His ears hang low and they wobble to and fro---help!?

Question

My cocker spaniel puppy's ears hang in his water dish and food dish and the bottoms of his ears get soaked! If its after her eats, they smell really bad and i have to wash them. Does this happen to anyone else who has a long eared dog? Is it just because he's a puppy and perhaps his ears are proportional with his head yet? I've tried a puppy headband called a Snood...but he pulls it off. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Be persistant with the snood..Don't allow him to eat until the snood is on, and if he gets it off, take food away until he leaves it on.. He will pick it up quickly..All long eared show dogs have to wear a snood..
this will be a lifelong habit for him, so just as with other things he won't like, he just has to comply..Don't leave the dish down, but make a ceremony of it..snood on..dish down..snood off, dish up..

they sell dishes on a stand at your pet supply..if yu really don't want to mess with the snood, just get him the food/water set, on a little stand..the ears kind of fall back when he eats, so they don't get in the food or water..Like this, but much shorter> http://cgi.ebay.com/18-HIGH-OAK-RAISED-DOG-PET-FEEDER-WITH-SS-BOWLS_W0QQitemZ200040903624QQihZ010QQcategoryZ20747QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
ot this> http://cgi.ebay.com/OAK-10-1-2-INCH-TALL-3-DOG-BOWL-PET-FEEDER-DOG-FOOD_W0QQitemZ260054225505QQihZ016QQcategoryZ20747QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Dog-Bowl-Dachsund-Dog-Food-BOWL-CAST-IRON-BOWL-Heavy_W0QQitemZ120053781022QQihZ002QQcategoryZ20747QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Answer 2

Try a smaller water dish at first until the puppy starts to "grow into" his skin. He'll learn. Also, just keep trying the Snood, but after you put it on him, give him a special treat, so that he will look forward to wearing the Snood.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Ah, the joys of a long-eared dog. Keep trying with the snood, if you're persistent he will get used to it.

Some of my cocker clients simply keep the ears shaved so they stay out of the food/water and are easier to clean.

You can also get tapered bowls with narrow tops, that might help.

Answer 4

Ahhhh yes . . . . wet ears! My one cocker is almost 3 and his ears still get in his dish. That is just how they are (but they look so cute on him!). My groomer suggested that I put them in a "pony tail" with a scrunchie. He's not a big fan of that so I don't do it. He'd rather just deal with wet ears. I have not had any problems with them smelling from getting wet though. They get bathed once a week so that might be why. Good luck!

Answer 5

You can clip the hair at the ends of the ears shorter, you can put them in braids.

There are also trays that hold two bowls about 8 inches off the floor. Then your dogs ears won't hang in the dishes because her head won't be aiming straight down. You can find them at bigger pet stores.

Answer 6

We have 2 cockers and a small dish is really the best solution. My females (Chloe) ears hang to the floor nearly so I know what you mean.

Answer 7

You could probably try bringing the dishes up to his level so he doesn't have to bend down to eat or drink. This way it will help from the ears getting in the dishes.

Answer 8

Smaller bowls and maybe elevate it a bit so that he is slightly over the bowl and not having to bend into the bowl, we have bassetts and we use almost flat bowl/plates that are 6 inches off the ground. You would be surprised how much it helps. P.s. use the non skid rubber under the bowls or set them in a holder otherwise the doggies think it is fun to knock them off and watch it fly.

Answer 9

Why don't you try using smaller dishes so that his ears hang outside the dish.

Answer 10

my husband had a Springer spaniel who had the same problem...his vet suggested putting them up with a clothes pin and it worked..
we also did this with our puggle because his ears did the same thing when he was younger until he grew "into them"...