Tuesdays Tip #12 Ear Styles

Yesterday, on one of the grooming boards, someone posted a question about different ear styles.

That got me thinking about the different ways that I have groomed ears over the years.

So I went through all of my pictures looking for different ways of doing ears, other then the breed standard.

As I am sure, most groomers already know, the most requested ear style is long.

Long, long, long, customers have no imagination.

Sorry if some of the pictures come out grainy.

Some are old and some I had to really zoom in to show the ears.

We all know what the breed standard ears look like, so I am just going to show the ones that Breeders and Judges would lose their lunch over when they look at them.  :)

I  think some of them are very cute.

Let's start with Yorkies.

 

This little Yorkie has never had her ears cut.

This Yorkies ears get scissored to the outline of the ear.

This Yorkies Mom likes his ears shaved from the base of the ear to the tip with a #15 blade, front and back.

Now Poodles.

 This was my girl a little while after I had adopted her.

Her ears had gotten so long that I had to keep them tied back to keep them out of her eyes and mouth.

One day, when my brain must not have been working right, I decided to use her as a guinea pig to show different lengths on Poodle ears.

Medium length was not too bad.

I thought she still looked cute.

Then...

 

  ...I wanted to cry.

What had I done.

I wanted her long ears back.

I have found over the years that you have to be careful taking some ears too short, because some of them will stick out to the sides once the weight is off.

This Poodles ears were clipped lightly with a 3/4 blade and scissored.

Now for a Westie.

This Westie owner likes the whole ear, front and back shaved clean.

 Some Cocker ears.

This owner likes the ear blended into the head, and then only neaten the ends.

 This owner wants everything shaved off including the ears.

I have some Cocker owners that like the top 3rd of the ear shaved, and then wants the bottom of the ear clipped with a 3/4 blade or a #4 blade and scissor.

I couldn't find any picture of that type of ear.

 Now some Shih-tzus.

Short but not shaved.

Shaved.

A Schnauzer.

His Mom not only wants to keep the hair on his ears, but she does not want him to look like a Schnauzer at all.

Time for Bichons.

 This is how 90% of my Bichon owners want their Bichon ears to look, or longer.

I personally think that this little Bichons ears are adorable short and tight.

Last but not least, even thou they are not a pure breed, The Cock-a-poo.

I think 60% of my grooms are Cock-a-poos.

Long ears.

She is one of my favorites.

Her owner reminds me to leave her ears every time they come in.

As if I would forget.

Medium length.

Clipped short with the 3/4 blade and scissor.

I am sorry that this blog entry really wasn't a tip per say, but maybe it can give you some ideas if an owner comes in and wants something different from the breed standard.

Thinking outside the box can be fun.

I always wondered who came up with those breed standard cuts anyway.

They are nice for show, but not all of them are practical for pet owners.  :)

Happy Grooming, MFF