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Ears are an important organ through which the German Shepherd Dog picks up a huge number of sounds. In order to avoid various diseases, every owner should know how to clean German Shepherd ears, how to wipe them, and how to familiarize the pet with this procedure.
How often should a German Shepherd dog’s ears be cleaned?
The ear organs of a healthy animal should be inspected on a regular basis. A small light brownish plaque that does not have a strong odor is considered normal.
The inner side of the ear should be cleaned every 3 to 4 weeks.
If a pet suffers from a mite, otitis media, or other illnesses, cleaning is performed much more often – every 1-2 days.
Accustoming the animal to the procedure
Many shepherds don’t tolerate cleaning: they turn their heads, try to escape, lash out, and some even snarl.
In order for the procedure to be painless for both the pet and the owner, you should gradually accustom the animal to it:
- Create a food motivation for the pet (underfeed the Shepherd a little for a week, get him to eat eagerly);
- Show your dog that the cotton ball is not dangerous: hold it in one hand and let him sniff it while you feed him with the other;
- After a couple of days, touch the cotton pad to the inner side of the dog’s ear and then immediately encourage him to eat the food;
- After another couple of days, try cleaning the ear a little, and then give the animal a treat.
Encourage your Shepherd after each session, praise him and give him his favorite food.
Avoid violence, don’t clamp down on your dog or punish him, even if he won’t let you perform the cleaning. Teach him to do it step by step.
How to clean GSD ears properly: step-by-step instruction
Before cleaning a German Shepherd’s ears, it is necessary to prepare everything you need for the procedure. First of all, you need to buy a special lotion or tonic.
Instead of liquid products, many owners use wet wipes soaked in a special liquid. Clean cotton pads or sterile gauze wipes will also be required for the procedure.
Cleaning at home proceeds as follows:
- The dog is fixed with the command “Sit” or “Lie down” and praised for obedience.
- The organs of hearing are inspected for plaque. If it is not significant, cleaning is done as usual. If there was abundant secretion with an unpleasant smell, it is necessary to rinse the ear with chlorhexidine, and then treat it with medical solutions.
- A small plaque is removed as follows: moisten a cotton pad or tissue with cleansing lotion and carefully wipe the inner ear canal.
- If there are small crusts on the skin, you can drop a couple of drops of lotion on them, wrap the ear, and gently massage. After that, the hard plaque will soften, and it can be removed in the usual way – with a moistened cotton pad.\
The same algorithm will work if you need to clean the ears of a puppy.
Never use hydrogen peroxide for treatment, as it can cause severe burns to the delicate skin.
It is very important to train the Shepherd into hygiene starting at an early age. Ears are a vital organ for a dog, so every owner should monitor their condition. When cleaning, inspect the skin for damage or infection. Don’t forget to praise your pet for proper behavior.
