How frequently should I clean my dogs ears?
You should endeavor to do this as part of your weekly or monthly canine grooming. However, if your pooch suffers from otitis externa, which is a common ear infection, then they would benefit greatly from daily ear cleaning.
A dog’s ears are very sensitive and they need to be examined regularly and thoroughly, so as to ensure there are no infections. What you should look out for are dirt, parasites, and irritations. The procedure does not take long, and you can spot potential issues quickly before they become serious problems.
On that note, what you should be looking out for is:
- Any discharge from the ears.
- An unpleasant smell.
- If the interior of the ear is red.
- If there are any swellings and bumps.
- If the skin within the ear has turned crusty.
- If the hair within the ear begins to fall.
- If the ear wax is dark and resembles coffee grounds.
Great, you know how often to do it, now let’s look at how it’s done.
How do I clean my dogs ears?
If you are a dog owner, you must be wondering how this can be achieved, knowing full well how much your pooch hates it when their ears are touched. As we know, dogs love to move and play a lot, this keeping them still to inspect their ears may be challenging.
Now, the first thing you need to understand is that it may take a while before your dog fully accepts this grooming process.
So how do you do it?
The good news is, though they may reject it initially, with time they can become accustomed to the process and not make too much of a fuss about it. The best trick would be to start early, while they are still young, and cultivate it as a regular habit of cleaning their ears.
The procedure is simple:
- Ensure that your dog is extremely calm before the process can begin.
- Use a well lit area/room
- Start by using wipes for dogs, and clean the outer portion of your dog’s ears, from the outside going in.
- Straighten the dog’s ears before inserting the tip of the dropper very slowly.
- Squirt one or two drops into the ear, and if the manufacturer recommends use of more than that, follow their instructions.
- Remove the dropper and leave the solution inside the dog’s ears for at least 60-90 seconds
- During this time, massage your dog’s ear at the base.
- After the time has elapsed, encourage your dog to shake the ears, to remove any excess liquid.
- Use another wipe to clean the rest of the ear. Repeat the same process on the other ear.
- Finally, give the dog hugs and treats for cooperating in the process.
Optional: Tell your dog what a good boy/girl they’ve been! 
Best dog ear cleaners reviewed
Great, now you’ve learned how to and how often to clean your dogs ears; next we move onto looking at the top choices at your disposal. Here’s five of our favorites!
Petpost | Pet Ear Cleaner
This is a natural coconut oil solution used to clean out yeast, ear mites and ear infections in dogs and cats. It is deemed safe as it does not use any harsh chemicals that can cause harm to your precious pooch such as pesticides and irritants.
It comes with an easy application nozzle that ensures you do not overuse or spill all over the floor as you clean your dog’s ears.
Pros
- Removes ear wax and debris easily.
- Has an easy to pour nozzle.
- Soothes and hydrate a dog’s sensitive ear canal.
Cons
- This will work best as a preventative measure.
Customer feedback
Most of the customers who used the Petpost ear cleaner were happy with the results, as most of the debris and dirt which was in their dog’s ears came off after applying the solution.
They also stated that it was well packaged, and no spills were found in the area where the cleaning took place. They praised the manufacturer for a solid product earning it a 4.8 out of 5 stars rating.
Mister Ben’s | Original Ear Wash for Dogs
This cleaning solution should help relieve your dog from ear infections, bad ear odors, itching, fungus, mites, yeast, and bacteria. Other ways it could help your pooch is to reduce redness inside the ears, inflammation, and swelling.
It is made up of six active ingredients that could provide protection against most of the common ear infections, and the good thing about it is that it can be used on all dog breeds.
One of the ingredients is Aloe, which can help soothe the irritated ear. Aloe is also a natural anti-fungal and anti-bacterial agent.
Pros
- Contains aloe, which is an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agent.
- Easy to use and administer.
- May help relieve the dog’s ear irritations, as well as itching and bad odors.
