Dog Grooming Hints

by Syd Daoust

For the animal lovers amongst us, our pets are as much a part of our family as our children and we take care of them with the same display of affection and attention. We all want our dog to be obedient, well-groomed and friendly and that is part of the reason why dog grooming centres and doggie day care places have become so popular in the last few years.

Deciding to get a dog isn’t just a matter of walking him around the block a few times a week. To keep him healthy and ensure he has a friendly nature he needs lots of exercise, care and grooming. Caring for any kind of animal is a lot of hard work and you need to take responsibility for its care, vaccinations and well-being.

Dogs are similar to humans, show them plenty of warmth and consideration shown to them and they will return it. If you have a puppy you will need to take time every day training it to sit and walk to heel, as well as toilet training. Play is also very important and puppies never tire of it. How much care you take to groom your dog depends on the breed, a long-haired dog will need regular shampooing and trimming to keep its coat clean and shiny. However a short haired breed will be much easier to take care of.

Taking care of your dogs health involves grooming it, a shower and towel dry is appropriate for many dogs, whereas a pedigree, such as a shih-Tzu or poodle, American cocker or schnauzer might need weekly bathing and trimming, nails clipping and their coat oiling. Buy your cleaning tools from the local pet store, or think about taking him to doggy day care for a thorough treatment.

Your dogs coat will look healthy and gleaming if you groom it frequently and it also provides a way to show affection. Get your dog into the habit of being groomed from an early age and he will grow to enjoy the attention given to him. This is also a good time to check his skin for any likely skin diseases, ticks, or cuts only noticed on closer examination.

For those of you who like to groom your dog yourself then combs, shampoo and other basic equipment can be bought at your neighbourhood pet shop. Most dogs will just need a flea shampoo and a comb but if you own a pedigree then perhaps you should think about taking them to the dog grooming centre for a proper treatment.

There should be a grooming centre near to your home; a dog groomer can offer good advice on how to take care of dogs coat correctly. The centre should be clean and hygienic and a place where you would feel comfortable placing your dog in their hands. A professional dog groomer will have their qualifications displayed on public view for all to see and the attitude will be dog-friendly.

Dog grooming centres can also offer the ideal place to find a new puppy or dog, especially if you are looking for one with a pedigree or a certain breed. Puppies will be chosen from well-known breeders and come with a clean bill of health. They will already be toilet trained and walk to heel, sit stand, etc. A puppy bought from a dog centre is generally well behaved and knows how to act around other dogs and people.

For services such as puppies for sale, doggy day-care, dog grooming and dog walking, look online for recognized services in your district.

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The busy lifestyle must of us endure each day should not be affecting our beloved dog’s life. When we step out the door to work an average of an eight to ten hour shift, we leave our dog prone to loneliness and boredom as we shut the door behind. If you either keep your dog crated or free roaming in your home during all those long hours, you should start considering one of the many options available below:

FAMILY AND FRIENDS

-Check if you have a friend or neighbor willing to walk your dog a couple of times. Your dog will really benefit seeing somebody and getting a chance to get some fresh air and exercise. Many times if you offer a compensation (even if small) people will be showing up to offer assistance. Many times children or young teens will step in to give you a hand.

PROS: A friend, family member or neighbor may walk for free or for a small compensation.

Your dog gets to stay at home in familiar surroundings.

CONS: Your friend or neighbor may not be able to tell right away if your dog is not feeling well or may not know what to do in case of an emergency.

DOG WALKERS

-Consider a dog walking business. People will come to your home and walk your dog as necessary. They may also take care of other things such as getting your mail or watering your plants if you wish. Make sure they are reputable and carry liability if something should occur. Ask around veterinarian offices, dog grooming facilities or dog kennels for a referral.

PROS: Your dog will get his daily amount of exercise and will get to relieve himself properly.

CONS: The dog walker will charge you more than if you asked a family member or friend.

PROFESSIONAL CARE AT HOME

-Look for a pet sitter. A pet sitter’s job involves more than a dog walker. They will come to your home and spend some quality time your dog. They will work on keeping your dog entertained, making sure water is always available and feeding and walking as necessary. The advantage of this is that your dog gets to stay at home in familiar surroundings. You can find a list o pet sitters by visiting the National Association of Professional Petsitters (NAPP) website.

PROS: A pet sitter is often first aid and CPR certified.

The pet sitter will come to your home and your dog will be in familiar surroundings.

CONS: Rates may be high, but you can be confident your dog is in professional hands.

DOGGY DAYCARE

-Try a dog day care. Just as you drop off your kids before going to work you can drop off your dog. These day care offer many fun activities such as supervised group play but even provides that individual attention most dogs crave. This solution is the ideal because dogs are carefully supervised and yet get a great amount of socialization.

PROS: Your dog gets plenty of socialization, attention and quality time in a controlled environment.

CONS: You will have to drop off and pick up your dog on a daily basis.

Whichever solution works best for you and your dog, you should notice right away some improvement upon returning home or picking your dog up from day care. Your dog will have a much happier, laid back attitude and will no longer be that fur-ball full of energy. Chances are actually that your dog will appear to be pretty relaxed and may even take a nap after a fun, busy and entertaining long day.

Why Grooming your Dog is Important

Wondered why your neighbor’s spaniel looked so radiant? With a glowing coat and perfect teeth you might think how does he do it? The chances are, that your friend has been grooming his dog by himself but most probably with professional help. Dogs are high on maintenance if you really want the best out of them. Miss out on those regular baths and see the fur become dull. Forget to feed your dog the right diet and see the dog turn sulky, irritable and sickly looking. Do you need to visit the dentist? But of course, and so does your dog. Dogs eat all sorts of meat, bones and well almost anything that you feed them. So, like humans their teeth suffer considerable wear and tear. At times an odd bone may cause damage to their teeth and so a visit to the nearby Vet becomes necessary. The vet will not only look at your dog’s teeth but also conduct a regular check up which would include required inoculation shots. For dogs to remain healthy requires regular exercise. You may not have the time to do it and thus it may well become necessary for you to employ Dog Grooming Services. If you search the internet or your newspapers classified section you will find a number of such companies that offer services to look after your dog. These range from giving your dog a medicinal bath, to providing for a walker’ to clipping nails to providing doggie accoutrements. They even provide you with the right advice as to what sort of food to give your dog, the right sort of vitamins and of course the doggie paraphernalia that you may require from a leash to a kennel. Dog Salons offer even a higher range of services for their well-to-do canine clients. A perfect shampoo and a perfect hair do to go with your dress are some of the common offerings. Grooming your dog is not restricted to just cosmetic makeovers. Well groomed dogs also know their manners. How to trot alongside, sit when ordered, fetch when told to do so and a host of other doggie manners are some of the aspects of a well groomed dog. Teaching these on your own is usually not possible because of the time, patience and professional knowledge required. It is best to employ a dog trainer for this task. Most Dog Grooming Agencies have a trainer also on their payroll or can recommend one to you. So as a proud owner of a prospective well groomed dog, consult the professionals you will never regret the results.