Ear Drying Tip

Ear Drying Tip

Grover is a completely adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He has the breeds typical silky coat, with thick, luxurious furnishings on his ears. So thick, in fact, they are a serious challenge to dry. Most dogs are not fans of the drying process to begin with, and when you work on their sensitive ears, they like it even less. Here are some tips for getting the hair on thickly coated ears dry while keeping the pet as comfortable as possible. 

  • Make sure to get the ears super clean when you are bathing the dog. Ear hair tends to gather oils from the ear canals, from human hands when they are stroked, from food and chew toys, and from being dragged about during day to day living. Washing thick coated ears extra well, perhaps multiple times, and maybe choosing to use a degreaser or clarifying shampoo on them will remove the excess oil and grime. This will not only make them look their fluffy best when you are finished, but will reduce drying time.
  • Use the three-step method of water removal while the pet is in the tub. First, gently squeeze excess water from the ears with your hands. Second, use a super absorber towel to remove as much moisture as possible, and third, blot the fur with a thirsty terry towel.
  • When the dog is on the drying table, spritz the ear fur with a drying agent and brush it through the coat. Comb through the ear to separate the individual stands a bit. Drying sprays use proprietary ingredients that help to break the bond between water molecules and fur so the water can be absorbed or blown away more easily. They really do work!
  • Use a Happy Hoodie. These dandy tools help block the sound of the dryer keeping the pet more comfortable, and also absorb moisture while you are drying the body coat.
  • For very thick, had to dry ears, (I’m looking at you, Golden Retrievers and Standard Poodles!) consider wrapping the ear leather in several layers of paper towel before you slip the Happy Hoodie on. It’s a bit of a trick to do this, but you will be amazed at how much water is absorbed, reducing your drying time.
  • Once the animals body has been well dried, remove the Happy Hoodie and paper towels, and lightly brush the fur to once again separate the strands. Then, turn the air volume on your dryer down to a comfortable level for the dog and work on the ear from base to tip. Pause occasionally to re-brush or comb, drying both the inside and outside of the ear leather. 

These steps will reduce your drying time and result in lovely, clean, fluffy ears that show the pet off to their best potential, while keeping the dog more calm and comfortable during the process.

Share:

Daryl Conner, MPS Meritus, CMCG has been devoted to making dogs and cats more comfortable and beautiful for 40 years.  You can find her happily working at FairWinds Grooming Studio with her daughter or typing away at her latest grooming-related article. Daryl was awarded both a Cardinal Crystal Award and Barkleigh Honors Award for journalism.  She shares her meadow-hugged antique Maine farmhouse with her practically perfect husband and a lot of animals.