Dog ear cleaning is essential for the health of your dog. Checking your dog’s ears regularly helps to detect need for cleaning early enough to prevent developing an ear infection. In order to prevent infection from developing, it is recommended to clean the inside of the ears once a month. If the dog of a breed that requires grooming, he might have hair growing inside the ears. Make sure that the inside of the ears are shaved regularly. The hair inside the ear is a dirt catcher! This might not apply to German Shepherds as much as breeds of dogs that have to actually be groomed on a regular basis. The procedure of cleaning should be painless and easy, unless the dog has an ear infection already! Regular ear cleaning will also help to accustom your dog to the procedure.
Use a cotton ball and soak it with rubbing alcohol. Hold the cotton ball with thumb and index finger and stick it down his ear as deep as you can, holding the ear up with the other hand.
Swipe the ear with the cotton ball from bottom to the top with a turning motion. Sweeping out (not in) so any dirt will not be pushed down into the ear. Before you repeat the procedure, check the cotton ball. If it is clean, repeat in different areas of the ear. If you see any dirt on the cotton ball, do not reuse it.
If the dog displays any signs of infection, perhaps wining during the cleaning procedure, blood on the cotton ball used for cleaning or excessive head shaking, it is recommended to use a medicated ear cleaning solution available at Pet Stores. If it has gone too far, of course a Vet visit is recommended to provide medical attention.