Dog Grooming Hints

Most people believe that when buying a short haired dog they are getting a pet with little maintenance when the reality is that a short haired breed of dog such as the beagle sheds a lot sometimes year round depending on the climate where you and your beagle make your home. So if you do not want your friends and family to think you have a new designer sofa made from fur then you need to follow a consistent routine of brushing and other required grooming tasks.

The Beagle needs to be bathed only every three to four months; however the ears need to be cleaned weekly, this is especially important in a drop-eared type of dog such as the Beagle. The reason for this is that because of the weight of the ear and the fact that the flap covers the whole ear, very little air gets into the ear canal resulting in an ear that is persistently moist; ideal conditions for an ear infection. Your beagle’s ears can be cleaned by using commercially available dog ear cleaner and several clean cotton balls, place a few drops of ear cleaner on the cotton ball and gently wipe out the ear paying special attention to the crevices. Never insert anything into the ear canal itself or pour ear cleaner directly into the ear. Follow with a clean dry cotton ball until you no longer see dirt on it.

Your beagle’s nails should be checked monthly to see if they need clipping. Dogs that spend enough time walking on hard surfaces such as asphalt or concrete need less regular nail trims if at all. If you are not comfortable clipping your beagles nails yourself it is easy enough to drop by a grooming salon or have them done when you are at the vet’s office.

The most time-intensive part of grooming your beagle is going to be brushing. Regular brushing will cut down on the amount of shedding your dog does and it also plays a vital role in keeping your beagle in tip-top condition with a healthy, shiny coat. Keep to a regular brushing schedule with your pet, twice weekly is ideal but once a week is certainly sufficient. You will need a rubber tipped brush such as a Zoom Groom to properly brush your beagle’s coat.Starting at the top of your dog’s head and using short firm strokes brush your beagles coat in the direction of the hair growth. Continue brushing in this manner until there is no more dead and flyaway hair coming off. If this is the first time using a rubber tipped brush on your dog you will be amazed at how much hair you pick up. Enough to make another beagle!

As you can see having a short haired dog does not lessen your responsibilities in the grooming department but without the extra expense of regular haircuts that longer haired dog’s owners incur it is certainly less expensive and very manageable.

German resident Herr Louis Dobermann has been attributed to creating the intelligent and faithful companion known as the Doberman Pinscher. His employment of a tax collector and given he was responsible for stray dogs at a local dog pound, gave him a reason and a means to create a breed of dog that would be his protection from would-be robbers. His goal was to have a dog that was intelligent, intimidating but easy to maintain. This “man-made” dog became the Doberman Pinscher that is loved around the world.

The Doberman has a smooth and thick coat that lies close to the body. They are one of the easier breeds of dog to care for when grooming. The Doberman Pinscher needs bathed only when dirty or only once a month which will depend upon its lifestyle. Owners of the Doberman will tell you that a healthy Doberman rarely has a “doggy” odor if kept clean.

The coat should be brushed on a regular basis to remove excess hairs which will help control any shedding and should also be done before bathing. During a bathing session, avoid the dog’s eyes and ears. Cotton balls can be placed in the ears to help keep water out. After wetting the dog thoroughly, wash with a dog shampoo using either a sponge, bath mitt or your hand. Work from the rear to the head giving special attention to areas that tend to get extra dirty such as the bottom of the feet. Completely rinse any shampoo from the Doberman and dry with a heavy towel. A hand blow-dryer can be used to fully dry the Doberman. Brush the Doberman again after bathing.

The other areas that will need attending during a grooming session are the ears, eyes, teeth and toenails. The eyes and ears can be cleaned using a cotton ball or tissue that has been lightly dampened with water. There are ear cleaning products available but always place these solutions on the cotton ball and never pour into the ear. Q-tips are not recommended and the ear canal should always be avoided. Proper and frequent ear cleanings will help prevent infections and ear odors. The teeth should be cleaned regularly to prevent plaque and tarter build-up.

The Doberman will need its nails trimmed on a regular basis. If attempting this process yourself, be aware that the toenail has a “quick” and can hurt the dog or even bleed if cut into. If your dog has light colored nails, the quick is visible through the nail and easier to trim. Cut the toenail within 2 millimeters of the quick. Most Dobermans have dark nails which prevents the quick from being visible. Trim the nails in small cuts to minimize the chance of cutting into the quick. New equipment for dog nail trimming are available including nail grinders which file down the nails slowly rather than cutting. These new items may work better for the novice groomer.

