay for her to have her crate bare - lots of doodles like it cooler. 

Brushing coats that mat:  It makes a huge difference what kind of brush you use and that you get all the way to the skin.  You should brush and area and then comb it.  I use a LesPouchs brush (slicker brush that has some flex in it) and a graduated steel-toothed comb. You can order your LesPouchs from Doodle Country Store. They are expensive but well worth it.  I have tried cheaper brushes on Ned's  thick, matting, coat, but they don't seem to do the job.

Brushing coats that don't mat:  You can use most cheaper slicker brushes from the pet stores, but a good one still does a better job.  I still use the LesPouchs brush and a steel comb on my two dogs that do shed and mat only a little and find it does a better job, but I wouldn't buy one just for these easier coats.

A much cheaper version of the LesPouchs is made by MGT.  It does an okay job - not as good as LesPouchs but it does get the job done.

For the ears:  make sure you are getting the meds down deep into the ear canal or you won't ever get the infection completely cleared.  They get better about holding still as they get older, but for now I would fasten her leash tightly to something so you don't have to 'chase' her down.  Then I would calmly pet her for a while and when she relaxes, lift the ear flap and put the meds in.  Easy - not at all.  I was lucky enough to have help when my guys were young.

[Gail & Bogey]

Don't have the ear issue because Bogey actually likes the ear drops! Was a little tough at first but then I think he realized it felt good. After I put in the drops I massage his ear to get the meds all over on the inside.

The steel comb or sometimes called a greyhound comb, is what my groomer said I would have to use to keep him unmatted. That's all I use now. He has a weird coat, poodle type down the middle of his back, behind his ears and golden coat on the rest of his body. If he's tired I have no problem combing him, can't do it if he's wondering-up.

Good luck.