I’ve got a little rescue spaniel and I’m not sure whether or not I should be trimming her. She has very hairy ears, which get quite tangled behind, and not having had a spaniel before I’m not sure what to do!

If she is a springer x cocker then I assume not a show dog so if the ears are a problem and get tangled I would certainly trim them if it makes her life more comfortable. A discrete trim behind the ears done with care should not alter her looks too much

I feather cut them with scissors to reduce weight and also regularly trim length abound the ear.  I also clip the inside of the ear flap and clean regularly.  This helps to keep them dry, let's the air circulate and I can easily comb through.

The advice given above is very good.  Just to add, thinning scissors will give a good appearance when you take away the excess hair under and behind the ears.  Especially in wet weather, reducing the length of the hair is good:  I take the ear between the index and middle fingers of my left hand, run them down to the end of the ear leather, and then hold the hair between them , so that the cut is measured a finger's width below the actual ear, then with thinning scissors take off the bluntness to give a more natural look.

If your spaniel is particoloured, you may find, when you are taking the weight off on the body of the ear (or any other feathery part for that matter), that thinning **along (or "up")** the hair (rather than across it) gives a better result.

Hi Jan I've had spaniels for almost 30 years. I don't show them and keep their coats short as they sleep upstairs. I find that I keep the inner ear hair around the ear opening as short as you can to allow as much air as possible to circulate around and into the ear. It will help keep most ear infections at bay I have found.
I think my spaniels are mini sheep as their coats get thick and wavy in no time

Merrypaws, exactly, thin from top to bottom rather than across.  A good way to do this is brush or shake all the hair upwards towards the top of the head and then cut in a straight line down the ear, the hair then has a very attractive feathered or layered look.  I also layer the very ends or thinning scissors have a nice effect too.....  and don't worry if you get it wrong, as amateur groomers always say, it will always grow back.    Good advice about holding ear edge between fingers so that you don't cut the ear and a matching pair is always recommended....

With our spaniels, we just trim out the soft fluff from behind the ears as these quickly end up as ear muffs if not brushed daily.

Thanks all - that’s really helpful!