Ear Hair

[Breanna]

I read on here that when grooming, "pull ear hair." Crush has grown some ear hair and I've gently pulled at it when cleaning her ears but it didn't come out. Am I supposed to pull it all out? It seems painful...

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Have your vet show you what needs done!  It will certainly save your dog grief and even infections if done correctly.

You do not have to get all that hair.  Hair that is firmly attached to the ear should not be taken out.

Deep down, in some dog's ear, are what look like cotton.  Soft, not really attached, and easily removed.

I use a power to remove hair. That's if, hair really needs to be removed.

I've had two doodles and a few come and go in my home. Some need it, but many don't.

Again though, we have had many discussions, some videos, and certainly difference of opinion on if the hair actually needs to be removed.

Know what you are doing before attempting to just rip out hair as you can cause a lot more harm than good.

First, ask your vet. Second, have someone show you how to remove the hair. Third, ask if you have a doodle who needs to have hair removed.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

One of the Breeders on here directed me to some " ear powder". It helps to grip the hair and it comes out easily. Also keeps the ears dry( Enzo spends lots of time in our pool in the warmer weather) and smells good. Enz doesn't even know when I am pulling out hair...but she doesn't have a whole lot either. Let me go see exactly what I bought. Got it on Amazon.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

This is what I bought and it helps tremendously . She was also able to show me how to pull the hair. I agree, you may want your Vet or someone knowledgable to show you how. It is not difficult.
http://www.amazon.com/Gold-Medal-Groomers-Powder-Grams/dp/B000P0SPX...

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I use Thornit Ear Powder. You can't by it directly in the USA so I order it out of the UK.  The 100ml bottle has lasted almost two years and I have at least a year to go.

I swear by the powder and it is the only thing I use now to clean Spud's brittle ears. 

It's purpose is not just for pulling out hair but to keep the ear dry.  He smells like Boric Acid and that is better than smelling like Infection 

Mostly Thornit is to keep down infections but could be used to remove hair ( note: should never be used if an infection is present)

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I use Thornit once a month on my two and I find it keeps problems at bay. I also use it if I even see one of them shaking his head...so far so good. Smells like a hospital. I've had the big bottle now for about a year and we are only half way through.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Not all doodles need to have ear hair pulled out. I clean my dogs ears every 2-3 weeks now with Malacetic Otic. f the have some long hairs coming out of the ears I trim them. I keep the hair under the ear flaps, on the "cheeks"  there short. But I have never pulled the hair from the canals, admittedly they don't have a lot, and my dogs have not gotten infections.

[Trudy Harlow]

Paddy has dense hair deep into both ears. Until last year, he had a chronic ear infection due to yeast that developed when he was a young pup. That ear's hair got removed by the vet each time it was needed so the medication could get far into his ear canal and there would be a less hospitable environment for the yeast.

Since then, I have changed his diet and the yeast has cleared up. I never did remove the hair in his "well" ear and now I don't remove it in the other (formerly yeasty) ear, either.  My vet agrees that chronic hair-pulling in the ears can irritate the ear canal and create an environment prone to infections.

I believe if it ain't broke, don't fix it. If there's no reason to remove the hair, don't.  Like F., I have the hair under and on the inside of the ear flaps trimmed close to create a better air flow, and we do trim hair growing out of the ears so it doesn't get long. Other than that, we leave well enough alone.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I have never pulled any hair from my dog's ears and they have never had an ear infection.

[Yvette & Emma]

Emma just turned 7 mos and did not know the ear hair was an issue. So when I went to vet they removed all of it I had no idea the pulled it out! Her ears were so irritated the next red and infected. Poor thing I felt so bad :(

I took her back to vet they gave her medicine and ears were better next day. No one showed me how to do it though . So I will look for video.

[Helga, Nimbus, Sierra, Clooney]

My vet told me to leave it alone unless he gets ear infections. So I leave it alone. :-)

[Yvette & Emma]

I wish I heard that advice and done that!

[Breanna]

Thanks everyone! I cleaned it like I normally do and clipped the long hairs.