Dog Grooming Hints

by heraldpost

As most dog owners or lovers will agree, the hair and coat of any breed of dog is one of their main attractions. What they may overlook is the fact that like humans, dogs need constant grooming to maintain a healthy-looking appearance. They also fail to appreciate that aside from investing in expensive dog grooming shears and tools, the exercise requires a long term commitment of time and effort.

Dog grooming is a very challenging chore, this owes largely to the fact that dogs have the widest range of breeds, and that each breed require a unique form of grooming. As with the human hair from the different races, one grooming technique does not ideally suit all. Apart from keeping the dog in a visually attractive form, regular and proper grooming can help them in a healthy form. Most infections are skin related and proper care of their hair and coats would prevent or make any skin condition visible and subsequently treated. Dog grooming has proven to be one of the most effective ways of developing or strengthening a healthy bond with them.

Whatever the type of breed you own, there are some grooming fundamentals that apply to all dogs, the trick is in knowing how to do it properly and how often.

The hair is one of the biggest grooming challenging for dog owners. Certain dog breeds have continuously growing hair that fall off very frequently and can be as unsightly as it can pose health risks to humans. Due to the variety of dog breeds and their individual uniqueness, it is recommended that their haircuts and nail trimmings should be left to professional groomers; however, owning dog grooming shears is necessary to carry out basic maintenance.

More than often, all that is needed to maintain a healthy hair and coat for dogs is frequent brushing. For most dogs owners, investing in good quality combs and brushes is recommended over dog grooming shears. Haircuts can last for months, while brushing can even be done daily. Regular brushing goes a long way to prevent excessive shedding of the hair. Dogs love to be brushed, as much as it has numerous health benefits, and it can be a good regimen to strengthen your bond with the dog

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Dog lovers with allergies are always looking for that special breed of dog that will not cause an allergic reaction. Unfortunately, there are NO non-allergic dogs. All dogs can cause an allergic reaction; it has little to do with how much hair they have and more to do with their diet and how they are groomed. However, there are some breeds (in general, the female of the breed is better) which come close to being hypoallergenic and there are some breeds that are hairless or naturally don’t shed hair or shed very little. What they all have in common is they require regular grooming all year round.

ABOUT DANDER AND ALLERGIES:

Allergies are not a direct result of too much hair and even dogs with fur like human hair can cause allergies. The sebaceous glands are the culprit. Dogs, like other animals and humans, secrete an oily lubricant (sebum) through their sebaceous glands, which keeps their skin supple and their coat (hair) shiny. The allergen in the secretion causes the allergic reaction and is present in dog’s saliva and dander. As the dog ages and the skin dries, more sebum is produced and the scaly bits of dried skin are released, resulting in dander (or dandruff in humans). Be careful when buying a puppy because you might not have an immediate allergic reaction. Puppy’s skin is supple and sebum isn’t released so they have no dander, but you might eventually get an allergic reaction as they age and dander forms.

A FEW SUGGESTED BREEDS FOR ALLERGY SUFFERERS:

Basenji

Shed little or no hair, have no doggy smell and they groom themselves like cats; however, they do not do well with non-canine pets. They are energetic and easily trainable.

Bichon Frise

Shed little or no hair but must be groomed once a month. They are affectionate, intelligent and independent. They love people and children and are easily trainable.

Chinese Crested

Shed little or no hair, have no doggy odor and are not prone to ticks or fleas. They are affectionate, lovable, energetic and easily trainable. They are not barkers.

Poodle

Shed little or no hair and are intelligent and easily trainable. They have a good temperament, but if untrained, they tend to bark a lot. Also, be careful with the mixed breeds.

Schnauzer

Shed little or no hair, are great house pets and love children. They will bark and make good watchdogs and mouse catchers.

Shih Tzu

Shed little or no hair and is alert and spunky. They make good watchdogs even though they are small.

Yorkshire Terrier

Shed little or no hair, but their temperament is that of the Terrier breed. They are good watchdogs but tend to be snappish if teased or surprised. They are easy to train, but a little stubborn.

Xoloitzcuintle

Hairless breed sheds no hair and the coated breed sheds very little. They come in three sizes and are very intelligent and easily trainable.

COST:

It is difficult to find a price range for any of them without going to each breeder’s site and requesting information, but suffice it to say that pure-bred dogs will cost you several hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the breed. You can, however, check with the Humane Society and other dog adoption shelters because it is estimated that about forty percent of all dogs in those shelters are pure-bred dogs.

Resources:

www.consumerhealthreviews.com

www.dogchannel.com

www.dog-abc.com

www.dogs.about.com

www.angelfire.com

www.dogbreedinfo.com

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The Hypo-Allergenic Dog Myth!

If you are looking to buy or adopt a dog but have a dog allergy, please be aware despite popular uneducated belief, there is no such thing as a hypoallergnic dog.

The dog allergy is triggered by dander. Dander is made up of dead skin, saliva, and urine. Guess what – all dogs have all 3 of those things. Hence, no hypo-allergenic dog.

