Dog Grooming Hints

by Barboni

Cats have been domesticated since the times of the Pharos of Egypt. They believed themselves to be the first enthusiasts to bathe cats. The grooming and domestication has not made the cats incapable of grooming themselves properly.

Pet grooming is very important for its fur as it aids in getting rid of the undercoat, prevents hairballs, prevents parasitic infection and improves circulation. Different breeds need different types of grooming. Some need combing and brushing daily some need it less often. Most cats groom themselves and spend the considerable amount of day grooming themselves. You need to check the ears, eyes, mouth, nails and feet when you groom your cat. It is the perfect opportunity to check it over for lumps and bumps. Part the hair and check the skin for any problem such as fleas, sore or inflamed areas that require serious attention. For any serious cat illness consult a vet.

Use a short toothed comb to remove the dead hair of your cat. Some cats with short hair have delicate coats and skin so you need to be cautious while you use these combs and brushes that you are not damaging the cat. You can loosen the dead hair with your hands before you resort to using a brush or a comb on your cat. Run along your fingers through the fur in the direction opposite to which the hair grows. This also stimulates the natural oil of the skin and this keeps the fur shining and healthy too. Then you can use the pet grooming equipments that are best suited for your cat’s fur. You do not need to bathe your cat if it has been groomed well and completely. The natural oils in the cat fur will make it gleam. Bathing the cat could result into knots and mats, making the fur extremely unmanageable. If your cat has a specific skin complaint or is suffering from fleas then use a shampoo that is suitable for its skin. The cat shampoos are easier to rinse out and make less lather. Wet the coat completely before you use the shampoo.

Let us look at how you need to groom a dog that will make the differences evident.

As the fur is the most important for cat grooming, for dog grooming nail clipping is the most important routine that has to be carried out a couple of times in a month. If you do not clip the nails the dog will start to suffer from infections that grow in the toe nails and these require expensive treatment.

Dog’s nails need to be long enough to reach the ground, but should not be so long that it makes a clicking sound when they walk. Trim a small piece from the end of the nail and keep trimming it until it is short enough. Dogs with dark nails have to be especially taken care of as the quick is difficult to see. Once the quick has been seen, you can use a nail file to smoothen the edges. Do not cut the quick as it leads to bleeding. Use some cotton to stop the flow.

When clipping a dog’s coat, the first step is to make sure that the dog is secure, after which it’s important to continue holding the dog securely. Discover how to turn around dog clippers to avoid track marks with help from a professional dog groomer in this free video on dog grooming. Expert: Victoria Calvin Contact: www.splish-n-splashmobile.com Bio: Victoria Calvin is a professional dog groomer in Miami, and the owner of Splish-n-Splash Mobile Pet Grooming. She is a member of the National Dog Groomers Association. Filmmaker: Paul Muller

by bookish in north park

To keep your dog’s long coat looking beautiful and healthy, you should be prepared to spend regular time in grooming. In fact some long coated dogs also need regular baths to help keep their coats free from matting and frequent brushing in between.

Grooming A Dog with a Long Coat

To know that you are doing all that’s necessary to help keep your dog’s coat maintained in good condition, it might be a good idea to read books specifically for your dog’s breed as these can provide excellent tips and information on grooming and general care as well as suggesting grooming tools best suited for your breed of dog. Grooming can be a pleasurable activity both for dog and owner, providing the chance to spend quality time together.

A well-trained dog is always easier to groom than a one that is restless, fidgety and reluctant to co-operate. A dog, for instance, can really get to enjoy his bath when trained from being a puppy. For long-coated breeds of dogs you might consider buying a grooming table. There are also many different types of brushes to choose from. Wooden handle rubber brushes with pins can make grooming more comfortable with long-haired dogs. Wooden handle slicker brushes are also useful for removing tangles in long silky coated dogs. It is especially important for long-coated dogs to be trained to stand still or to lie down when being groomed as it can become frustrating for both dog and owner if the dog keeps trying to run away!

Tools needed for grooming a long-coat dog include:

Brushes and combs – When grooming the dog’s coat should never be completely dry as this can cause the ends of the hair to split. Use a mild conditioning spray (specifically for dogs and not humans). Your dog should be encouraged to stand and using a curry comb first, work through all the knots and tangles in your dog’s long coat. The curry comb can be either plastic or rubber with short teeth on one side; it is used to break up clumps and tangles in the hair and to pull loose hair to the surface of the coat.

