How to Cut Hair by a Saint Bernard's Ears

Trimming around your Saint Bernard's ears can help prevent ear infections.

Saint Bernards have long, floppy ears, which allows less air flow into the ear canal. This means that they're slightly more prone to ear infections, as their ears are warm and moist inside and this makes for a good environment for bacteria to grow. Trimming the hair around your Saint Bernard's ears allows a better air flow and can minimize the risk of ear infection, as well as making your dog's ears look more tidy.

Things You'll Need

• Blunt-ended dog-grooming scissors

Instructions

1. Get someone to hold your Saint Bernard still while you work. They may want to put a collar and leash on the dog, and use dog treats to encourage it to stay still.

2. Take the Saint Bernard's ear and gently fold it back so it's resting on the top of your dog's head.

3. Trim just below the opening of your Saint Bernard's ear canal, being very careful not to poke the dog in the ear with your scissors.

4. Cut any hair on the underside of your dog's ear flap, then fold the ear back down into its natural position.

5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 for the other ear.

Tips & Warnings

• While you're trimming your dog's ear hair, you should take the time to clean your dog's ears with a specialist ear wipe or ear cleaning solution.

• Trim your Saint Bernard's ear hair around once a month.

• Be extremely careful not to nick your dog's skin with the scissors while cutting around its ears.

• If you notice any signs of ear infection, such as discharge or a bad smell, consult your veterinarian.

References

• Dog-behaviour-training.co.uk: Saint Bernard Grooming
• Paradise Dog Training: Dos and Ear Infection
• "Everything You Need to Know About Dog Grooming"; Sandy Blackburn; 2008

Resources

• Saint Bernard Club of America