Should You Pluck Your Dog’s Ears?
Should You Pluck Your Dog’s Ears to Prevent Infections?
Hi, this is Dr. Andrew Jones. In this edition of Veterinary Secrets, I’m diving into a common question I get from dog parents: Should you pluck your dog’s ears to help prevent ear infections?
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Meet Maya the Goldendoodle
In this video, I’m joined by Maya, a lovely little Goldendoodle with big, furry ears—especially inside them. Her owners told me she used to get recurring ear infections until they moved to sunny Baja, Mexico. That caught my attention, and I’ll explain why that might matter in a bit.
If you’ve ever dealt with chronic ear infections in your dog, you know how frustrating it can be. Let’s talk about what’s really going on, what not to do, and some natural remedies that can help.
The Truth About Plucking Dog Ears
Here’s what Maya’s ear looks like on the inside: lots of hair. When you look down into the ear canal, it’s hard to see much—it’s deep and furry.
When I was in practice, I used to tell clients to start plucking the inside of their dog’s ears when they were puppies. The idea was that removing the hair would help airflow and prevent infections.
But over time, I realized this doesn’t always help—and in many cases, it can make things worse.
Why Plucking Can Be a Problem
Once you start plucking, you often need to keep doing it. Every time you pull out that hair, you cause irritation and inflammation inside the ear canal. That irritation can actually trigger more ear infections instead of preventing them.
So if your dog’s ears are healthy and they don’t have recurring problems, leave the ear hair alone. There’s no need to pluck it.
The Real Cause Behind Recurring Ear Infections
For most dogs with ongoing ear infections, the root cause isn’t airflow—it’s allergies.
With Maya, for example, her recurring infections stopped when her family moved from Surrey, British Columbia to Baja. Why? Because the environment changed. Different pollen, different dust mites, and different air quality mean fewer allergens for her to react to.
That tells us a lot. Many dogs with chronic ear problems are reacting to something in their environment or food. Until you address that underlying trigger, the infections will keep coming back.
What’s Really in That Ear Gunk
When you look into your dog’s ear and see black, sticky debris with a foul smell, you might assume it’s ear mites. But in most cases, it’s actually yeast.
Yeast thrives in warm, moist, irritated ear canals. Once an allergy causes inflammation, yeast moves in and makes things worse.
Simple, Natural Remedies for Dog Ear Infections
If your dog has a mild yeast infection, there are two safe, natural options you can try at home.
1. Apple Cider Vinegar and Green Tea Rinse
Mix 20% apple cider vinegar with 80% brewed green tea.
Squirt enough into your dog’s ear to fill the canal, then gently rub the base of the ear. You should hear a soft squishing sound. Do this twice a day for three to five days. This simple mix helps restore balance and clear yeast.
2. Topical Antifungal Cream
You can also use an over-the-counter antifungal cream such as Monistat (containing miconazole) or Clotrimazole.
Squeeze a small amount into your dog’s ear canal, rub the base to distribute it, and repeat daily until symptoms clear up.
These remedies are usually enough to stop mild yeast infections and help your dog feel more comfortable.
The Takeaway
If your dog doesn’t have recurring ear infections, don’t start plucking their ears. You’ll only cause unnecessary irritation.
If infections keep coming back, focus on these three key points:
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Find the allergy. Identify and manage environmental or food triggers.
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Avoid irritation. Don’t pluck ear hair unless absolutely necessary.
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Treat yeast. Use natural antifungal solutions like apple cider vinegar with green tea or topical antifungal creams.
Thanks for tuning in to this edition of Veterinary Secrets.
A big thank-you to Maya for being such a patient model here in Baja—it’s always a pleasure filming with her.
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Serious About Your Dog’s Vitality? Keep Your Dog Active and Thriving with Dr. Jones’ Ultimate Canine Advanced Plus Health Formula
Give your dog the best care with this all-in-one supplement packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Supports digestion, immune health, joints, skin, mobility, and energy—perfect for dogs of all ages, from playful pups to senior companions. Watch your furry friend thrive every day!
Holistic Support in Every Scoop: Dr. Jones’ Ultimate Canine Advanced Plus
A natural, powder-based supplement designed for daily use. Mix with food or treats for easy dosing. Available in 30-day and 90-day supplies for dogs up to 50lbs. For larger dogs, follow the dosing guide to ensure optimal benefits
Keep Your Cat Active and Healthy with Dr. Jones’ Ultimate Feline Health Formula
Crafted specifically for cats, this formula supports digestive health, immunity, skin and coat, and lean muscle. Packed with essential vitamins, antioxidants, and fatty acids, it helps your feline stay playful, resilient, and full of life.
