Dog Grooming Hints

Even lazy people need a companion. Are their dogs for the more lethargic owners out there? Not all dogs are hyper and energetic. Some dogs are perfect couch potatoes.

Most people think of small dogs as lazy dogs. In fact, large dogs can be just as languid. Even with some energetic dogs, you can simply provide a large enough area and toys and the dog will occupy themselves for hours. All you provide is comforting arms when they are ready to relax.

Mutts and Seniors

Check your local animal shelter for your perfect lounging companion. Mutts are great dogs and sometimes are put into a shelter for not being energetic enough. Ask about the dogs’ behavior and you may find exactly what you are looking for. Geriatric or seniors in the dog world are also great options. They have moved past the play stage and want nothing more than to lay back and relax.

Small Breeds

Smaller breeds like Chihuahuas, Bulldogs, and Pugs are great lazy breeds. They love nothing more than to sit around or be carried. Both bulldogs and pugs have facial features that make it hard for them to breathe, so exercise is not their favorite thing. Sleep and more lounging will equal the perfect day for these breeds.

Larger Breeds

The list is quite long, but some of the more popular breeds include Borzi, Irish Wolfhound, St. Bernard, Great Dane, Mastiff, and Greyhound. Larger breeds will require a little more effort on the owner’s part. They will need a larger lounging area and some tend to slobber quite profusely. Still, they hate vigorous activity as much as their owner. Greyhounds may seem like an active dog; however, once they retire, they simply wish to rest and relax. After years of running, who can blame them?

Other Options

There are options if you still have your heart set on a more active dog. You can hire a dog walker, own multiple dogs, and schedule regular grooming. A dog walker will take you dog for exercise and play time. With multiple dogs, the dogs simply play with each other. By the time they notice you they will only want to sit with you on the couch and rest. With regular grooming, your dog has the chance to get out for a little while. Some groomers even provide a day of play along with the grooming.

In the end, try to find a dog more like you. The closer the personalities match, the closer the bond between you and your dog. Keep your dog healthy as well. Despite how lazy they might be, make sure they have some basic exercise and a good diet. By keeping these things in mind, you will have a wonderful relationship with your pet.

Okay, I admit it here in writing for all to see: I’m lazy. Due in part to a physical disability, along with the aging process and a natural tendency, most of my days are spent reading, writing, and watching TV. I also love dogs, but I can’t spent hours playing frisbee or romping with a canine pal in the back yard. So which dog breeds share my propensity for a mostly sedentary life style?

I found the perfect pooches in my two Great Danes. Despite their enormous size, these are indoor dogs. They spend most of their time eating, sleeping, and cuddling with family members, friends, or total strangers. Heck, they don’t care whose soft lap they lay their huge heads in! When they do want a short play session, they entertain each other with a game of tug-o’-war or “keep-away.”

Danes have short coats, so they don’t require much grooming, either. When they need a bath, I just put them in the shower with me. Since I’m not able to walk them, I purchased a shock collar. With just a couple of little buzzes, they quickly learned to stay in our yard when they need to go out. Now I can sit on the porch while I let them out for a romp. They’ll generally run around the perimeter of our property a couple of times, then they stand at the door and look at me as if to say, “Okay, Mom. We exercised. Now will you let us back in already?”

Many of the large and giant breeds are sweet, wonderful couch potatoes. These include Mastiffs, Newfoundlands, St. Bernards, and Irish Wolfhounds. Amazingly, Greyhounds are another lazy breed, despite their image of trim, active sprinters. As long as you refrain from placing a rabbit or decoy in front of them, they’re happy sharing the sofa with you for hours. All of these breeds are also low maintenance as far as grooming requirements, too.

If you’re looking for a small breed dog that’s generally lazy, try a Dachsund. They’re playful, but they’ll pretty much exercise themselves indoors with doggie toys, and their short coats are easy to care for. Another lazy small breed is the Maltese. Like the Dachsund, a good selection of balls and squeaky toys will keep them entertained and provide exercise. While their coats are long and silky and can require a lot of grooming, keeping them clipped short will eliminate hours of combing out tangles and fussing over their long locks.

Im looking at my Danes right now – one is curled up on the leather couch whhile the other is lying on the floor beside me, using my right foot as a pillow. And they’re both perfectly happy, well adjusted, and fit, trim, and healthy. In fact, both are nothing but rippling muscle. I guess those five-minute runs around the yard are working, huh? Hmm…maybe I should try it!

Not so long ago, a yearly bath (usually after a romp with a skunk) and infrequent attacks with scissors and an old hair brush were all our dogs got in the way of grooming. But often our dogs lived outside, roamed far and wide and had a limited life expectancy – and were more or less disposable.

Today our dogs live indoors with us, often on our sofas and beds. Many don’t get a daily walk (or roam) to keep their nails short, and life as long as we can possible keep them going.

What many people don’t realize is that a major part of a dog’s health is maintained and can be monitored by regular grooming. Grooming not only keeps your dog smelling good, but improves the condition of their skin, keeps their nails in trim, helps keep eyes and ears healthy and helps to spot problems, especially parasites and injuries, before they become a major health risk.

-Healthy Nails

I work with a groomer and she has convinced me that nails are THE most important part of grooming, for the dog’s comfort and general health.

Some dogs, especially those who jog or walk with their owners may not need to have their nails trimmed often, but their feet should be checked more frequently for breakage and pad damage. Couch-potatoes, especially if they are (or should be) natural diggers, have nails that grow very long, very quickly and need regular trimming. Keep an ear out for your dog’s nails – if you hear a lot of clicking on hard surfaces, it’s past time to have their nails trimmed.

Over-long nails can catch and tear, which is more painful for your dog than a broken finger nail is for you. Just walking on long nails can be uncomfortable, can cause your dog to slip, and can lead to muscle and joint strain.

If your dog has long hair, the nail and the hair can become matted together, and when your dog has wet feet, the mat will set and can irritate your dog’s skin, especial between the pads. In extreme cases, the nail can actually grow around and start pushing into the pad.

- Healthy Skin

Depending on your dog’s habits and hobbies, he can become dirty very quickly. Dirt not only makes a mess on the furniture and floor, but can also irritate his skin and leave the fur dull and lack-luster. Brushing and/or a wipe down with a damp cloth may be all a short-coated dog needs to have healthy skin, but an Old English Sheepdog many need the brushing AND a bath on a regular basis to keep his skin healthy.

Regular baths can eliminate dirty skin as the cause of doggie odor too. If your dog starts