Basic caring and grooming tips for your puppy
February 22, 2011 
0 Comments
FOR THE PUPPY SEARCHER
My most exciting thrill is connecting a new pet with a new owner! In the last 25 years, I have worked professionally as a pet groomer/shop owner. My customers have become my friends; and if I had any advice I would say,”Do your homework!”.
For example an Old English Sheepdog is one of the fluffiest, cutest pups-in its first 2 months before size, hair, chewing begins. The breed is wonderful, but not for everyone. It seems there is a pattern when a movie portrays a dog that that breed becomes the “popular” breed. A great example is “Shiloh”. Suddenly I was inundated with beagles! Now I love beagles as I have a great appreciation for almost all breeds. I say the average family hasn’t a clue on the training needed for a beagle. This breed is very hyper outdoors: a one-minded dog, especially when he is “on the scent”. There is no reasoning with a beagle who is “on the scent” of anything! And having him return to you before he finds his scent…Good Luck!
Today a popular characteristic in a dog is whether its fur is hypo-allergenic or rather your “non=shedding” type. Breeds such as Maltese, Poodles, Lhasa Apso , Tibetan Terriers, Wheaton Terriers, Portuguese Water Dogs, Shih – tzus , etc are a few examples of non-shedders . Obviously these breeds are popular due to people not having an allergic reaction to their coat.
Now these breeds may not shed (“shed” being defined as having hair fall onto your floor); but they do have a cotton “undercoat” that loosens itself and gets tangled or “matted” in the longer outer coat. Thus you are in for a lifetime of having your pet
groomed every 1-2 months at a cost ranging from $35-$70 or more. If this procedure doesn’t take place, your loving pet with be a walking cast of matts (tangles) that tighten every time they move or get moist.
I can hear some customers say,”I don’t spend that much on my own hair!”. To which my response is like a knee jerk reaction,” When’s the last time your hair dresser expressed your anal glands, cleaned your ears, clipped your nails, brushed all your matts out ‘all’ over your body-as in ..everywhere?!” Think of all the grooming our bodies need (some more than others) ..well so does our furry friends.
It may sound trite, but having a pet is more than food, shelter, and grooming. Most dogs can have an incredible intelligence level, a huge vocabulary, and are a social pack animal -as are we. The responsibility for social interaction with owners is all the more important because dogs are a social animal. This pet’s intelligence is to be compared with a child- some only 1-2 years old; yet some have higher IQ’s than some teenagers I’ve met. So don’t neglect interaction: play, time spent, and acknowledging them.
Alas, pet lovers just need to be aware of what they are getting into before they make the 10-15 year commitment. Let it be known that smaller dogs tend to live the longest. Although my client does have a 19 year old labrador, so you never really know how long the commitment will be.
Please don’t make the decision lightly! Be committed!
