These two parts of your dog's body need to be kept clean so your dog can feel good. Dogs with long, floppy ears are prone to ear infections. Since the air can't get inside the ear, bacteria can build up or parasites can find a dark, warm home, and next thing you know, your pup has a full-blown infection. Some of the first signs of ear problems are:

• The dog is shaking his head constantly.

• The dog is scratching his ears often.

• You can smell those ears from across the room

If your pup has any of these signs, get her to a veterinarian to make a proper diagnosis and treat the problem fully. To help prevent the situation, keep your pup's ears clean. Whenever you brush her on the table, take a few minutes to do her ears.

Lift and examine the ear. With a cotton ball soaked in a mild ear cleanser, gently rub the outer ear and as much of the inner ear as you can without poking into it. Do not use cotton swabs as they can push dirt farther into the ear canal.

After the ears have been cleaned, you might want to squirt a little cleaning solution into the ears and rub the ear, then remove the excess with a clean cotton ball. Let your puppy shake out the extra.

It's important to note that dogs who suffer from problem ears tend to be repeat offenders. In other words, if your dog has ear problems once, they are likely to recur. So, keeping your dog's ears clean is very important.

Keeping the area around your pup's eyes clean is simple: With a soft tissue, just work your way around them, clearing off any built-up gunk. If you notice any excessive redness or if anything seems sore, take note, and if it doesn't improve, make an appointment with the veterinarian.

Dogs will wipe their own eyes on carpeting and furniture if the crusty buildup becomes unbearable. This is not only unpleasant for you, but it can cause more problems for the dog. Dirt and scratches may result. Some breeds, such as the Pekingese, can have their own facial hair actually grow to the point where it pokes them in the eye. This is painful for the dog and can result in infection. If you see this happening with your dog, very carefully use a pair of blunt-ended scissors to trim away the hair near the eyes, trimming parallel to its eyes.