The main reasons why dogs flick their ears are as follows: First, there is foreign matter in the dog’s ears, and they want to throw the foreign matter out by flicking their ears. Second, the dog's ears have water, so they will shake the ears to get rid of the water. Third, dogs are infected with ear mites and frequently flick their ears due to ear itching and discomfort. Fourth, the dog suffers from otitis externa, otitis media, or otitis interna, which causes ear flicking.

1. Foreign objects in the ears

If there are foreign objects such as insects in the dog’s ears, the dog will flick its ears when it feels uncomfortable, hoping to throw the foreign objects out in this way. For the situation where there is a foreign body in the dog’s ear, it is recommended to take the dog to the pet hospital for examination and then use an otoscope to remove it. Remember not to use an ear pick to pick out randomly, otherwise it will easily damage the dog's eardrum.

2. Water in the ears

If the dog shakes its ears after taking a bath or playing in the water, it is most likely because the ears have water. It will shake out the water by shaking its ears and head, and generally does not require too much handling by the owner. If the dog has floppy ears, you can clean the water stains in the external auditory canal between head shakes, and you can also use ear drops on the dog to prevent infection.

3. Infected with ear mites

Dogs will frequently flick their ears after being infected with ear mites. This is mainly because there are parasites in the dog’s ears, causing the dog’s ears to appear. Symptoms such as itching, redness and swelling are accompanied by a large amount of dark brown secretions, so the dog will frequently flick its ears to relieve the itching and shake out the secretions. Therefore, the owner should treat the dog as soon as possible after it is infected with ear mites. Usually, the owner can use ear cleaning solution to clean the secretions in the ear first, and then use ear mite drugs for treatment. The dog will be cured after about one to two weeks of treatment.

4. Suffering from ear diseases

If the dog frequently flicks its ears, it may also be caused by diseases such as otitis externa and otitis media. At the same time, behaviors such as scratching the ears with claws will also appear. It is recommended that the owner take the dog to the pet hospital for examination first, and then provide symptomatic treatment based on the examination results. For example, for otitis externa caused by mites and fungal infections, it is generally necessary to clean up excess secretions in time and then use relevant drugs. If it is bacterial otitis media, excess secretions need to be cleared and systemic anti-inflammatory drugs are used.