Like many other floppy eared dogs, the Great Pyrenees is prone to ear problems and infections. Their floppy, furry ears can easily trap moisture and dirt that if not cleaned properly can lead to ear infections. Mauja and Atka (for the most part) have naturally clean ears, but that doesn’t mean we skimp on cleaning; it’s a part of our regular grooming routine. In case they do develop an ear issue, I want them to be comfortable with me messing with their ears.
Most dogs aren’t comfortable with foreign objects being shoved in their ears, so if your dog is new to ear cleaning ensure you take it slow. Here’s a process that has worked well for training Mauja and Atka to accept regular ear cleanings.
Training Ear Cleaning Acceptance
- Grab some yummy treats. Soft treats typically work the best for working through uncomfortable situations with Mauja and Atka. However, with Kaeto, we had to break out the cooked chicken to even get close to him with the cleaner!
- Sit with your dog. If you have cleaned your dog’s ears before, chances are he knows exactly what the ear cleaner looks like and what that means! I like to just sit on the floor with the cleaner and treats in hand waiting for Mauja and Atka to approach me. Anytime they get near the cleaner, they get a treat!
- Take it a step further. At this point, I start putting the nozzle in the very tip of their ear (but not too far as to avoid poking their ear). Praise, treat, praise, treat, praise, treat! You can’t praise too much during this phase. It was helpful for me to utilize a second person so I didn’t get clumsy with the cleaner or treats.
- Use the product. Once your dog is okay with the cleaner in his ear, it’s time to actually do the ear cleaning. Be sure to praise and treat! Most likely, the cleaner will startle him so be wary to avoid poking the ear. Most cleaners then require that you massage it into the ear, which I always try to disguise with an ear rub 😉
It’s important to note that these steps take time and most likely will not be accomplished in a single sitting. It took several weeks of practicing before Mauja and Atka would allow me to put the cleaner in their ears. Take it slow. After enough practice, hopefully you’ll have a dog that tolerates ear cleaning!
Bayer® ExpertCare™ Ear Cleansing Rinse at PetSmart
I like convenience. I want to be able to either order something online or pick it up at a place that I shop frequently. Trust me, convenience doesn’t outweigh a quality product, but it’s nice when the two coincide! That’s why I’m thrilled that the Bayer ExpertCare products are being sold at exclusively PetSmart. This is perfect for a busy woman like myself that wants to give her pups the best care possible.
The Bayer ExpertCare line includes a fantastic ear rinse. The solution is a fresh-scented antiseptic cleansing rinse that contains wax-dissolving and drying agents with aloe vera. This was our first time using the ear rinse from Bayer and I’ve been really impressed with the results. I’ve decided to swap this ear cleaner for the one we typically use and I love that I can easily grab it while we are at PetSmart.
Do you have an ear cleaning routine for your dog? Have you tried any of the Bayer ExpertCare products from PetSmart?
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Aww! Your puppies are beautiful. And they look so well behaved. Great post – ear cleaning is a necessary part of dog ownership.
Blueberry is okay with wipes or me gently going in with a Q-tip (she’s the ONLY dog I have ever been able to do this with as she stays perfectly still and I stay only in areas I can actually see). However, any liquid is met with resistance and pitiful face. Thankfully, I don’t need to do the liquid very often other than the occasional ear infection protocol she has to go through. But for the wipes, she knows treats are coming and sometimes I will barely get started and she will bother me for an early treat. She tries to play me every chance she gets. 🙂
I remember someone saying they used to put the liquid cleaner bottle in their pocket for a while to help warm it up before putting it in the dog’s ears – made it less of a shock when it was not as cold going in 🙂
Thank you for teaching *HOW* to desensitize your dog to ear cleaning! This is so important not only for our pets stress level, but also to clean their ears safely & effectively!
Mr. N does not like it but he puts up with ear cleanings very well and will hold still. His ears tend to be pretty clean (despite being floppy) so he only gets them cleaned every once in a while.
I am not even kidding when I say that just 2 minutes ago, Nike was fighting Daddy as he was trying to clean her ears. We have not tried any of these products, but I’m thinking we should check into them. Thanks for sharing!
My brother’s lab is prone to ear infections if he doesn’t clean her ears regularly. I will have to let him know about the Bayer line of ear products at PetSmart! That’s awesome!
This seems like a great technique to help make ear cleaning easier. I can only imagine how exciting it would be to be in PetSmart and see one of your dogs walk in. (And yeah, I’m one of those people who walks down every aisle just in case there is a dog in it. Its a thrill just to see them, I don’t have to pet them!)