Dogs & Puppies Blog

Archive for the ‘Dog Grooming’ Category

If you own a dog then you will have to do some grooming to help keep your dog well kept and to protect your dog’s health. If you have a dog with short hair then you will have fewer grooming duties than someone with a long-haired dog. However, no matter the length of your dog’s coat, there are still basic grooming tasks that must be done on a regular basis, including nail and teeth care.

Nail Trimming

Every dog needs regular nail trimming. You can trim your dog’s nail yourself, hire someone to do it or have it done at your vet’s office. If you are cutting your dog’s nails then you need to use clippers specifically designed for cutting dog’s nails.

You also need to be very careful about not cutting them too far back. If you cut the nail too much, your dog could bleed severely. If you are not sure how to cut your dog’s nails then it is a good idea to have your vet show you how to do it.

Bathing

The frequency of bathing will really depend on a number of factors. Some breeds need more routine bathing than others. If your dog goes out of doors a lot then he may need bathing more than a dog that mainly stays inside.

Obviously, when your dog gets dirty you will want to give him a bath. Every dog should get bathed regularly, so create a schedule based on your dog’s specific needs so you can be sure he is getting bathed as needed.

Brushing

Brushing, like bathing, will depend a lot on the breed. Dogs with short hair may not need to be brushed too much. Dogs with longer hair may need brushing everyday. The reason for regular brushing is to reduce shedding and to keep the fur from becoming knotted or matted.

You want to brush your dog when he needs it. Watch his fur and be sure to brush him before you see tangles or excessive shedding.

Teeth Care

Some people will buy a modified brush to brush their dog’s teeth. This is not necessarily mandatory. Many people never brush their dog’s teeth. In most cases, your dog will get adequate teeth cleaning on his own.

However, if you feel your dog’s teeth needs extra care then you may want to consider buying a tooth brush or you can try out the dental chews that are on the market. These chews are made in a special way that helps clean the teeth as your dog gnaws on it.

Your dog needs a lot of care. That is why getting a dog is considered a responsibility. Like a child, a dog can’t care for himself. You have to step in and watch out for his well being by ensuring he is getting the grooming and care he needs. Just set a regular schedule and caring for your dog will become second nature. You won’t even think about it, you will just do it as part of your regular routine.

There have been numerous posts and questions about using the various nail trimmers on the marketplace. The vast majority of people are expressing difficulty using the “pet” caliber nail grinders. Why might this be? Let’s talk a bit about clipping your dog’s nails. Dogs require a more sophisticated approach.

Clipping Dog Toenails

The pet quality nail grinders are NOT able to grind a long nail down to an acceptable length. They just do not have the power or the sandpaper strength you will find in a proper dremel tool. The pet quality grinder may (just may) work all right to keep your dog’s nails buffed back after having been properly trimmed.

First, your dog needs to have the nails trimmed with a standard nail clipper. There are several types on the market that operate by hand in a guillotine fashion on the nail. You need to trim tiny pieces of nail off at a time in order to safely get rid of the dead nail and not cut into the quick. On a light colored nail, you should easily be able to see the vein and you want to keep your cut well in front of the end of the vein. On dark nails it is best to trim slivers off at a time until you begin to see a dark circle in the center of the nail. If you trim your dog’s nails slowly, and tiny pieces at a time, you will prevent cutting the quick. Cutting the quick or vein is what causes a dog to associate nail trimming with pain; and what then causes him to fight the process, making it both dangerous and more upsetting for both of you.

If your dog will not tolerate you trimming back the nail, please make an appointment with either your veterinarian or your favorite groomer to trim the nails back for you.

Now that the nails are trimmed back correctly you can use your grinder to keep them trimmed back and short. If your dog is still fighting with you when you endeavor to use the grinder, then you will need to do some reconditioning instruction with her. Offer treats and praise for even the smallest of positive behavior. This means you may be starting from giving her praise simply for not running out of the room when you turn on the grinder…or even more basic, you give her a treat for letting you hold her paw and touch her nails with your fingertips.

The process make a take a fair amount of time and patience. You can talk to your groomer or dog trainer for more information or to show you how to do this training. As a groomer myself, I see many, many dogs each and every day that have been conditioned to react with severe behavior when having their nails trimmed due to incorrect handling earlier in their lives. I spend extra time with these dogs doing this reconditioning training, praising and gentle handling. It takes only a couple visits to our shop for these dogs to loosen up and allow us to work on their feet.

It will not pay to rush or force your dog to comply with the nail trimming. You have to establish a positive learning experience and be gentle in your approach. Pursue the assistance of your veterinarian or a professional groomer to show you the best way to trim your dog’s nails. Use the pet quality nail grinder or an actual dremel tool (you would find these in the hardware department/tools department at most stores) to file the nails on a weekly basis after having the nails trimmed using a manual clipper.

