I have a 13 week old poodle puppy and wanted opinions about plucking ears.
One breeder I spoke to whilst searching for a pup said to pluck a few hairs every day to get pup used to it and that the little and often approach was best.
The groomer that I took her to (but most probably won't use again) said  for me not to touch the ears as she would see to them, and that you should not pluck a puppy's ears as it hurts them too much when young, and when I picked her up the groomer had trimmed them short.

What do you all do ?

When we had a poodle cross, we would pluck the ears and used a powder that I cannot remember the name of! We would do it every week or so, the powder made it come out really easily but I cannot for the life of me remember the name of it!!

It was recommended to us by a friend who used to show her poodle, who said they can get yeast infections in their ears if it's not kept on top of.

Edited to say: It was called thornout or thornit according to my Mum!

Thornit ?

That's the one! Had just edited my post as my Mum reminded me!

13 week poodle puppy :-)   This is the first time in 30 odd years that I haven't had a poodle in the house, so envy you.

I most definitely go with the breeder and not the groomer.  When pup is on your lap, and perhaps a little sleepy, try just plucking with finger and thumb once or twice.  Forget about it for a couple of days, and have another look (they spring up when you're not looking.)

A couple of times a week, and they come out so easy.  And as it is so quick, the dog soon gets used to it.  Especially if they get a treat after.  And the dog does not suffer.  Yet if people leave a poodle to the groomer, and sometimes that can be 8-12 weeks dependent on the owner, the ears will be bright red when you get the dog back, and they will be very sore.  And will be full of powder to lessen the bright red.

If you start as you mean to go on, and just have a couple of quick tweeks, the dog will never have red ears, and will get used to you doing the plucking.  So I definitely say little and often.  And I've never needed Thornit, but that's just my take on it.

I've not had a poodle puppy in for grooming yet, all my new ones have been adult already. But I'd be inclined to go with Jean and the breeder - just take a few out when she's relaxed on your lap, so she gets used to the sensation. It's surprising it was a groomer who said to leave her, usually I find it's the vets who tell owners not to take them to groomers until 6 months and so on!!

Go with the breeder, little and often doesn't hurt, all in one go at the groomer can.  We use Thornit in our poodle's ears and it great for grip for well and keeping the ears clean.  I found over the years it's better for them in little amounts rather than putting them off it for life.  Our black ears are always harder to pluck than silver or apricot but all their ears are kept squeeky clean and bald (on the inside lol)  Oh I love poodle puppies :)

I have a breed that is hand stripped and they often need hair taking from all sorts of tender places including the insides of their ears.  As everyone else has said little and often is the key, I've started with mine as soon as they come home and it just becomes part of the hugging and snogging routines :)

when I picked her up the groomer had trimmed them short.

Wrong!  Jean has give you the correct advice.  I would suggest that you use another groomer.  That's a very fundamental error! :(

The groomer is in the breed.

It is very upsetting to put my baby in that position - other things happened that I won't go into.

I thought I was doing the right thing by sending her to someone in the breed who would 'know' poodles.

So agree with JeanSW, a few hairs each day is much better than having a huge amount to do at the groomer's and I've also found that plucking too much can cause an infection, the puppy will scratch, bacteria from their nails is introduced, and then you have an ear infection. Had one of my pups go to the vets by her owner, £300 is an expensive ear pluck because of an infection! She had to go under as even being sedated she wouldn't let anyone get near.

Domingo, I found thornit didn't give much grip, but chalk powder (put it on your fingers, not in the ear) helps tremendously. :)

>Oh I love poodle puppies :-)

I know!!  I've gone all broody!  :-(

I've had people who have said their groomer/breeder/vet has told them not to pluck, then I get the dog and the poor mite has a wodge of hair in their ears so big they can barely hear and it's irritating them as well!   That is really painful to remove     Of course a thick wodge of hair in the ears is also the quickest way to an ear infection too as the ears need air to keep them clean :(

Little and often is the best way and with a pup they learn really quickly that they get a treat too :-D   It's a little like plucking your eyebrows, hurts at first but if done regularly you don't even feel it.

All of mine get their ears done regularly and when I broke my arm they waited for a week or two but then came begging me to do them.  Which I did - broken arm and all!  They were so good with their heads in my lap :)

Thanks for your replies, little and often it is.
I will now need to find a new groomer- one that doesn't clip everything like a Bichon !!!!!

Just to tag on at the end :)  another groomer here - definitely pluck, NOT trim!!  Aggh, what was the groomer thinking :/

Had far too many come to me with trimmed/clipped ears, that end up in a huge mass in the ear and are so very painful to sort out :(

I just wrap a tissue around my finger and pluck hairs out weekly. The tissue gives grip and fred doesnt seem as bothered when i do it that way to when i use bare fingers (not sure why). HTH.