Fortunately, some dogs have dander that isn’t strewn around as easily as others. For example, a poodle doesn’t shed it’s hair like the majority of dogs. Poodles have fur like human hair – it grows. Yes, it falls out, as does mine, but the poodle doesn’t shed it’s coat yearly or biyearly (or constantly like one of my pups!). Plus, poodles are often groomed. All of this grooming plus not shedding gives their dander little opportunity to get all over your house and trigger your allergy. If this dog wasn’t groomed properly or if you had very severe allergies, you would definitely have an allergic reaction to this supposedly “hypoallergenic” dog.

Even hairless dogs have hair, skin, saliva, and urine. These dogs can trigger even more allergies because the hair is too fine to trap any of the dander.

I have a very mild allergy to dogs and I also have 6 dogs. Some of them do aggravate my allergies more than the others – especially as puppies. I was moderately allergic to one of my dogs when he was a puppy – I would even break out into hives where my more sensitive skin (inner arm, neck, face, etc) touched his fur. Now that he’s an adult dog, he doesn’t trigger my allergies at all.

My point, basically, is that if you are severly allergic to dogs, you may need to consider another pet. You won’t be happy when you are constantly having a severe allergy attack and you’ll be even more upset when you have to find your beloved pet a new home. Please don’t adopt or buy a dog unless you know it won’t trigger your allergies (some people may be able to find a breed or particular dog that doesn’t trigger so many allergies) or unless you know you can live the next 10-20 years suffering with your allergic reaction to the dog, even if it worsens.

There are millions of dogs that need great homes, yes. But, adopting a dog and later needing to find it another home because it’s triggering your allergies is contributing to the problem of homeless pets. Please do your research before adopting or buying any dog. If you have allergies, you may need to find another pet that will better suit your needs. Getting a dog just because you want one is not only selfish but it’s also very unfair to the dog.

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Dogs that are considered hypoallergenic may cause fewer allergic reactions in people who own them other breeds. There are many breeds of long hair, short hair, and hairless varieties to choose from depending on your particular allergies and what you are looking for in a dog. Hypoallergenic dogs are sold mostly by breeders, but you can also find them in pet stores and sometimes in animal shelters. If you decide to buy a hypoallergenic dog, there are ways to care for them that may require a little more work than non-hypoallergenic breeds.

Caring for your hypoallergenic dog begins with caring for their coat. While many hypoallergenic breeds such as Terriers, Schnauzers, and Poodles have short hair, this hair can be coarse and will continue to grow unless the dogs are properly groomed. These dogs do not shed and have hair that can be compared to human hair. You will have to keep your dog groomed in order to prevent matting. Matting can cause skin rashes and other health problems if the dog’s coat is not taken care of.

Brushing your dog is also important especially in breeds that have longer hair such as the Afghan Hound. While these dogs are considered hypoallergenic, their coats are long and shiny. They do not shed either, so brushing and grooming are important. Brush your dog at least twice a week to keep excess hair from building up.

Some hypoallergenic dogs have undercoats, while others do not. Undercoats protect dogs from cold temperatures by storing body heat. Dogs that do not have an undercoat will not survive long in cold temperatures. Unless a breeder says you can keep your dog outside, you should keep the dog indoors.

If you have a hairless dog, you will have to protect their skin with lotions and skin creams. You should not leave these dogs outside for long periods of time as they will suffer from sun burn and dehydration.

Caring for your dog is not only making sure their coat and skin are protected, it also means making sure that they get enough exercise and time with you each day. Dogs that are left alone for long periods of time can become destructive. Training your dog by developing a routine will help them adjust to the times when you cannot be at home. If you will be out of town for more than two or three days, you should find a friend that can check in on your dog or you should consider boarding the dog until you come home.

Protecting your hypoallergenic dog from cold temperatures, the sun, and from developing skin rashes are ways that you can help your dog live a long, healthy life. Because many breeds of hypoallergenic dogs are small in size, they are prone to arthritis, eyesight issues, tumors, and other problems. While you cannot predict how your dog will age, you should research different breeds to see what types of health issues they may have some day. Regular checkups with a vet will help your dog live a long life.

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I think the feisty, independent, very sweet Yorkshire terrier makes a great apartment dog.

This small, very loyal dog does not shed. In a small apartment, or in any home, for that matter, this is a very important consideration. The hair of a Yorkshire terrier is more like human hair than dog hair. They do need to be groomed frequently, especially if you allow the hair to grow long. If the coat is cut shorter in a ‘puppy cut’ or a Schnauzer cut (which is a popular cut for a yorkie) grooming is much easier.

Yorkies are so small, it is easy to bathe them often in a sink. especially if the have a short cut. Their little faces can be washed daily with a washcloth or a type of wet wipe made especially for pet grooming.

The Yorkshire terrier is a sturdy little dog and has the fewest health problems of any small (toy) breed. They do well in cold weather with just a little fleece coat. Yorkies love to go for walks and a short walk for us is a long walk for the short-legged Yorkie. They love to play, chase balls or squeaky toys and most like to have a favorite little stuffed animal to play and sleep with.

Yorkshire Terriers can be rather yappy, but can be trained not to bark at every little noise. They are protective little dogs and they bark because they are ‘protecting’ their home. They can easily be taught to bark quietly, or growl quietly, and this usually satisfies their need to alert their master of danger.

Seriously consider the highly intelligent, loyal Yorkshire terrier for a wonderful, faithful companion.

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