How to clean your dog's ears

Every dog needs her ears cleaned periodically. It may be as frequently as once a week, or much less often. You know their ears need cleaning if you can see wax or they begin to smell a bit. Here’s how to clean them.

1. Get an ear cleaning solution and place about ten drops of liquid in the dog’s ear. Massage it for one or two minutes to let it penetrate and break up wax. Then, let the dog shake her head—she will instinctively do that because of the liquid in her ear.
2. Get a cotton ball and wipe all around the ear. Don’t go down into the canal, just stay in the part of the ear that you can see.
3. Take a cotton swab and clean the little crevices of the upper ear. Again, don’t go deep into the ear.
4. Repeat with the other ear.
5. At each step, praise your dog and help her stay calm.

If the dog begins to scratch her ears persistently, or they’re red or have an odor, consult your vet.