Let's Talk Ear Care: Lambeau's Before & After

What's that you say? Let's talk ear care with our main man, Lambeau.

Lambeau, ready for his close-up (ears included).

Many of you who own a poodle or a doodle have already learned this the hard way: unlike most breeds, poodles and doodles grow hair inside their ear canals. That means regular cleaning isn't optional — it's a must. Ears should be cleaned monthly and plucked every other month at minimum to avoid painful wax buildup, discharge, and clumping deep in the inner ear.

Ear infections are common in dogs with hairy, unclean ears, and they can be genuinely painful for your pup. Unfortunately, a lot of groomers don't take the time needed to do proper ear care, so it's on us as owners to stay on top of it. Ear plucking isn't exactly Lambeau's favorite pastime, but like eye boogie picking, poop cleaning, nail trims, and sanitary area cleanup, it's one of those necessary evils of dog parenting.

Below are Lambeau's ears before and after a proper ear care session. You can see how much hair had grown inside the ear and down into the canal — what you can't see as well in photos is the wax buildup clinging to that hair, and just how deep it extended. Removing all that extra hair means less surface area for debris and drainage to collect on, which keeps the ear canal cleaner and far less hospitable to the bacteria that cause painful infections.

BEFORE: Hair is growing inside the ear with wax buildup.

AFTER: Same ear, different angle — no leftover hair or wax buildup.

Over time, I've found a handful of products that genuinely help: they prevent infections, keep ears clean, make plucking easier, and treat minor symptoms at home. I've linked each one below with a quick note on how I use it. Just a reminder — I'm not your dog's vet, so any real concerns should always go through your vet. But these products have saved us time, money, and a lot of ear infections, and I hope they help you and your pup too!

Liquid Health Pets K9 Ear Solutions — my go-to for drying the ear canal and cutting down odor.

Zymox Enzymatic Ear Solution with hydrocortisone — my pick for minor irritation and itch relief at home.

Bio-Groom Ear-Fresh Powder — makes plucking easier and less irritating for grip.

As always, I'm here if you have questions — don't hesitate to ask!