How to Clean Bernedoodle Ears at Home: A Safe, Vet-Backed Guide

Those soft, floppy Bernedoodle ears are one of the breed’s cutest features. They’re also a cozy hiding place for wax, dirt and moisture. A few minutes of ear care every few weeks can keep your Bernedoodle comfortable and help you spot problems early.

Quick answer: To clean Bernedoodle ears at home, fill the ear canal with a veterinary dog ear cleaner, massage the base of the ear for about 30 seconds, let your dog shake, then gently wipe away loosened wax with a cotton ball or gauze. Never use cotton swabs, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or vinegar. If an ear is red, smelly, painful or has discharge, don’t clean it. Call your vet instead.

Why do Bernedoodles get dirty ears?

Bernedoodles inherit two ear features that make ear care important:

• Floppy ears from both parents. Long, hanging ears cover the ear canal and trap warmth and moisture. The American Kennel Club notes that dogs with long, hanging ears are predisposed to ear infections.
• Hair inside the ear canal from the Poodle side. Many Bernedoodles grow hair inside their ears. That hair can hold onto wax and debris and slow down airflow.

Add swimming, baths and allergies, and it’s easy to see why Bernedoodle owners often deal with gunky or smelly ears. The good news is that gentle, regular checks and the right cleaner go a long way.

How often should you clean Bernedoodle ears?

There’s no single schedule that fits every dog. Vet sources agree on one rule: check often, clean only when needed. Cleaning too often can irritate the delicate skin inside the ear.

• PetMD recommends checking your dog’s ears about once a month and cleaning them when you notice a buildup of wax or debris.
• Veterinarian Jeff Grognet, writing for the AKC, suggests cleaning at least once a month, and more often for dogs prone to ear problems.

A quick weekly peek is easy to fit into your grooming routine. Lift the ear flap, look inside and take a gentle sniff. Healthy ears look pale pink, with little or no wax, and don’t smell bad.

What you need: the best dog ear cleaning solution

You only need three things:

• A veterinary dog ear cleaner. Use a cleaner made for dogs, ideally one your vet recommends. PetMD advises always using a veterinarian-approved ear cleaner formulated for dogs.
• Cotton balls or gauze squares. These are soft and too big to push into the ear canal.
• A towel and some treats. The towel catches the spray when your dog shakes, and treats make the whole thing a happy event.

Skip cotton swabs (Q-tips). The AKC warns that cotton-tipped swabs can push debris deeper and injure the inner ear.

If your Bernedoodle has had ear infections before, ask your vet which cleaner to use. Some cleaners are better for drying wet ears, and some are made for dogs with allergies. Never put any product in an ear that might have a damaged eardrum without your vet’s approval.

Step-by-step: how to clean Bernedoodle ears at home

This method follows the AKC’s step-by-step guide. The whole job takes about five minutes.

1. Pick a calm moment. Clean after a walk or play session, when your Bernedoodle is relaxed. Sit on the floor with your dog, or have a helper gently hold them. Keep treats within reach.
2. Check the ear first. Lift the ear flap and look inside. If you see redness, swelling, discharge or a bad smell, or your dog pulls away in pain, stop here and call your vet. Cleaning an infected or injured ear can make it worse.
3. Fill the ear canal with cleaner. Hold the ear flap up and squeeze the cleaner into the canal until you can see it pooling at the opening. A few drops isn’t enough to loosen debris. Don’t let the bottle tip touch the ear, so it stays clean.
4. Massage the base of the ear. Gently rub the base of the ear, just below the opening, for about 30 seconds. You should hear a squishing sound. That means the cleaner is breaking up wax deep in the canal.
5. Let your Bernedoodle shake. Step back and hold up a towel. Shaking brings loosened wax and cleaner up to the opening.
6. Wipe away the debris. Wrap a cotton ball or gauze around your finger and gently wipe the inside of the ear flap and the visible part of the canal. Go no deeper than the depth of one knuckle.
7. Repeat on the other ear, and reward. Use fresh cotton for the second ear. Finish with praise and a treat, so your dog learns that ear cleaning means good things.

Tip for puppies: Start getting your Bernedoodle puppy used to ear handling early. Touch and lift the ears gently every day during cuddles, with a treat each time, long before you need a full cleaning. Our Bernedoodle puppy guide covers more first-grooming tips.

Can you clean Bernedoodle ears with hydrogen peroxide?

No. Hydrogen peroxide is one of the most common home remedies, and one of the ones vets warn against most.

• PetMD says not to use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or essential oils to clean your dog’s ears, because they can irritate the ear canal.
• The AKC adds that hydrogen peroxide can irritate healthy skin cells.

Peroxide also bubbles and leaves moisture behind in the ear, which is the opposite of what a floppy-eared Bernedoodle needs.

Can you clean Bernedoodle ears with vinegar?

Vinegar is often shared online as a natural ear cleaner, but it isn’t a safe choice. Banfield Pet Hospital lists vinegar, along with hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol and human ear drops, among the products to avoid. These can irritate the ear, especially if the eardrum is damaged.