After this, go over thoroughly with a metal brush. Brushing not only helps keep your dog’s coat free of tangles but for the long-coated dog, it will stimulate the natural oils in his skin and helps keep the coat in good condition. Brushing also helps to keep shedding around the house under control. Pay attention to paws as dog’s with a long coat can tend to get mats in their paws.

You might then want to use a long toothed steel comb to be sure the coat is free of tangles. If your dog’s coat has a parting along the back, this should be done from the neck downwards, carefully taking a comb through in one smooth stroke. Some breeds with long coats will need to be clipped, trimmed or stripped. This can be quite difficult and you might prefer to leave certain aspects of your dog’s grooming to an expert. Or at least to get expert advice before splashing out on expensive clippers which can be hard to use. Purchasing unsuitable tools for grooming your dog can be an expensive mistake!

Hair Cutting Scissors are useful as the hair around your dog’s paws will need to be regularly trimmed. Check in between his nails too. You might also want to trim the hair around your dog’s hind quarters. Keep inside of ears clean and trimmed and check paw pads for excess hair which again should be trimmed. Both small and large long-haired dogs will need to have their nails clipped regularly.

Cut the nails as close to the ‘quick’ as possible. The long hair of the feet can hide the toenails causing some owners to neglect cutting the nails as often as required. If you can hear your dog’s nails clicking when he walks, it is time they were cut otherwise lameness can occur. Dew claws need to be trimmed too or they can loop around and grow into the dog’s leg. Toe nails should be cut using special dog nail clippers and this must be done with great care. Dog grooming can be time consuming but this is a great excuse to spend quality time together and for dog and owner to bond

Hypoallergenic dog breeds have special needs because they are usually smaller in size and have temperaments that may be difficult to handle sometimes. When you first bring your new dog home, you should allow it to roam around to get an idea of its surroundings. If you have other pets, you should put them in another room while the dog is investigating the area. Depending on the breed of dog, they may be very scared at first. They may not want much human contact, so you should be careful about handling them too much during the first few days they are in your home.

Once you new dog becomes comfortable, you should develop a feeding and hair brushing routine that you and your dog will follow. If you have allergies, brushing your dog every day will reduce the amount of allergens in the air. This will reduce the allergens on your carpets, furniture, clothing, and walls. Buy a steel comb with wide teeth that will help trap hair and get out any knots that may be in the dog’s fur. If you purchased a Mexican hairless or other breed that does not have hair, you should make sure that its skin is not dry. If you notice flaking, you should visit your vet who will prescribe medication or lotion that you can use.

Making sure your hypoallergenic dog gets plenty of exercise is important for their health and also for controlling allergens in your home. Walking your dog at least once a day and making sure it sleeps through the night will keep the dog on a routine. Dogs that are awake at night time may want to be with you. Allowing your dog to sleep on your bed could increase your risk of an allergy attack.

Your dog should have a designated place to sleep during the night and during the day. Buying a soft bed or giving the dog an old blanket will help keep them warm and safe when they are sleeping. You should wash their pet bed often to prevent allergens from being transferred to carpeting or clothing. While you cannot prevent all allergens from getting into your clothing and inside your carpeting, you can reduce them by keeping everything in your home clean.

Dog grooming is also important when caring for a hypoallergenic dog. Even though the breed that you buy will probably have short hair, you will have to have it professionally groomed every few months to maintain the shape and also to keep the hair from becoming too long. Since hair can grow long and cover the dog’s eyes, and make it difficult for the dog to keep itself clean, grooming your dog will ensure that it remains healthy and happy.

Now that you know more about caring for a hypoallergenic dog, you should remember that just because these dogs are considered a good choice for those with allergies, these dogs may still cause you to have allergy attacks from time to time. Hypoallergenic dogs reduce the risk of attacks, but cannot prevent them from occurring.

No matter what breed of dog you have they all love that little bit of special attention. Grooming is a very important part of caring for your dog. Some breeds only need bathing and an occasional brush, while others need very detailed grooming.

