Ear and Muzzle Cleaning Tips
Ear and coat cleaning tips
Keeping a clean muzzle is possible, but it takes a little work. I highly recommend beginning this regimen after a fresh haircut so you're trying to keep a clean muzzle rather than trying to lighten an already stained mug.
Mix equal parts of Dawn, hydrogen peroxide, and shampoo for gray hair. I send Jim to Sally's Beauty Supply, and they seem to know what my silver-haired hubby needs. You can also purchase Blueberry Facial for dogs from Amazon or Chewy.
Put this mixture on and leave it for 5-10 minutes, trying to keep the dog from licking too much. Winston and I cave at about 3 minutes.
Know that the bacteria in their saliva causes the staining, and you'll see more in the summer no matter what. This magic solution does help, though. I use it all over for sproodles with lots of white hair.
Doodles have floppy ears; their shape makes them more prone to ear problems. All the icky ear stuff will thrive in the warm moist environment a floppy ear provides. Consequently, Doodle’s people must make ear cleaning part of their weekly routine. A few preventative minutes will save you time and money. More importantly, it will prevent the discomfort of an ear infection for your Dood. How to clean your Doodle’s ears:
Gently lift his earflap; this straightens his ear canal. Now, squirt a generous amount of ear-cleaning solution into your Dood's ear and massage the base of the ear for 20 to 25 seconds. Your Dood should enjoy a gentle ear massage while the cleansing solution gently reaches deeper into the ear. You may use a purchased ear-cleaning solution or a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and rubbing alcohol.
Now let your Dood shake out the extra solution - you may want to be outside for this step.
Use a soft cloth or a cotton ball to remove the excess wax and debris the solution and shaking have brought up. Do not insert anything down the ear canal.
After cleaning, fold the earflaps back for about five minutes to dry ear canals, and then finish with a small amount of ear-drying powder.
If your Dood’s ears are dirty, you may need to repeat the process several times to remove all the dirt. For obviously sore ears (red), use an alcohol-free cleaning solution. You can make a 50/50 solution with white vinegar and witch hazel that won't sting a sore ear. Only use white vinegar. To prevent ear infections, use a little cleaning solution and some ear-drying powder after a bath or a swim.