# Grooming dog's ears - pulling the fur



## mcdavis (May 1, 2012)

I am currently trying without success to find a decent groomer - the nearest halfway reasonable one is almost 3 hours drive - and therefore contemplating getting some clippers to do it myself.
I've got a good idea on how to trim the body etc. but I'm not sure how to do the ears (current groomer just trims the top of ears and does nothing about the fur inside) - I recently read on here about 'pulling the ear fur' and wondered exactly what that meant please?


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

It means the hair that is growing fro inside the ear canal is plucked rather than clipped. It is becoming controversial, as some dogs do fine without plucking, and some dogs get ear infections if not kept plucked. I like to pull a little hair each grooming to keep the hair in there minimal, and never have to pull tons at once, as some dogs get irritated from plucking alot at once.


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## georgiapeach (Mar 17, 2012)

There are some good videos online for grooming any breed of dog that give step by step instructions. I've learned a lot from the ones on how to groom my poodle (especially the impossible topknot - still working on that part!). My westie mix is still a work in progress, mainly b/c her hair texture/ear length is bichon and not westie. 

My poodle doesn't grow much hair inside his ears, luckily, but I do pluck it when I see it. It's better, IMO to keep up with it on a regular basis, rather than waiting till there's a whole ear full of it. You don't want to make the ear too sore, which will cause a lot of pain to the dog. You may want to pluck a little bit of hair at a time, if there's a lot, using lots of treats.

Maddie, my westie mix, won't have any part of plucking - not happening w/out a straight jacket and a muzzle!. She won't let me near her ears with clippers either (feisty little thing, she is!), so I carefully hand clip it out (round tipped scissors), which she'll tolerate.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

I use my fingers to pull the hair from down inside the ear canal. Leeo and Blu Boy being Schnauzer/Poodles ... had their first ear groom at the vets and they were not impressed! That made them fearful of hemostats. I never did pull the hair entirely clean out of their ears. I just try and be sure air can get into the ear canal and keep their ears clean. Neither of them have ever had an ear infection. (knock on wood!)


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## mcdavis (May 1, 2012)

Well, I thought I'd see how he would react if I went near his ears so OH held him and I popped a muzzle on just in case, then I pulled very gently but the hair was a little bit greasy (there was no smell or anything and no sign of an infection) and didn't come out so I got some round ended scissors and trimmed a little - and Hamish went to sleep!!!!!
So hopefully this means that he doesn't have a problem with me the process........


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

mcdavis said:


> Well, I thought I'd see how he would react if I went near his ears so OH held him and I popped a muzzle on just in case, then I pulled very gently but the hair was a little bit greasy (there was no smell or anything and no sign of an infection) and didn't come out so I got some round ended scissors and trimmed a little - and Hamish went to sleep!!!!!
> So hopefully this means that he doesn't have a problem with me the process........


 You will need some ear powder or hemostats to pull the hair if its oily and you cant grip it.


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## mcdavis (May 1, 2012)

Graco22 said:


> You will need some ear powder or hemostats to pull the hair if its oily and you cant grip it.


I've just googled hemostats and think we may have some - now I just need to find them - he seemed to be OK about the round ended scissors so here's hoping he'll be OK with those too.


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## mustlovedogs123 (Mar 23, 2011)

There is actually a powder groomers use so that this process does not hurt the dogs at all. This powder practically makes the hair fall out, you don't actually need to pull on the hair... just take it out of the ear. Very neat stuff!


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## mcdavis (May 1, 2012)

mustlovedogs123 said:


> There is actually a powder groomers use so that this process does not hurt the dogs at all. This powder practically makes the hair fall out, you don't actually need to pull on the hair... just take it out of the ear. Very neat stuff!


I don't suppose you know the name do you? I've tried googling but can't find it - probably more to do with my poor search options than anything else.....


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

mcdavis said:


> I don't suppose you know the name do you? I've tried googling but can't find it - probably more to do with my poor search options than anything else.....


Contrary to popular belief, ear powder does nothing to ease any discomfort when pulling ear hair. It simply provides grip so its easier to grab and pull. There are tons of ear powders, all basically the same thing. I dont use it, but if I had to pick one, I would suggest R7 brand.


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## mustlovedogs123 (Mar 23, 2011)

Graco22 said:


> Contrary to popular belief, ear powder does nothing to ease any discomfort when pulling ear hair. It simply provides grip so its easier to grab and pull. There are tons of ear powders, all basically the same thing. I dont use it, but if I had to pick one, I would suggest R7 brand.


There are a bunch of different powders I am guessing you have never used this type! With this stuff you do not have to pull hardly at all so I would say that it definatly does reduce discomfort. I have a Bichon shi-tu and I have plucked at home (when I do it at home she yelps and try's to get away) and also have done it at work with this powder and she does not do anything. When I find the name of the stuff we use at work I will let you know it really is wonderful stuff!


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

mustlovedogs123 said:


> There are a bunch of different powders I am guessing you have never used this type! With this stuff you do not have to pull hardly at all so I would say that it definatly does reduce discomfort. I have a Bichon shi-tu and I have plucked at home (when I do it at home she yelps and try's to get away) and also have done it at work with this powder and she does not do anything. When I find the name of the stuff we use at work I will let you know it really is wonderful stuff!


 Def get the name of it. It would have to have a numbing agent in it, and thats very hard to do in powder form. Never seen one, however, many think that powders make it hurt less, just not the case. It may be that the gripping of the hair is better so its one tug rather than a afew tugs...?


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