Have you ever looked in your dog’s ears and seen a bunch of hair growing inside? Some dog breeds naturally grow hair inside their ears, such as Shih Tzus and Poodles. I’ve noticed that as my Corgi has gotten older, she has thicker fur growing inside her ears than she used to — I call it her “grandpa ear hair.”
The hair inside the ear can make it more difficult for your dog’s immune system to keep levels of yeast and bacteria at a manageable level, can block the flow of air that keeps the ear canal dry, and trap dirt, excess ear wax, and debris inside. So if you’ve noticed that your dog’s inner ears are getting a bit overgrown, what should you do about it?
Plucking the hair from the ear canal is a controversial topic in the dog grooming world. Some dog groomers claim that they see more ear infections in dogs that get their ears routinely plucked, while others claim just the opposite. Like so many other things in the world, the answer towhether or not you should pluck your dog’s ears is … it depends!
If your dog has chronic ear infections, plucking inside their ears can help with air circulation which helps keep moisture in the ear at bay. Plucking also makes giving ear medication easier and more effective since it can make its way all the way into the ear canal.
However, if your dog does not suffer from recurring ear infections, there is no medical reason to pluck their ears as long as the hair is well-trimmed or brushed out and not allowed to mat or block the ear opening. If you’re worried about the amount of hair growing in your dog’s ears, discuss with your vet what option is best for your dog.