Schnauzer Ear Care

Miniature, standard and giant schnauzers are handsome, affectionate dogs known for their square heads, prominent muzzles and long, dignified whiskers. Though ear cropping is going out of vogue, the classic schnauzer archetype includes triangular, upright ears achieved through surgical removal of the earflap. Breeders and owners who have their schnauzers' ears cropped do so for aesthetic reasons and to avoid ear infections. Ear cropping must be done by a veterinarian, and requires meticulous aftercare. Schnauzers with uncropped ears, like all dogs, require regular ear grooming and cleaning to prevent infection.

  1. Ear Cropping Aftercare

    • Have an experienced groomer clip the hair outside of the ears to prevent hair from weighing down the ear or getting into the unhealed edges, causing infection. Pull out hair from the inside of the ear using a pair of blunt-nose tweezers sterilized with rubbing alcohol. Soak the sore ear edges with cotton balls soaked in hydrogen peroxide, and dry them with a cotton swab. Apply any ear medications prescribed by your vet.

    Applying Medication

    • Schnauzers may require ear medication following ear cropping or to treat a bacterial infection. To apply medication, lay the dog on a flat surface and turn him on one side with the ear canal facing up. Insert the medication applicator into the ear canal, but not far enough to make contact with the eardrum. Squeeze the applicator to dispense the required amount of medication, and massage the base of your dog's ear to thoroughly distribute the medication.

    Routine Cleaning

    • Schnauzers should be groomed about once a month. Ear cleaning is part of a thorough grooming. To clean your schnauzer's ears, set him on a flat surface and lay him on one side with an ear facing up. Squeeze a few drops of dog ear wash into the ear canal, being careful not to insert the tip too far. Massage the base of the dog's ear to distribute the ear wash and absorb discharge with a cotton ball. Repeat the process on the other side.

    Increasing Air Flow

    • Schnauzers with uncropped ears may experience ear infections. To relieve your dog's ailment, tape the dog's ears to the top of his head to expose and increase air flow to the ear canal. You can also cut a hole on each side of a piece of tubular fabric and slide it over the dog's head so the fabric restrains the dog's ears while exposing the ear canals through the holes.

    Ear Grooming

    • Ear grooming is a regular part of schnauzer grooming. To prevent irritating nicks and cuts, only an experienced groomer should attempt this. Clip the fur on the insides and outsides of the ears with a(clipper blade, moving along the grain of fur growth. Trim the fur extending past the edge of the ear with sharp scissors, and pull hair out from inside the ear with sterilized, blunt-nose tweezers.