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Keep your puppy still by placing it in your lap. Then, place your left forearm securely over your puppy's body. Firmly, but gently, grasp your puppy's jaw with your left hand. With your left thumb, pin its earflap to the top of its head.  Praise your puppy with a soothing "Good boy (or girl)" while petting it to keep it calm. Throughout the process, reward your puppy with treats for good behavior. Before cleaning your puppy’s ears, check the hair on the top of the earflap, as well as the hair under the earflap. Dirty or matted hair should be removed from the outside of the ear, as well as near the ear canal.  Heavy, matted, or moist hair surrounding the ear can obstruct airflow to the ear canal, which can lead to an infection. Excess, dirty, or matted hair inside the ear canal should be removed by a veterinarian. Once the hair is groomed around your puppy’s ears, fold your puppy’s ear back. Dampen a cotton ball or a piece of gauze with mineral oil and hydrogen peroxide. Do not use alcohol to clean your puppy’s ears. Gently wipe away any debris or earwax you see on the underside of the earflap. Make sure to lift debris and earwax up and away from the ear canal. Do not rub it into the ear canal.  Do not use cotton-tipped applicators, i.e., Q-tips, to clean your puppy’s ears. These applicators will push dirt and debris deeper into your puppy’s ear. Be careful not to insert anything into your puppy’s ear canal. This can cause ear damage, or lead to an infection.
Secure and calm your puppy. Groom the hair around the ear. Fold your puppy’s ear back. Wipe the outer ear.