Golden Retriever Ear Shape and its Purpose

Golden Retrievers have floppy ears. It’s also hairy and can harbor a lot of dirt if not groomed well. As for the Golden Retriever ear shape, the lobe has a V-shaped profile but the tips are not pointed. They share the same ear shape with that of Vizslas and Bullmastiffs.

In this post, I will discuss Goldie’s ear shape and the maintenance it entails.

Golden Retriever ear shape

Golden Retrievers sport a V-shaped earlobe with a medium length. Its tips drop by the side of their faces, which covers the entrance of the ear canal.

Unlike other breeds, it’s not common practice to crop the floppy parts of a Golden Retriever’s ears. Since this pooch isn’t meant to be guard dogs, they won’t benefit from ear cropping. Besides, this practice is only performed to retain the specific breed appearance of a dog.

On the inside, all dogs have a narrow, L-shaped ear canal. It’s deep and leads to the inner ear where the likes of the cochlea, auditory nerves, and Eustachian tube are located.

Such ear anatomy makes dogs prone to ear infections. It easily allows ear wax, debris, and moisture to linger inside. And since Golden Retrievers have floppy ears, the dirt can be left unseen for long, unless you groom the pooch religiously.

Another reason why Goldies get frequent ear infections is their love of swimming. Contrary to some beliefs, the ear shape of a dog doesn’t really affect its susceptibility to ear infections. Vets have seen many dogs with erect ears suffer from the worst cases of ear problems.

How to take care of a Golden Retriever’s ears

When it comes to Goldie’s ears, cleaning should be a regular inclusion in grooming sessions. You have to remove the dirt inside the pooch’s ears so it won’t develop into a full-fledged infection.

• Clean the ears. For Golden Retrievers, it’s important to clean their ears at least once a month. If your pooch often soaks in water and plays outdoors, twice a month will be ideal. This is to remove all the accumulated dirt that could cause a bad smell and potential infections.
• Never use Q-tips. It’s a mortal sin to clean a dog’s ears using Q-tips. Due to the anatomy of their ear canal, a cotton bud will just push the dirt further into the inner ear. Instead, use an ear cleaner and massage your dog’s ears. This formula will do the trick of cleaning the inner parts of Goldie’s lughole.
• Let the dog shake its head. Shaking its hand helps spread the ear cleaner all over your pooch’s ears. However, you should prepare for splatters. I suggest cleaning your dog’s ears in the bathroom or somewhere that’s easy to clean.
• Ask for help. Golden Retrievers are large dogs and some of them are not fond of ear cleaning. You can ask another person to restrain your dog while you clean its ears. This will make the task faster and safer for both you and your pooch.
• Keep the ear dry. This task wouldn’t be easy if you own a Golden Retriever. Their love for water is deeply rooted due to their first job as waterfowl retrievers. In case your pooch wades in the water, make sure that you wipe its ears very well to remove as much moisture as you can.

Conclusion

The Golden Retriever ear shape is a floppy one so it can hide a lot of nasty dirt inside. It’s important to keep the pooch’s ears clean and dry to avoid ear infections. Regular cleaning is the key here aside from periodic checks with the vet.