With the advent of unemployment, dog washing has become a booming new type of business. Most of the dog groomers offer a mobile service, and will come to your home and clients find this service more convenient. Instead of having to carry a large, dog into a car by themselves, some groomers can clip the dogs’ claws at the same time if required. Anyone can bath his or her own dog, which is good, as many people cannot afford this added expense.

Blue Heelers, Kelpies, Labradors

Most short haired dogs need a bath and a brush. It is during this time that you can check more thoroughly on your dogs’ health. Because the skin is wet, it is easier to see if they have any fleas or skin irritations during this process. It is very hard to see fleas on dogs with thick fur normally. Also it is a great time if they enjoy a bath to check for any unusual lumps and problems with their teeth.

Cocker Spaniels& Red Setters

These and many similar long haired dogs need bathing and clipping. Cocker Spaniels are prone to Canker in their ears, you will know if they have it because of the smell. These dogs also need their fur carefully trimmed, especially the ears and their legs. Their fur is prone to collecting grass seeds and clover burs. Grass seeds will work their way up and sometimes even embed themselves under the dogs’ skin. If this happens, it may need a visit to the vet to have it surgically removed. Depending on how bad the infection is.

This is one of many reasons to keep their legs and ears trimmed short. The more often you tend to this the easier it is to keep under control. Do not wait until they have matted knots of fur under their legs and ears. Take very good care when clipping the ears not to cut their skin, as it is hard to see where the fur ends and the skin begins.

Poodles & Shuzitzu

Both these dogs need more clipping than most of the other types. The majority of Poodles clipped more to make a statement, or a prestige thing. Whereas the Shuzitzu dogs need it to keep cool in summer and their face needs continual clipping to prevent eye infections. Their fur is more like wool than fur and is very soft.

My son has two Shuzitzu dogs, and I shave them every two to three months in the summer and clip it short in the winter. I have made coats for them to wear in the winter, to keep them warm when clipped. Because I have two to do, I share the time spent with them. I do both their heads then do each of their backs and if my back holds out, I then do their legs. Otherwise, I leave the legs until the next day.

No matter which type of dog you have, they all love that bit of extra attention. Treat your dog with the respect he/she deserves; they are your friend and will show you more love and affection than some humans I have met.

Grooming your dog is absolutely essential.

About 40 000 years ago, canines and our primitive ancestors suddenly found relevance in grouping together. Why? We had very similar needs. Both species relied on each other for protection, health, shelter and companionship. Little in that regard has changed much. In hygiene however, we’ve come along way and we brought man’s best friend along for the ride.

Ask any vet, they will tell you that basic grooming is fundamental for Fido’s general health. But have you ever asked why?

First and foremost, we are a particularly vain species. Our dogs are a reflection of how well we take care of our selves. If our animals are filthy unkempt and flea/tick ridden, it is a sure bet that our own environment is kept much the same way. For the most part most people have built up a kind of empathy towards our four legged friends and will, if grudgingly do what is necessary to alleviate suffering. Even if it means the dreaded flea/tick bath. Fortunately fleas are not attracted to people, but in large numbers they can and often will bite. While flea bites are more annoying than anything, a bite from a tick can result in Lyme disease in humans. Lyme disease can be debilitating and if not caught in time will cause permanent damage to the human body. That is why it is important to correct an infestation problem in its early stages.

Spotting Fleas/ticks can be made simple by brushing with a flea/tick comb. You can purchase one of these items at a pet supply store; although they can be pricey, they are a good investment. It is recommended that dogs should be brushed daily. But depending on the breed and or hair length an owner can get away with brushing every other day or in some cases once a week. Brushing more frequently will eliminate knots and make subsequent brushings’ easier. Not only is brushing beneficial in the fight of fleas/ticks, it can be a good bonding experience with your dog. Ending with a good massage, will help your animal feel like he/she is being rewarded for job well done.

It is also a good Idea to invest in some kind of bug protection; whether it be a flea collar, powder and or monthly flea/tick drops. Even if your pet does not have a problem, do it any way. Prevention is so much simpler then facing a crisis. Do not be afraid to buy a perimeter spray. Anywhere your dog goes is a potential place for fleas/ticks to congregate. Before using any kind of chemical, be sure to read