LOL   You could learn to do it yourself ;)  

It's how I got started, just wanted my Bedlington to look like a Bedlington not some weird Poodle/Bichon cross.   The local groomers are mainly shearers and seem to have only 2 finishes - all off or teddy clip -  I wouldn't pay for them to make my dogs look awful ;)

If you've trained your dog to stand quietly for grooming, then trimming is a doddle and you can do it little and often just like the grooming :-D    If you want the puppy trim you could do that with a scissors until you get the hang of it.  Or you could pay for a grooming/trimming lesson and take it from there :)   If you know Poodle people who show I'm sure someone would help you learn ;)

Please post photos! I adore poodles but am forbidden to ever have one by my partner. He can't shake the thoughts of them as girlie dogs despite me telling him about the personality, their working abilities and the fact my dad used to have a fabulous one... I love them! :)

> He can't shake the thoughts of them as girlie dogs

My OH used to say this. I already had my poodle when we first got together. When we moved in together he was adamant he wanted nothing to do with the dog and was NEVER going to walk it lol. 4 years down the line it is a different story :-) They are best of friends although i do sometimes chuckle when i see OH (6ft+/ skinhead / tattoos/ doorman build) walking down the road with fred :-)

> If you know Poodle people who show I'm sure someone would help you learn

or even just look online. I found a lot of youtube clips and online videos that helped me to learn

@Fred's mum - your description of you OH matches mine! Unfortunately, we cannot currently fit a poodle into our lives!!

usually I find it's the vets who tell owners not to take them to groomers until 6 months and so on!!

I took her to a different vet to get the right brand of vaccination for the second jab, and he took out a pair of forceps and proceeded to pull out a clump of hair from one ear explaining that i could buy a pair of forceps from the chemist to pull hair like he was showing me !!!!
At least it shows that he encourages owners to pluck - i just hope they don't do it like that !

He can't shake the thoughts of them as girlie dogs despite me telling him about the personality, their working abilities and the fact my dad used to have a fabulous one... I love them! :-)

My hubby didn't want a dog never mind a poodle but he gave in as he knows how much i wanted one and i have waited 6 years or so. Anyhow, within a week he was calling himself her daddy and he now counts her in as one of the kids and enquires about her wellbeing when he is away for work.
Before we got her he insisted that i leave her at least once a year to go abroad for a holiday, which i agreed to. Within days of her being here he announced that we would be going to Cornwall this year so that we can take the dog !!  He has even scooped a poop !

we cannot currently fit a poodle into our lives!!

There is always room for a little poodle !!!!

LOL   You could learn to do it yourself ;-) 

This is exactly what i was thinking !  I hated having to leave her at the groomers and every second of waiting to pick her up was torture. Unfortunately the person who groomed her is the only person i know in my area who shows.

Any recommendations of scissors, trimmers and 'how to' web sites would be appreciated.

This groomer cut the nails on her dew claws right down to the skin :(   . Would it be alright to allow it to grow back to a normal length and keep them short ?

Unfortunately for me i prefer the standards!

Two standards here...I  like the roseline scissors and have the red aesculap clippers. For the body I use a 12mm clipper head in summer and a 16mm head in winter. The Face is shaved with a 1mm head,but this is very close.Probably a 3mm is better  when you start out.
There are some great sites such as ...http://www.ridgewoodpoodles.com/Grooming.htm
which have good illustrations and  tool suggestions.

For ear plucking you can buy tweezers or forceps on ebay.   I use a pair of surgical tweezers, but most people I know use the forceps.   They are cheap enough and you can clean/sterilise them with surgical spirit ;)   

With Bedlingtons they get hairs growing further in than fingers can grasp and if not removed they build up ;)

It's very strange, because both my Tibetan Terrier and my Afghan Cross (looong coat) had relatively hair free ears, yet the Bedlies are quite hairy if not kept up.

>I use a pair of surgical tweezers, but most people I know use the forceps

I get on best with the surgical clamps too, and although I haven't recommended them to a novice, I find them ace to get the hair out of the Beardies ears.  Lovely big lug 'oles (easier than a Toy Poodle!)  :-)  But you do need to use them with confidence.

I use forceps, because as a groomer I generally get the dogs with clumps of hair to pull out. I try to do it gently and not rip out the whole lot at once though!

I shied away from forceps as the handles are soo far back and when I started I was afraid I'd poke it in too far or the dog would move and do the same

I started with a small pair of eyebrow tweezers as I had a pair with small rounded ends and progressed from there to the bigger tweezers, but the distance from the bit you hold is far less than with forceps ;)

Yup that's me... the coward LOL

If I get a dog in with a wodge of hair in the ears, I usually do a little bit throughout the groom, gradually getting it free until it's finished at the end.  I find the dog tolerates it better.    Then the owner gets a present of the wodges and an earful.  Doesn't happen twice ;)