Vinegar can sting already-sore skin, and it won’t treat an infection. If your dog’s ears are bad enough that you’re searching for a remedy, it’s time to see your vet.

Are there safe natural ways to clean dog ears at home?

The safest “natural” ear care isn’t a homemade liquid. It’s good habits:

• Check your Bernedoodle’s ears every week or two.
• Keep the ears dry after swimming and baths (see below).
• Keep the hair around the ear opening neatly trimmed, so air can flow.
• Wipe the visible part of the ear flap with a dry cotton ball or gauze.

For anything that goes inside the ear canal, stick to a veterinary dog ear cleaner. Homemade mixes, oils and kitchen ingredients aren’t made for the ear canal, and the AKC recommends veterinary products as the safest choice.

Should you pluck Bernedoodle ear hair?

Usually, no, at least not as a routine. Ear plucking is still common at some grooming salons, but many vets now advise against plucking healthy ears. When asked at a veterinary conference whether to pluck ear hair, veterinary dermatologist Dr. Laura Wilson answered, “it depends.”

Here’s how FirstVet explains the trade-off:

• For healthy ears: if your dog doesn’t get repeated ear infections, there’s no reason to pluck the hair regularly.
• The risk: plucking can cause tiny tears in the ear canal, which can let bacteria in and lead to infection.
• When it may help: dogs with chronic ear infections or heavy wax buildup may benefit, because less hair means better airflow and makes ear medicine easier to apply.
• The gentler option: keep the hair around the ear opening neatly trimmed, so the opening isn’t blocked.

For most Bernedoodles, ask your groomer to trim, not pluck, the hair around the ear opening. If your Bernedoodle has frequent ear infections, talk to your vet before anyone plucks or trims inside the canal.

Keeping Bernedoodle ears dry after swimming and baths

Moisture trapped under a floppy ear is one of the biggest causes of ear trouble. The AKC notes that keeping your dog’s ears dry and clean can help prevent infections.

• At bath time, wash the head with a damp washcloth instead of spraying water toward the ears.
• After a bath or swim, gently dry the ear flaps and the opening with a soft towel or cotton ball.
• If your Bernedoodle swims often, ask your vet about a drying ear cleaner to use afterward. The AKC suggests these astringent products for swimmers, but warns against using drying agents too often, because over-drying can cause problems of its own.
• Dry your dog fully after grooming appointments, too. A quick check of the ears afterward is a good habit.

For more coat care tips, see our guide on how to prevent mats in a curly Bernedoodle coat.

Signs of an ear infection in Bernedoodles

Cleaning keeps healthy ears healthy, but it won’t treat an infection. Banfield Pet Hospital says plainly that home cleaning does not treat an ear infection, and that dog ear infections usually need veterinary treatment.

Watch for these signs:

• Redness or swelling inside the ear
• A bad or yeasty smell
• Brown, yellow or bloody discharge
• Frequent head shaking or scratching at the ear
• Pain when you touch the ear, or your dog pulling away
• Holding the head tilted to one side
• Loss of balance

If you notice any of these, don’t clean the ear. PetMD advises contacting your vet right away instead. A head tilt or loss of balance needs a vet visit without delay.

Can you treat a Bernedoodle ear infection without a vet?

In most cases, no. Ear infections can be caused by yeast, bacteria, ear mites, allergies or something stuck in the ear, and each needs a different treatment. Your vet will usually look inside the ear with an otoscope and check a sample under a microscope to find the cause.

Trying to treat it at home can backfire. Banfield warns that an untreated infection can become more painful and lead to problems like a ruptured eardrum or hearing loss. Home remedies can also hide the symptoms while the real cause, such as allergies, keeps going.

What you can do at home is prevention: regular checks, the right cleaner, dry ears and a trimmed ear opening. If your Bernedoodle gets ear infections again and again, ask your vet about allergies, which are a common underlying cause.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I clean my Bernedoodle’s ears? Check them every week or two, and clean them when you see wax or debris, which is often about once a month. Dogs that swim or have allergies may need more frequent cleaning, so follow your vet’s advice.

Can I use baby wipes to clean my dog’s ears? Unscented wipes made for dogs are fine for the outer ear flap. Don’t push any wipe into the ear canal, and use a veterinary ear cleaner for the canal itself.

Why do my Bernedoodle’s ears smell? A faint smell can just mean wax buildup. A strong, yeasty or bad smell, especially with redness or discharge, is a common sign of infection and needs a vet check.

Is it normal for my Bernedoodle to shake its head after ear cleaning? Yes. Shaking helps bring loosened wax up to the ear opening. Constant head shaking at other times, though, can be a sign of an ear problem.

At what age can I start cleaning my Bernedoodle puppy’s ears? You can start gently handling your puppy’s ears from the day you bring them home. Ask your vet at your puppy’s first checkup about when to start using an ear cleaner.

The bottom line

Bernedoodle ears need a little extra attention, thanks to their floppy shape and hairy canals. Check them every week or two, clean them with a veterinary ear cleaner when they’re dirty, keep them dry, and skip hydrogen peroxide, vinegar and cotton swabs. Most importantly, if an ear looks red, smells bad or seems painful, call your vet instead of reaching for the cleaner.