Complete, All-Natural Nutrition for Graceful Aging
Dr. Jones’ Ultimate Feline Health Formula is a holistic daily supplement that enhances overall health and promotes long-term wellness, ensuring your cat ages gracefully while staying active and vibrant.
Very good instructions to treat dog ear infections.
great information, will try the apple cider/green tea out
My girls have never had ear problems (currently 3 schnauzers – 1 schnauzer & 1 yorkie in the past). My vet once grabbed my Misty’s ear fur and started plucking it out – it looked like it hurt and she bled some. I do NOT pluck their ear fur. I do trim around and in their ears. I find that if it gets too long in there – it collects wax and dirt, also find that it gets irritating in there and must tickle or something – so I trim it when I trim them (their toes, beards, or brows).
Very interesting in the option of using apple cider vinegar and green tea!!
2 easy, and cheap, solutions for people with dogs that get ear infections. Thanks, Dr. Jones!
Thank you Dr Jones as always for such an informative and inexpensive way to treat your furry loved ones. I pluck the hairs of my 2 yorkies because I was told that the over growth of hair was and could continue to be a cause of ear infections. I believed it cause I trusted the to care for my fur babies and cause I didn’t know better. I thank you for your videos for they have saved me not only financially but the headache of their beliefs. Hope all is well with you and your loved ones and may God bless you all abundantly
Exellent videos and information … Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge with us.
Excellent video on dog ear care.
Have a blast in Mexico!!
Vet told me years ago that my Giant Schnauzer’s ear hair grows down into canal so I needed to be diligent about plucking it. He’s always shaking his ears & scratching. I’m going to try your recommendations. Thank you for the advice!
I’ve been told wrong, after watching your Vidio. I plan on following your advice on my two precious Yorkies
Thank you so much for your books ,free videos and e-books, it’s refreshing to know that we have you to help us with our family members (Pets) that we love so much. I’m going to try that mixture of apple cider vinegar and green tea if my babies ever get yeast in their ears . I look forward to getting more natural remedies!
My groomer has been plucking my maltese/westie terrier’s ears as part of her grooming process. My dog has never had an ear infection. The question is being that she has had it done, can I advise my groomer not to anymore? I know your video said that once you start you shouldn’t stop? Please advise. Thank you.
Very Good I never fail to learn something when you advise. Thank you
Having groomed dogs for 38 yrs, I have found such disasterous conditions in ears that are full of hair. I’ve pulled literal rocks of solid wax out of an ear where the hair had never been pulled. I think the problem comes in when a groomer grabs the whole was and twists it out with hemostats. I trim the hair first then ONLY grab the tuft that goes completely down to the base of the canal. If you have an active dog that goes in the water, woods, etc., keeping the ear free of hair is essential to finding ticks and allowing the ear to dry properly. Too much ear hair isn’t so much a normal occurrence and we do need to address the side effects from breeding designer dogs. Really love your content! I’m a big proponent of the way you do most everything. Thanks for all you do!
Having groomed dogs for 28 yrs, I have found such disasterous conditions in ears that are full of hair. I’ve pulled literal rocks of solid wax out of an ear where the hair had never been pulled. I think the problem comes in when a groomer grabs the whole wad and twists it out with hemostats. I trim the hair first then ONLY grab the tuft that goes completely down to the base of the canal. If you have an active dog that goes in the water, woods, etc., keeping the ear free of hair is essential to finding ticks and allowing the ear to dry properly. Too much ear hair isn’t so much a normal occurrence and we do need to address the side effects from breeding designer dogs. Really love your content! I’m a big proponent of the way you do most everything. Thanks for all you do!
Enjoyed your presentation and will definately try the apple cider & green tea for the ears.
Thanks
Interesting topic, I was told that my schnauzers ear hair should always be pulled. This didn’t sit right with me, it hurt her & made her not like the groomer. Now they trim with a scissor. Much better ?
Ear problems, allergies, yeast – common vaccine damage as are auto-immune diseases. God made them perfect, we leave them alone and stop all “man-made and man-caused” things, including vaccines which are all toxic poisons. Feeding an organic raw diet resolves the yeast problems and also is a tremendous help with allergies. We don’t pull ear hair and don’t express anal glands either – haven’t had any problems with doing this for our last 2 generations of dogs.
Being close to the ocean, because of the salt in the air, can quell Allergies …. M.