Dog Grooming Hints

As owner and master of your dog, it is your responsibility to keep it in good health. An appropriate diet, habitual exercise and grooming, and regular check-ups at the veterinarian will go a long way towards keeping your dog in top health. It’s also vital for you to become familiar with your dog’s habits, such as eating, drinking, and sleeping. Sometimes a disparity in those habits can be a sign that he or she isn’t feeling well.

It is very important to know the signs of good health on a dog, as well as the signs of bad health. Healthy skin, for instance, should be flexible and smooth. Scabs, growths or flakiness are bad signs and should be checked. When it comes to the coat, dandruff and bald spots are things to look out for. The coat should be glossy and supple. A dog’s eyes should be shiny and bright at all times. If they have excess mucus or cloudiness, that could be trouble. The whites of the eyes should also not be yellowish. The ears should not have excess wax or redness. And the nose is supposed to be cool and moist. If it gets hot or the dog begins to discharge yellowish or foul smelling substances, it should be taken to see a vet immediately.

Nutrition and feeding your dog can be a complicated subject and many of us are not completely aware what is best for our pets. Modern dogs prefer flavored feeds. Keeping this in mind, professional pet nutritionists are producing good-tasting food that comes in diverse forms and variety. The also tends to be equally good. Dogs are essentially carnivores and their teeth are designed to rip food apart into chunks, and not to pulverize it. Their stomachs are made to absorb those chunks. For most dogs, a vegetable diet will be insufficient. Once in a while, almost every dog needs meat or the associated proteins to prevent nutritional deficiencies.

Animals also require energy, which in turn gives them heat. They also use energy to power movement, for muscle growth and repair and to keep them going in their activities. Thus, they need to be given foods that supply energy. This encompasses an acceptable combination of carbohydrates, fats and proteins (similar to healthy human diet) and adequate intake of micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. In fact, many manufacturers now make dog vitamins that are designed to supply all the necessary supplements that active pups need.

Many people may not realize it, but grooming your dog is another important part of ownership. By grooming your dog you are performing a couple of essential functions. The first, of course, is to keep him or her looking and smelling good. This is good for the health and welfare of any dog, just like proper grooming is important for people. And the second is by grooming him every day you are letting him or her know tenderly that you are the person in charge and he or she must respect and submit to you.

Grooming is a process, but it is not too difficult and can be enjoyed both by the owner and the furry canine. People that own long coated breeds need to make sure they set aside enough time to do a complete job. For example, the show trim poodle requires a few weeks of very hard work. Even many short coated breeds should be groomed on a daily basis to preserve the dog’s skin and coat in good quality condition. Fortunately, you don’t have to be an expert to groom your own dog. All you need is some basic grooming information and the right tools basically a hair brush and nail clippers

Dogs are the most sensitive and affectionate pets. They are not only part of your family but the most loyal and loving companions that you will ever have. They stay by your side when you are happy or sad and love you unconditionally. If you go out for as little as ten minutes, they let you know how much they missed you when you come back. Your responsibility, as a dog owner, is to provide your dog with everything it requires, to live a healthy, happy life.

Dog Gromming and Skin care:

Dog’s skin is very sensitive. The dog’s skin is shining, healthy and free from dandruff if it is taken proper care of. Its skin depends on the diet it has. Its skin will be in good condition only if it has correct weight. An underweight or an overweight dog may have health problems. Knowledge, precaution and proper attention will surely keep the dogs healthy. Regular vaccination ensure dogs from getting affected from any infection. The most common disease is allergy in dogs.To keep them away from allergy the surroundings should be clean.

Grooming can be a special bonding time between you and your dog. You can also use this time to check your dog’s health. Look carefully for signs of fleas, ticks, skin irritations, lumps or painful spots. Check your dog’s eyes, ears and teeth regularly. Consult your veterinarian if you find anything unusual or concerning.

Dog Gromming and Skin care

• Long-haired dogs generally need to be groomed daily while short-haired breeds may only need to be groomed weekly.
• Selecting a time when your dog is calm and you have adequate time will help make grooming a pleasurable experience for both you and your dog.
• Get your puppy accustomed to grooming early in life by handling your puppy often and touching its ears and paws. Be gentle and reassure your puppy constantly.
• Some areas of your dog’s body may be more sensitive to combing and brushing than others. Be aware of these areas and be gentle.

Brushing and Combing

• Regular brushing and combing will remove loose and matted hair and help keep the skin free of disease. Natural oils will be more evenly distributed to give your dog a nice shiny coat. Comb in the direction of hair growth to remove tangles.
• Fine-toothed dog combs are used for soft, thin or silky coats. Medium-toothed combs are used for normal coats. Wide-toothed combs are best for heavy and thick coats.
• Flea combs are very fine and are used for removing parasites and flea dirt from the coat. They may also be used to comb the hair around the eyes.
• Rakes are ideal for removing dead undercoat hair in larger dogs with coarser, thicker coats.
• Pin brushes, with rounded tips to prevent damage to the skin, are good for dogs with long, fine hair such as Silky Terriers.
• Bristle brushes are good for dogs with very long coats, such as the Afghan, and help add shine to the short coat.
• Grooming mitts are also good for short-haired breeds to add polish and shine once the loose hairs are removed.