Canine ownership is often a joy being had by quite a few folks, but it is also a chore if you don’t know the proper method to groom the dog. Common grooming ideas could be employed to make cleaning and caring for your dog much less difficult and time efficient, thus giving you additional time to play with your furry friend! Maintain in mind that advice may need to be altered, based on if your canine has a nail, skin, or ear condition.

Brushing

A beautiful coat is imperative to your canine, and also looks very good too! The minimum amount of brushing actually would depend on how long the dog’s coat is. Long-haired pet dogs ought to undergo daily brushing sessions for them to avoid hair tangling and matting. Medium-haired canines have to most likely be brushing about once or twice a week, but short-haired pet dogs can go as much as a full month (though it isn’t suggested to test this theory- twice a month is an excellent quantity).

Bathing

The vast majority of dogs and dog owners find bathing to be a large (albeit unpleasant) ordeal, Teaching your canine to get used to bathing even though, via regular and consistent bath timing, can greatly cut down the stress involved for both parties. He doesn’t need to enjoy it, but he will at some point acclimate to being dripping wet for several minutes after a number of baths. Baths, as much as once a week is not harmful per se, but most choose to limit the procedure to after a month. Usually use a shampoo which is soap-free and developed for canine use. Most any dog supply store will have a good selection of shampoos available.

Haircuts

Some pet dogs can get away with never acquiring a haircut, but some of the more furry breeds (for instance Poodles and ShihTzus) should likely be at least trimmed each two to four weeks. The exact quantity of time in between trimmings depends on the breed and style of cut. Unless you’re specifically trained inside the art, it really is best left to groomers- even a light trim can be a daunting task to the inexperienced.

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Any dog that has long hair needs to have it groomed every now and then or even more often. It is a big chore but it needs to be done. Many people that have these dogs with long hair take their pet to the groomer, however, you could also do it at home with a little work.

When you are giving your dog a bath you need to remember that there is shampoo and conditioner. By using both, they help remove the dirt and also prevent tangles that do happen often in long hair breeds.

Grooming tools that are used for dogs are brushes, combs, and rakes. You will need these tools to detangle your dogs hair. By having these tools, they will also help prevent super tangles in the future.

Brushing your dogs hair removes dust, dead skin, loose hair, and also tangles. It helps the coat shed every spring and fall. There are special brushes that your groomer will use on your dog. The brushes that they use cover larger matted areas and they have sharper short bristles.

Drying the dogs hair is a must after they have been groomed. When having your dog groomed a hair drier is a necessity. When the dogs coat dries quickly this will stop any mattes and tangling when the fur is still wet. Fur that is wet will tangle more easily then fur that is dry.

You will need to have good scissors to remove any hair that is around the dogs eyes and in the ears. Some breeds get mattes around the eyes that is caused by discharge so it is a good idea to have the hair in this area short preventing this from happening.

Longing over your dog’s newest hairbrush? Who can blame you! The latest in pet grooming supplies are unquestionably turning heads.

In fact, Swarovski crystal brushes are causing quite a stir. The brushes embellished with the finest Swarovski glass crystals.

They come in various sizes too, from a mini Swarovski crystal brush, measuring 4 ½ inches x 1/12 inches to a larger version Swarovski Crystal brush which measures 5 ½ inches x 2/14 inches. The larger version has Italian boar bristles on one side; and crystal masterpiece on the other.

Crystal Affair, the makers of customized Swarovski crystal dog collars, crystal dog leashes, and crystal accessories has now put the bling in grooming literally. These elegant brushes come in various, happy, poppy, colors, such as: crystal, pink, aqua, royalty pink, royalty crystal, with love black/pink, pink leopard, leopard and with Love black/aqua. Some crystal brushes hold a crown design, while others display a crystallized heart or hearts. If you are in the dog ring showing off your prized champion dog, shouldn’t your champion have a brush that befits his/her status in life? The mini Swarovski crystal brushes are perfect for tucking in your pocket along with that tasty treat!

Each brush also comes complete with its very own custom-made Crystal Affair pouch for safekeeping. While it’s unusual for the crystals to fall out on their own, keep in mind the brushes are made with real crystals and you’ll have to handle with care and avoid dropping the brush. But no worries. If one of the crystals accidentally come off, the brushes are sent with an adequate supply of replacement crystals so your masterpiece remains a masterpiece!

Like any brush, you’ll have to care for the bristles but boar bristles are easy to clean. Occasionally, hold the brush, bristle-side down over a sink and allow water to run through the bristles (not the crystals). From time to time use a dab of shampoo. Always dry the brush thoroughly before use.

Boar bristles are known to smooth, polish and condition hair… leaving your dog the envy of its friends (and yours). And if you’re really turning green… go ahead and buy yourself a brush. Crystal Affair Swarovski crystal brushes are made for people and pets. No one has to know you turned to your pup for trendy advice.