Cons
- Helps clean the bad odors, but some noted difficulties with ear infections.
Customer feedback
Mister Ben’s dog ear cleaner boasts very good reviews from customers who even gave it a 4.7 out of 5 stars rating. Most were happy with the fact that almost all of the debris in their dog’s ears came out with just one use of the solution. It comes highly recommended.
Vet’s Best Wash + Dry: Ear Relief for Dogs
This is a coordinated treatment that should clean and soothe the dog’s itchy, raw and smelly ears. It could help keep your pooch’s ears nice and dry, in between bath times.
If you notice that your dog’s ears are red, irritated and greasy, using the Vet’s wash and dry relief could bring some much-needed relief.
Made of natural ingredients of clove oil, chamomile, Aloe Vera, and tea tree oil; it can be a good solution for any caring dog owner.
Pros
- Alcohol-free
- Non-stinging.
- Made of natural ingredients.
Cons
- Cannot be used in ear infections and is purely for cleaning purposes.
Customer feedback
High majority of the customers who used this product were happy with the results; earning it a 4.6 out of 5 stars rating. One of the customers even called it a miracle-working solution and claimed that it was able to clean out all the dirt and debris plus other particles that were present in their dog’s ears.
Pets Are Kids Too Premium Pet Ear Cleaner!
This is an all-natural dog and cat ear drops solution made of Aloe Vera and Eucalyptus. This should help clean and deodorize your dog’s ears and does not sting or burn. Its continued use could protect your dog on a long-term basis from any such problems.
It is the number one product that is approved by veterinarians because the solution does not contain any ingredients which can be harmful to your dog, such as:
- parabens
- pharmaceuticals
- synthetic chemicals
- hydrocortisone i.e. steroids or sulphates.
It is also a good product to use on dogs that have sensitive ears. It should also help with the removal of:
- debris
- dirt
- gunk
- wax
- yeast infections
- ear-mites
- flea bites
. . . and many other irritants that dogs are prone to get.
Buying this product also helps you help a dog that is suffering from cancer, as the company uses a portion of the sales to make donations to such pets, making it an even more worthy cause.
Pros
- Made of natural products.
- Does not contain any harmful chemicals that can cause harm to your pooch.
- Good product for dogs that have sensitive ears.
- Has a very nice smell.
Cons
- May not help with an already developed ear infection.
Customer feedback
This is one of those outstanding products that has received a perfect customer rating of 5 out of 5 stars. Overwhelming majority of customers that used it were satisfied with the results; as well as commended the company’s great customer service.
RUBOLD Natural Dog Ear Cleaner
This dog ear cleaner should help clean, condition, deodorize, eliminate odors and condition your dog’s ears.
The ingredients used are all natural and are free from:
- phosphate
- paraben
- alcohol
- MFA
- steroids
- hydrogen peroxide
- and tea tree oil
. . . making it pretty safe to use on dogs.
The coconut and palm present in its formula make it mild and gentle on the dog’s ears, and for sensitive puppies, it is a conveniently smooth option.
Pros
- Made of natural ingredients that do not cause any harm to your puppy.
- Should help clean the dog’s ears and eliminate bad odors.
- A mild product for sensitive dogs.
Cons
- Requires constant use for it to work well.
Customer feedback
Most customers were happy with the product, highlighting its safety aspect, and avoidance of any harmful chemicals. The results were satisfactory, and they claimed that it has a very nice smell, not too overbearing when the pooch comes in for the smooches. Earns an impressive 4.6 out of 5 stars rating.
Final say on cleaning dog ears
Nothing is more irritating than a smelly dog; making it hard to kiss and hug your pooch as you’d like to, if the ears keep emitting a terrible smell.
Using a dog ear cleaner may be scary at first if your dog is fidgety and does not like it, since you do not want to see your dog unhappy, but it is a vital and important aspect of dog grooming and should never be ignored. If as human beings we clean our ears daily, then our pooches should not be left out of this very important cleaning activity.