The coat of the Doberman Pinscher is easy to care for and requires very little maintenance besides daily grooming to remove dead hairs. A damp cloth can be used for in-between bathing to clean dirty areas including the bottom of the feet. A well-maintained coat will exhibit a healthy shine, will be smooth and close fitting to the body and is one of the Dobermans most beautiful attributes.

One of the most frequent questions that I am asked as a groomer is how to prevent tear stains under their dogs eyes. There is nothing that spoils a dog’s cute expression more than dark red tear stains under their eyes and around their mouth. These stains can be prevented and cured.

There are several reasons why tears cause staining. The most common is that when the hair and skin is wet it causes a low grade bacterial infection or a red yeast infection. Other causes could be a blocked tear duct, ear infections, genetics, allergies, food and possibly the water they drink.

There are several methods of curing tear staining and you may have to experiment a bit with what works for your dog. Remember when trying any of these that the results may not be immediately visible. It takes time for the tearing to slow and for the stained hair to grow out.

Probably the best way to prevent and cure tear stains is with a trip to your vet. A low dosage of tetracycline for about 2 weeks has been found to be very effective at curing tear staining that is due to bacterial or yeast infection but your vet will be able to make the proper diagnosis and recommend treatment. They will also be able to determine if the staining is caused by a blocked or closed tear duct that might require surgery.

In addition to whatever method your veterinarian suggests, you can help the process along by following these steps daily. Make sure that your dog’s hair is not sticking up or falling into the eye and irritating it. Trim the hair or pull it up in a top knot. Then take a cotton ball and putting a drop or two of regular Visine on it. Gently rub under the eye on the stain. This will help to dry the area as well as neutralize stains themselves. Once you have the area clean and dry, you can take a tiny amount of petroleum jelly and smooth the hair down and out of the eye.

If your dog has staining around the mouth, you may want to make sure that your dog food does not have artificial coloring in it. Many dog foods have coloring that will cause staining. Also make sure that you are using stainless steel food and water bowls. Plastic bowls or cracked or chipped ceramic bowls can harbor the bacteria that cause staining around the mouth. Adding a little vinegar (1 tsp per quart) can help to change the ph balance and eliminate some staining. It takes a little effort to get your dog to actually drink this so start small with tsp per quart and work up slowly to 1 tsp.

There are many commercial products on the market that claim to reduce or eliminate tear stains such as Angel Eyes. I have heard various reports of whether they work fabulously well or not at all. I think that results with them are probably determined by what the cause of the eye stains is. Others simply bleach out the stains and do nothing to actually help prevent them. Just like bleaching your own hair, repeated use of bleach is going to dry the hair out and cause breakage.

Your groomer will trim the stained hair away from the eye as well as trimming any hair that might be falling into the eye. With regular grooming, this will keep tear staining to a minimum but removing the hair is only a temporary cure at best. Eliminating the cause along with good grooming is the way to keep your dog looking its best and healthiest.

Cleaning your dog’s ears is not the most pleasant part of dog grooming. But, it is necessary to the overall health and well being of your dog. If you are lucky enough to have a cooperative dog this really isn’t so bad. If your dog isn’t cooperative, well you’ll have to figure out how to make him cooperate.

Treats are always a good way to distract your dog’s attention. When I brush my Golden retriever, I spread peanut butter on my hand. She will lick my hand long after the peanut butter is gone. But, while she is enjoying her snack, I can give her a thorough brushing.

Dogs like my Westie, prick-eared dogs, don’t need to have their ears cleaned as regularly as floppy-eared dogs. If Bugsy has been digging and sticking his head in the hole as he excavates, I wipe his ears off with a wet washcloth. I do his face, beard, and feet as well. After a bath is another time that I give some attention to his ears. I rub them with cotton balls moistened with mineral oil. His ears are much easier to take care of then his sister’s.

If you have a floppy-eared dog such as a Golden retriever, ear cleaning should be done more regularly. Emma isn’t a big fan of having her ears cleaned but she will sit still and let me clean them. I think it actually feels good to her and when they are clean they feel better.

After bathing your dog, you should moisten a cotton ball with mineral oil and gently clean only the outside of your dog’s ears. Never, let me repeat that, never ever put a cotton swab in your dog’s ear. The dog could shake or move and end up with a Q-tip stuck in their ear. It could damage your dog’s hearing.

