[Liz]

What is your dog's preferred ear scratching technique? Canal or leather? Scratching or rubbing? Each of my dogs have had a different preference, and I'm curious about the variety in such a simple, ubiquitous pleasure.

 

[Porkchop]

Scratching right below the opening of the ear is Lacey’s favorite by far.
When she was a puppy she LOVED the process of having her ears cleaned, especially the part where I’d massage right below the opening of the ear after squirting in the cleaner. But now she’s come to associate ear cleanings with being blow dried after a bath.
She doesn’t care for ear scratches anywhere else by hand, but really likes having her ears brushed and combed.

 

[cowpony]

The preferred technique in my household is a circular rubbing massage. I start by rubbing the base of the ear with my fingertips. Then I gently squeeze the dog's head between my hands and carefully rock the base of the ears in a circular motion.

Pogo used to scratch his ears himself by sticking one hind foot into the ear canal and gently rooting around. Galen seems to just scratch around the exterior with a few quick swipes of a hind foot

 

[fjm]

Poppy likes almost any attention, but prefers back rubs to any other scritching. Sophy loves a gentle ear massage - circular rubbing from base to tip. The muscles holding her ears erect, and moving them to show her mood, get much more use than Poppy's dropped ears of course - perhaps that is why she enjoys it so much

 

[PeggyTheParti]

Peggy loves a good rub under the ear. It often triggers a yawn reflex and then she tilts her head sideways and really presses down into the rub.

 

[Liz]

My childhood dog would lean in so hard, she'd fall over when I massaged her ear at the base. I can't quite remember how my male liked it, because I changed it up often - he loved getting his ears rubbed, but suddenly he'd squeal in pain, so I never felt like I found the perfect technique. Mia likes just about any attempt at an ear scritch, but she moans when her leather is scratched, particularly near the opening to the canal.

 

[PeggyTheParti]

she moans when her leather is scratched, particularly near the opening to the canal.

Puppy Peggy used to give herself a good scratch there. The moaning was hilarious. But then inevitably she’d go too far and make herself yelp.

 

[Liz]

Puppy Peggy used to give herself a good scratch there. The moaning was hilarious. But then inevitably she’d go too far and make herself yelp.

Poodles are so sensitive that I don't want to laugh, but that's too funny!

 

[Liz]

[...] and then she tilts her head sideways and really presses down into the rub.

When I cup Mia's head in my hand and rub the side of her face, she presses hard. Maybe I'm getting close enough to the ear that it's linked? She also really likes scalp massages; I feel like a phrenologist sometimes when I'm feeling all the bony ridges on her head.

The preferred technique in my household is a circular rubbing massage. I start by rubbing the base of the ear with my fingertips. Then I gently squeeze the dog's head between my hands and carefully rock the base of the ears in a circular motion.

That sounds divine even to me! I must miss being on the receiving end of a decent massage if I'm envious of our dogs.