Gentle ear canal cleaning with pet-safe solution and cotton, plus ear-hair plucking when needed.
From clarifying shampoos to HV drying, GroomBoard is built for the bath-and-dry workflow working groomers actually use.
Floppy-eared and water-loving breeds trap moisture and debris in the ear canal, which leads to chronic ear infections. A professional ear cleaning is a 5-10 minute add-on that flushes debris out of the canal, inspects for signs of infection (redness, odor, discharge), and (for breeds like poodles and schnauzers) plucks hair from inside the canal so air can circulate. Most groomers include ear cleaning in a full groom but offer it as a standalone add-on for $10-20. Documenting ear-care routines and recurring issues in the pet profile helps owners know when to escalate to the vet — chronic issues are often allergies or yeast infections, not just moisture.
What working groomers run into
Allergies, hot spots, and dermatitis are common. Flag sensitivities in the client profile so they show up automatically before every appointment.
Dogs that arrive matted can double the time it takes to bathe and dry properly. Build variable time buffers into the service so your calendar reflects reality.
Undercoats and dense coats take 30-90 minutes to dry fully. Pets that leave damp develop hot spots and odor within hours.
Why groomers run this service on GroomBoard
Early detection of ear infections saves clients vet visits
Ear-pluck protocol documented per pet (some breeds need it, some do not)
Recurring-issue flagging escalates chronic problems to the vet
Bundled pricing as an add-on at booking increases average ticket
Photo and note records track ear health visit over visit
Step by step
Look for redness, odor, discharge, or debris. Note findings — a foul odor or black discharge warrants a vet visit.
Pet-safe ear cleaner, a few drops in the canal. Massage the base of the ear for 15 seconds so the solution reaches the L-bend.
Shaking brings debris up out of the canal. Step back, let it happen, then move in with cotton.
Use a cotton ball or pad — never a swab deep in the canal. Wipe the visible part of the ear clean. Stop when the cotton comes out clean.
For breeds like poodles, schnauzers, and shih tzus, pluck hair from the canal with hemostats. Not all dogs need this — document the policy per pet.
Match the service to the coat. These breed guides go deep on the specific workflow for each.
Every 4 weeks · 4/5 difficulty
Every 5 weeks · 4/5 difficulty
Every 5 weeks · 3/5 difficulty
Every 4 weeks · 4/5 difficulty
Every 5 weeks · 3/5 difficulty
GroomBoard powers grooming businesses across the country. These city guides break down the local market.
Floppy-eared, water-loving, or allergy-prone breeds benefit from monthly cleaning. Dogs with upright ears and no history of issues can go longer. Most groomers include ear cleaning in every full groom as standard.
It depends on the breed. Poodles, schnauzers, shih tzus, and several other breeds grow hair in the ear canal that traps moisture. Plucking improves air flow and reduces infection risk. Some vets disagree — document the client's preference in the pet profile.
If you see redness, swelling, foul odor, heavy discharge, or the dog is shaking his head constantly, skip the groomer and go to the vet. Those are infection signs that need medication. A groomer's cleaning will not fix them.
Yes. Over-cleaning irritates the canal and strips protective bacteria. Once a month is enough for most dogs; weekly is too much unless specifically directed by a vet.
Yes. A proper towel-dry pulls 30-40% of the water out, cutting HV dryer time in half. For double coats, some groomers add a 5-minute kennel pre-dry to stand the coat up before line-drying.
Most working groomers use a tiered pricing structure: base rate for short-coated breeds, a surcharge for double coats (extra drying time), and a further surcharge for long or matted coats. GroomBoard lets you set service variants and add-ons so the price reflects the actual work.
The features working groomers use to keep every service priced right, timed right, and rebooked on rhythm.
Set accurate durations per service so your calendar reflects real time, not guesses.
Automatic reminders keep clients on the right cadence for every service.
Clients self-book the right service with pricing and add-ons visible upfront.
Document product choices, temperament, and photos per pet and per service.
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