I comb Bela most nights and do her ears but the other night I noticed she had a lunp behind each ear. At first I thought it was flesh as it is so compact but when I looked closer it seems to be a hairball but so thightly matted the only way to get it out it to pull the hair away. Naturally she doesn't think much of this She also doesn't like the scissors as I tried to cut the hair between her toes and almost lost my finger when she moved. For this reason I'm afraid to try to cut it out. Should I take her to a groomers and will they be able to deal with it? Also how do you keep their ears smooth. I comb hers and they look lovely and then she shakes her head and its as if I never bothered

You will need to be very careful cutting out the matted hair behind the ears as it is ususally very close to the skin. If the dog is wriggling it can be really difficult to get at. This matted hair is very common in Springers. We have had rescues in where bagfuls of knots have been removed from just one dog. Is there anyone near you that could help? If not a good groomer will do it for you.

Mary on this site may be able to help further.

Dealt with lots of matted ears, just behind rhe ears is a prime site because of all the long hair there, depending on how bad it is you can either buy a matt remover which is a point with a blade on that you can start bit by bit and work your way through it carefully, they only cost a couple of quid, the other thing you can do is ask a groomer to clipper it off for you, this will leave a bald patch as I expect it is very tight to the skin and possibly painful which is why she doesn't like you touching it.
A lot of Springer owners go through this once and then learn to check the ears regularly and get the brush and comb out to prevent it in future.

Don't worry I was exactly the same. I thought all springers had tons of skin round the ears, it was white and looked like skin. Then I realised it was matts, and I was horrified I'd mised them. We mostly cut them out, bit at a time. its a two man job, one to hold and distract and the other to gently cut them out.

I've only got it wrong once, made me cry more then him coz I felt so bad, but it was only a nick and he's fine now. You just have to keep on top of them.

ANd Marls is the same, I groom and groom his ears then he shakes and tada, they look worse than before! But the tons of hair that comes out of them reassures me that I'm doing the right thing.

Thanks all for replies. I think I will get a groomer to do it for me and then be careful not to let it happen again. It is very close to the skin and I would be afraid of cutting her if I misjudged it. Will be more careful in future

my two get them there too... i spent ages grooming them last week, one walk and they looked as unkempt as before

If it is not too bad you can get it out with thinning scissors and a comb, but if it's is just too bad, then a groomer will clip it out in seconds

the first fling mary showed me how to remove and maintain. as others have said, we all experience it, then once we know what to do, its much easier to keep on top of!
jacks were bad, but i managed to get rid by softening with spray detangler, and splitting then it pretty much combed out. Its strange, his ears are the one area jack doesnt really mind me grooming, the rest of him is "mum do u have to???"

I've tried the detangler but she won't let me near her ears now, probably because I've been trying to get these out for a few days so it will be off to the groomers for us. Just as well to start her going there anyway. thanks all

Wee tip, when you get back from the groomers, brush behind her ears, there will ne no hair there to pull, and it wonr hurt, that way she'll get used to you brushing/combing behind her ears.

Just a quick update to let you know we had Bella with a groomer last week and the hair balls have been removed. she didn't think much of being taken to the van by a stranger so we muzzled her as she is still very timid of strangers. However she was fine by the time the lady brought her back- all clean and hair ball free. I took your advice and brushed her ears that evening. I will be keeping a close eye on those ears from now on. than ks all

I've found that a metal mane & tail comb for horses works great on a springers ears . The one i use is 1 inch. ;

There is one with shorter teeth, but not as good.




Tickle Time

We dont like furballs behaind our ears , Big dog uses baby safety scissors (the same ones he uses for his nose!) love Stanley xx