A thorough cleaning is necessary only if your dog’s ears smell or they shake their head a lot. There are many products specifically for cleaning a dog’s ears. I don’t want to recommend one. The person who should do that is your vet. They know your dog and what ear issues he has.

When I see Emma shaking her head a lot, I know that it’s time for a good cleaning. As I said she’s very cooperative which makes it so much easier. I need both hands so the peanut butter trick isn’t possible. I use a product recommended by my vet, gauze pads, cotton balls, and a damp washcloth. The first thing I do is wipe the outside of her ears with the damp washcloth or cotton balls moistened with mineral oil. Then I put the cleaner just inside her ear and squeeze a small amount right in to her ear. I have to be quick because she doesn’t like this part. This is when I need two hands.

As I squeeze the cleaner with one hand I have the other one ready to clamp her ear shut. This is her favorite part. I massage her ear so the cleaner will do its work. I probably do it much longer than needed but she is in doggy heaven. I then hold the ear with one hand while I use a gauze pad to get in there and get the gunk out. It is nasty looking. I use two or three gauze pads depending on how many come out gunky. When one comes out gunk-less, I wash the outside of her ear, the skin on her ear flaps, and the fur around her ear. Then I tell her she is just the best girl ever and I love her sooooo much. And now she gets a treat.

I feel like a good mom when I realize that she isn’t shaking her head anymore. I have no idea how her ears get so nasty. She doesn’t go in to water at all. She spends most of her day inside or in the backyard. Maybe it’s a breed characteristic.

Not all dogs need to have their ears cleaned thoroughly. Most dogs do fine with a wipe after a bath or if they have been in water. If your dogs ear’s have an odor that may indicate an infection or ear mites. In this case, you need to seek medical attention first. Some ear wax is good to maintain the health of the tissues.

The ancestral lines of the Basset Hound originated in France but this hound’s elongated body, short legs, long ears and irresistible wrinkles make this breed loved by hound owners around the world. The Basset has a tough yet smooth coat, long ears and droopy eyes. All of these characteristics require special attention when grooming the Basset Hound.

The Basset Hound can be bathed as often as needed. The amount of baths your dog gets will depend upon his lifestyle. Like with any dog, frequent bathing can reduce the natural oils in the dog’s skin so bathing should be done only when needed. Before bathing, thoroughly give the Basset a good brushing to remove dead hair and any mats.

Wet the Basset avoiding the eyes and especially the ears. Using dog shampoo, wash the Basset from rear to head with either your hands, sponge or a wash mitt. If needed, place cotton balls in the ears to avoid water running into the ear canals. Clean in all of the many folds that are on the Basset’s body. Rinse thoroughly, again avoiding the eyes and ears. Dry the Bassett with a heavy towel and/or blow-dry if you prefer.

A slicker brush or grooming mitt works well for grooming the Basset’s coat. A thorough brushing should be done at least weekly and after each bathing. If the Basset does not need a bath, brushing and cleaning of the eyes, ears and trimming of the toenails need to be done a regular basis.

Dog breeds such as the Basset Hound that have long ears are unable to get circulation into the ears. These breeds of dogs with elongated ears are prone to ear infections and ear odors. A cotton ball or tissue that has been dampened with water works well but there are also ear cleaning products available on the market. Q-tips are not recommended and always avoid going into the ear canal during cleaning. A cotton ball or tissue can also be used to wipe around the eyes.

The Basset Hound will need its nails trimmed routinely. Long nails for the Basset can become uncomfortable when it walks and even painful. Nail trimming for the Basset should be done every two weeks at minimum. If attempting this process yourself, be aware that the toenail has a “quick” and can hurt the dog or even bleed if cut into. If your dog has light colored nails, the quick is visible through the nail and easier to trim. Cut the toenail within 2 millimeters of the quick. For dark colored nails, trim the nails in small cuts to minimize the chance of cutting into the quick. New equipment for dog nail trimming have become available including nail grinders which file down the nails slowly rather than cutting. These new items may work better for the novice groomer.

During a grooming session, brush the teeth to remove any build-up and schedule regular check-ups with a veterinarian to assure that all of the Basset’s needs are being covered. Even though the Basset Hound has a short coat that doesn’t tend to mat, regular grooming especially of the folds of the skin, ears and nails should become part of a weekly routine.