To not get a poodle because I’ve just discovered they need their ears cleaned once a week?

[Hellomotto2]

Please be kind as I’m very torn and ultimately trying to make the most responsible decision!

DH and I are wanting to get a toy poodle, we’ve been doing so much research over the last year or so, and I’m even changing jobs to be able to accommodate getting a dog (DH is able to wfh more than me), all the reading so far indicates that a toy poodle would be an ideal bread for us as we live in a small flat and then temperament etc feels like it would really suit us too, not to mention I’ve met so many on my travels and they are always adorable. I understand it’s gonna be hard work for the first year, the training, the late nights, the yapping etc and it’s took us a while to make sure we understand what we are getting ourselves in for! So I thought I was ready to make the step to start contacting breeders and generally starting to look for our wee guy, when the other day I read that poodles (as well as other breeds with drop ears) need their ears cleaned out once a week!!

Apparently they are prone to ear infections if not cleaned and they give off brown gunk and it’s a very messy job! I’d just about gotten used to the idea of picking up poo and made peace with that lol! But once a week for a messy job? I think I’d be too squeamish for that and worry about the mess in the small flat and the fact it’s so frequent. It’s making me really sad as it’s making me think we won’t be able to get one after all (at least while we are still in this small flat) I was thinking it would be more like a once a month thing, and I could get help with it at the groomers! AIBU? Are there any poodle or drop-earred dogs that live in a flat that could shed some light on this? Is it really as big deal as the internet is making out? Thanks!

I agree. Looking after a dog will involve care tasks that are not for the squeamish. Before he died our poor old boy had ear and eye infections, diarrhoea, frequent vomiting, and I often had to extract the most disgusting rubbish from his mouth that he picked up on walks. All dogs will have illnesses and injuries even when they’re young. You just have to be prepared to deal with these things for the dog’s welfare. If you can’t clean up the dog’s puke, or even clean their ears (a very small job) then who will do it?

Honestly, you're not ready for a dog.

I pluck mine every week. Being done every 6-8 weeks is asking for trouble regarding ears.
Back in the day non shedding dogs used to get their whole ear canals removed, leaving them deaf, due to poor ear management and repeated ear infections. I actually can’t read this thread any more as the thought of this.

Brill, thanks. I bought some a while ago, but the vet had never heard of it so I reluctant to try. My poor girl keeps nibbling her paws, and gets recurrant ear infections, so I'll try it on her feet first.

I have to clean one of my spaniels' ears weekly as he's really prone to ear infections if I don't.

The other one had grass hanging out of her arse today that I had to pull out with my hand wrapped in a poo bag. She's a shit for eating long grass and this is a twice daily occurence in summer. Oh the joy.

Having a dog isn't all Instagram moments - in fact there are very few of them.

Not at all . Dogs that are fed a good diet for them do not have offensive poo

We have a toy poodle, he is an absolute joy. He's just over a year old and I have never cleaned his ears, it has never been mentioned by the vet or by his groomer who grooms Crufts champion poodles.

Honestly don't over think it, some of the posts here would put anyone off dog ownership, but in my experience it's very similar to looking after a toddler!

Our guy is lovely, very friendly, super smart (we taught him to ring a bell when he wants to go outside after reading about it here, he learned to do it with n a couple of days), he loves his walks and fetching a ball but equally loves to snuggle up on the sofa with his head in my lap. He's crate trained, took to it very quickly, toilet trained very easily., etc.

Just do it, you are wasting precious time!

Toy poodles are very little and would be fine in a flat.

People tend to get the poodle breed sizes mixed up: standard, miniature and toy. I've noticed a lot of people calling toys miniature (and others who call miniatures standard and standards get called giant, which is incorrect).

I know what the different sizes are. It’s not about size but rather activity levels.

Even in a large house if a dog isn't walked enough they won't get enough activity. A toy poodle in a flat should be fine.

I have to clean my poodle cross' ears every week as he's prone to infections.

I’d just about gotten used to the idea of picking up poo and made peace with that lol!

Please don’t get a dog.

Our toy would be absolutely fine in a flat as long as he had 2 shortish walks and plenty of toys to keep him occupied during the day.

On impulse. My DCs had been nagging me and then a friend told me her DB was struggling to find a good home for a couple of extra pups his dog had had, so I ended up agreeing to take one. I didn’t really think about it or consider what was involved, but it’s how I always make my best decisions so I just went with it lol 😆

I have a drop eared dog. Not had to clean them out at all and he has just turned 1. Knowing how often he needs to go out it's the lack of garden that would worry me the most.

(If you do want a dog can I just give the "havanese" a shout. Mine is gorgeous. You don't have to keep their coat long )

My miniature poodle never had any issues with his ears. Terriers, though... filth 🤣