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Dog ear hair removal can be a tricky endeavour if not handled appropriately. But before we dive into the process we should first understand what type of hair your dog has. There are in fact several types of hair in dogs, some of which do not fall out (modified anagen and catagen phases, no thalogene phase), but have continuous growth (as with the Poodle).
Others types of hair die, but do not fall spontaneously, and must be uprooted to make room for the new ones (as with the Wire-haired Terriers or the Westie, for example). These different types of hair have given rise to several methods of grooming: detangling, shearing or cutting with scissors, hair removal.
Dog ear hair removal purposes
Each method of grooming aims to optimize the beauty and regrowth of the type of hair concerned, and the use of another technique can lead to disaster! Mowing, for example, if it is perfectly indicated for the curly fur of the Poodle, will have a degenerating effect on the hard hair of the Fox-Terrier which, after a few months of this approach, will become woolly, dull and soft, while the epilation ensures vigor, hardness and shine.
The dog you want to groom is, in theory, yours. This is not the case of the groomer who must start his work within minutes following the arrival any new canine client. However, if the dog is rushed he will often be rather recalcitrant. We therefore understand that the grooming profession requires a lot of psychology … Certainly, your position is more enviable, however, that does not solve all of the challenges.
Understanding your dog’s behavior
The nervous dog
A dog has various ways of defending itself, you will clearly notice, depending on its personality and its physique. The nervous type will turn in all directions, will be elusive, and you will have all the trouble in the world to immobilize it.
The shy dog
The shy dog will curl up on itself, and you will waste time and patience trying to “unfold” it.
The obese dog
The obese dog will simply drop on the table, refuse to get up, and it will have to be strapped standing, which never gives very good results.
The aggressive dog
Let’s not forget the aggressive dog who will try to impress you by showing you his collection of fangs, or will outright jump on you to bite you. In reality, there is a small percentage of the canine population that cannot be groomed due to aggressive behavior. Such behavior can be as impressive or intimidating in a York that barely weighs 2 pounds than in a 10 pound Poodle!
Only a calm and relaxed dog will allow you an optimal grooming experience. It is normal for a dog to try to defend itself while being handled in an uncommon way.
Key instructions to follow
1) Do not make the dog suffer, or at least as little and as briefly as possible
2) Reassure the dog so that fear does not replace the absence of pain
3) Know how to recognize your dog attempts to fool you by sending you wrong signals!
It is sometimes very difficult to make the right decision: increased firmness or more softness? There should be no wrong method …
Dog ear hair removal process
In order to ensure proper ventilation of the ear canal, it is necessary for most breeds of dogs to epilate the long, fine hair that grows inside the ears. To do this, turn the ear that you hold flat against the skull. If the hairs are not too oily, therefore slippery, you can remove most of them by hand, holding them tightly between your thumb and forefinger, and pulling them out with a dry gesture.
For others, use a special ear clip, or ordinary tweezer. Gently grab the hairs inside the duct, taking care not to push the forceps too far, and gently remove them by turning. Attention, the dog must be properly maintained, because it does not usually appreciate much the operation!
A sudden movement on his part risks sinking the pliers and injuring him. Also take care not to pinch the skin when catching the hair, which is unfortunately common, and very painful for your canine friend. Ear waxing is usually done at the same frequency as all other grooming work. For dogs with dense and fast growing hair, more frequent sessions may be required.
The ideal ear clip for dog ear hair removal
It is actually a hemostatic forceps also called “clamp” in surgery. It is used to grasp the long, fine hairs that grow inside the pinna and tend to block it, causing harmful maceration.
A real good quality ear clip is difficult to find and must be handled with the greatest care, because at the slightest sudden gesture of the dog, the extended length of the clip can risk penetrating too deep into the ear canal. So it is better to use a good conventional tweezer, less dangerous in case your dog inadvertently moves around.