There have been times when you as a dog owner becomes increasingly frustrated. Your dog doesnt want to obey your commands and do as you say. Even with trying to coax your canine, sometimes it still does not work.
All dogs have behavioral problems. It does not matter what breed you own, you can run into a roadblock with trying to get them to stop their bad behavior. There are just some times where you have to put your foot down and roll with the punches. Your dog will either do what you say or youll ship him out. Of course, if you are a dog lover, you are not looking to do the latter. Read more…
There are many aspects of Do It Yourself Dog Grooming that are easy to perform, and learning how to fluff dry your dog is one of the easiest ones to do. There will be times when you want your pet to have that “just came from the groomers” look, but you don’t have the time, or the money, to get her to a professional dog groomer. Depending on the size of your dog, and assuming she is on the smaller side, you can “neaten up” your dog in about half an hour.
The only items you will need to fluff dry your dog is a tub, shampoo, a blow dryer, and a dog brush. It is really important to wash him first, unless he was just washed in the last week or so. His coat will respond to the fluff drying process much better if it is relatively clean. If you don’t normally wash your own dog, the most important thing to remember is that you need to rinse him thoroughly. Leftover shampoo isn’t good for his coat, and will also make the fluff drying process much harder, if not impossible, because the areas of leftover shampoo will feel oily to the touch.
Once you have thoroughly rinsed the shampoo off your dog, you can towel her off to remove excess water. It is important here to not dry her too much with the towel, as you want the hair damp once you start the fluff drying process. This is especially true if she has curly hair and you are trying to straighten it out by fluffing.
After you have toweled off the excess water, put his leash on your dog and loop it on a door handle or heavy piece of furniture. The object here is to not allow him an avenue of escape! Most dogs don’t like the blow drying process, although if they are regular visitors to the grooming shop your little household blow dryer will seem tame compared to the dryers we use on them.
The heat and force setting you use on the blow dryer is really dependant on the amount of hair your dog has. The more hair that’s there, the higher the force setting you should use. Watch out for the higher heat setting, as you may dry her coat too quickly, and could actually irritate her skin if she has an extremely thin coat of hair and sensitive skin.
Now all you do is dry the dog with the hairdryer and brush it at the same time against the grain. If you start at his rear end, brush and blow dry toward the head. Basically, you are going to brush up, or towards the top of the dog. Use short, quick strokes, and do this all over his body. In most cases you can do some of the drying without the brushing, as long as you continue to dry against the grain. Once you have finished drying, brush him all over, still against the grain. If you find any areas that look out of place, or funny (too fluffy), just brush it back with the grain.
When you have finished, your dog will have that just been to the groomer look!
Mark has bathed and dried more dogs than he would care to count. If you have ever wondered what part of the grooming process most dogs don’t like the most, it’s the getting wet and the getting dry part!! For more do it yourself dog grooming tips, please visit Dog Grooming Courses Groom Your Dog At Home for more information.
Learn tips and techniques on how to shave your dog in this free video. Expert: Anne-Marie Forde Bio: Anne-Marie Forde and Jon Fless have owned and operated The Sudsy Dog Grooming Shop for 8 years. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso Video Rating: 4 / 5
Overall, anyone who is considering the addition of a Newfoundland dog into their home should keep in mind some of the following important points: Their coat is double layered and requires regular grooming to keep it healthy and clean. If you live in part of the country where it is getting just plain hot, make sure you are prepared to provide a comfortable environment for your well-coated buddy. You’ll need to learn the basics of newfoundland dog grooming.
They like water so much that even their feet are webbed! This is a fact and should give a prospective owner an idea of which activity their new buddy is most suitable for – swimming. An active swimming session can be tons of fun for all and it’s well matched for their heavy body mass. All dog breeds crave the eye of their human partners, the Newfoundland goes beyond this a little in that they need to be around humans to stay healthy and happy. Newfies love attention and this is one reason taking up newfoundland dog grooming at home works for many owners.
It is in their genetic makeup to be partnered with humans. To dog house or chain a newf away from regular human contact would have the same emotional impact as if keeping a kid confined in his room day after day. Sure, when they bump into something it goes flying, but for the most part, a newf will adapt to house rules rather swiftly and they learn to navigate gracefully round the home fast. Newfs drool, but it is a satisfied drool! And besides, that is what they make drool rags for.
Careful consideration should be taken when deciding to bring one into your family. They deserve to be treated as a full member of the household and not relegated to the back yard, or worse, a chain and dog house run. This is why most owner also decide to learn the right techniques of newfoundland dog grooming and groom these delicate giants themselves.
If you decide a Newfoundland dog is for you and your family, and have the right environment to accomodate a bigger dog, then the next step is to search for a credible breeder. Using the Net to get a purebred Newfoundland can be risky. Keep in mind that in mind a dedicated newf lover and breeder will be able to spout off a long list of ancestral info, medical history and will require an in-depth interview with you. Some breeders will refuse to zeppelin a Newfoundland puppy, stipulating that you or a designee will need to personally pick the tiny fluffball up. If an online breeder is prepared to just take your money and put the puppy on an aircraft, then you’ll be setting yourself up for the heartbreak of receiving a puppy bred for profit and not for soundness, health, or a long, happy life.
