I test Gobbles on his paw pads sometime. Like for today and tomorrow, it will be all paw pad testing to give his ears a break. I know there is some risk of infection but I always use triple antibiotic w/pain relief regardless of where I test. I sit him in my lap (like he's in a "sitting position"), show and put his treat on my left side (on the floor) and keep 3 lancets on my rights side, along with my ReliOn meter and 3 test strips (on the floor). Then I firmly grab his foot, poke deep and slowly keep pressure on the paw pad until I get enough blood. Gobbles' feet take about 30 seconds before the blood drop to get big enough. If the drop isn't big enough, I take another lancet and jab very close to the blood drop. Then, keeping a hold of his foot with my left hand, I grab a test strip and glucometer and drop the test. This method works for me. Gobbles is somewhat docile so he doesn't fight me, though he used to squirm a bit when I first started testing. It gets easier; just hang in there! You're doing a great job and obviously really love and care about Lucian.