One may look at myself and find it hard to believe that I am a lover of all animals. To most, I appear to be a typical cat lady. However, I do love and cherish all animals, and believe that certain pets are appropriate for certain people.
If an individual is trying to choose between bringing a dog or a cat into their household, there is much more to this decision than simply deciding which species is more appealing to the eye. Though both cats and dogs make wonderful companions, they both have very different needs, and are able to provide different things to their owners.
Let’s begin with the animals needs. Dogs need much more care and attention than cats do. A dog owner is responsible for feeding, walking, socializing, grooming as well as bathroom breaks. It is important that feeding times and amounts are consistent for the animal’s health and weight. Walking is essential for a dog to maintain health, as well as burn off energy. Failure to walk a dog or provide them with accurate exercise could result in suppressed energy that could be negatively displayed in other ways around the house (i.e. aggression and destructive behaviors). Socializing is another important thing when it comes to our canine friends. Properly socializing a dog will prevent them from becoming overly protective of their owner(s) and being potentially hostile towards strangers. Depending on the breed of dog, grooming can be a quick, or a lengthy chore. Baths are essential, as well as grooming fur. Regular fur trimmings could also be necessary depending on the type of breed. A dog’s owner is also responsibly for taking their dog outside to go to the bathroom. Potty training can be a lengthy and difficult process, and requires a good deal of time and patience.
When it comes to the needs of a cat, the list tends to be a bit shorter. Cats need to be fed, have their litter changed, attention/exercise as well as grooming care. Just as with dogs, regulated feeding times and amounts are important to proper health. Potty-training a cat is relatively easy since cats have a natural tendency to use the litter box on their own. Exercising your cat can be as simple as having another cat companion that your cat enjoys playing with, or having adequate toys available. Cats bathe themselves, so generally the only grooming required involves a good brush.
As far as what each animal can provide to their owners, I believe first and foremost that unconditional love is a given. When treated well, cats and dogs both love their owners. They provide affection, consistency and companionship. Dog’s can be the jogging partner you have always wanted. Cats can be the couch-cuddling companions you adore while reading a favorite book.
In general, when faced with someone that is having a hard time choosing a cat or a dog, I ask them to look at their lifestyle. Someone who is very busy and is rarely home would not make a good dog owner. Remember that dog’s need more care than cats including regular bathroom breaks. Cats are more self-sufficient, therefore, deal better with only a few hours of attention and care a day. Regardless of which animal you feel will suit you best, I guarantee that choosing one of these wonderful life-companions will be a decision you will never regret.
I recently introduced a new dog into my one dog, two cat, four bird, seven fish and ten hen household, and I have some useful tips for a harmonious transition that makes the new dog feel welcome and the old dog feel like she’s gained a friend rather than a rival.
In my case the two dogs already knew each other and were friends, and so the introduction was already off to a good start. If they had not known each other, I would have made sure they had a chance to get to know each other before contemplating bringing the new dog home. To do this I would have done the same as I used to do when I owned boarding kennels and needed to introduce two dogs to each other, and that is by enlisting help to take the two dogs for a brisk walk. They would not be allowed to sniff each other first, but I would simply grab one dog’s leash and start walking fast, and the other person would grab the other leash and start walking fast too, side by side.
By the end of a decent brisk walk the two dogs can sniff each other, but if there is any sign of trouble, start walking again. The action of walking together begins to shape their pack mindset, and they start to act and think as a pack with the humans as leaders.
Once you get the new dog home, treating them equally is probably the most important thing for a harmonious transition. Like children, dogs can become jealous of each other, and the best way to avoid this is to treat them equally and not favour either one, or better still, to favour them both – equally.
For example my new dog, Charlie, was adopted from a home where he was allowed to jump on furniture, sleep on the bed, and do pretty much whatever he wanted. My dog Libby however, was not allowed to do any of those things. Had I allowed Charlie to continue the same way in my home Libby may well have become jealous. As it is, they are getting on just fine. As another example, Libby is a low maintenance dog who needs little grooming, whereas Charlie is high maintenance and needs grooming twice a day. Well, now Libby gets groomed twice a day too.
Every pack needs a leader and the leader of your pack must be you, the humans in the household. The dogs may well tussle for position, but one of them will be the next in line after the humans. In most cases they will sort this out by themselves, but you should be aware that in the settling in period there may be skirmishes, and it may be necessary to separate them when you are leaving them behind.
Both dogs will need reassurance that the new arrangement will not disadvantage them, and it may take time for them to settle down after the introduction. The best thing you can do is treat them equally, and also to show that you love them both equally. Lots of love and affection will help them both see that they’re not loved half as much as they would be alone.
July 5, 2011 
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