Dog Grooming Hints

A person who is serious about owning a pet will do a lot of investigating before he or she makes a final breed selection. If you are considering owning a Cocker Spaniel, consider these facts …

The Cocker Spaniel loves to be around people and loves attention and affection. This breed will follow you everywhere, and can sometimes get under your feet. They want to be your best friend. They are very demanding, they want to eat now – not in five minutes.

When you see the Cocker Spaniels competing at dog shows, their coats are perfect. With long feathers and perfectly cut heads and backs. Don’t be fooled, they are not just born looking that way. It takes a lot of work to keep their coats in show condition. Obviously, if you are not planning to show your Cocker Spaniel, you probably will not have the perfect show cut. However, they do require a considerable amount of maintenance. The younger Cockers tend to have fur that grows faster than the older ones. For instance, my Cocker is three years old and needs a good bath and cut every two weeks. This can get quite costly if you use a upper scale groomer. I have found that the small grooming business owner does an even better job at bathing and grooming that the upscale groomers, ie. Petsmart, etc. When you choose your groomer, you must make sure that their clippers are cleaned between each and every pet they groom. Cocker Spaniels have very sensitive skin and can develope “hot spots” (patches of extermely dry infected skin) if the clippers are not cleaned properly. Trust me, a little spot will turn into a big spot – Cockers love to lick their paws and any patch of skin they can.

In addition to frequent bathing and grooming, it is very important that you keep their long floppy ears clean. A little OtiCleanse every couple of days does the trick for me. Cockers can develop horrible ear infections that you can smell from the next room if regular cleaning is not done. Most young Cockers hate to have you sticking a piece of cotten in their ear to clean it, I usually have to struggle with this twenty pound little girl, and then reward her with a treat.

Speaking of treats, Cocker Spaniels have very sensitive digestive systems and should absolutely not be feed any human food. I recommend Canidae dry dog food and Iams small biscuts. Every once in a while, a small amount of vanilla ice cream is a nice treat for these dogs especially in the summer time when it is very hot. Any type of human food containing grease,

Actually, the size of the dog isn’t nearly as important as the breed of the dog and the temperament of the dog of that breed. Throw in the age of the child and the temperament of the child. Then tack on the ability and knowledge of the adult’s responsibility in teaching that child the proper way of handling, training, grooming of that new friend and any dog no matter the size, shape or breed will make an excellent pet for your child.

Most people will just automatically start naming different breeds. But in every breed, I’m sorry to say, there are good ones, and there are bad ones. Do not ever make the mistake of just assuming, that you have read “Labrador Retrievers” make excellent kid dogs without first selecting the right Labrador Retriever that coincides with the personality of that child.

Do all of the research you can on the breed of dog you feel as an adult, you yourself can handle. For you as the adult, will be the one who teaches that child/dog relationship. Dogs learn from the alpha of any pack, and let’s face it, in the eyes of that new addition, that is exactly what you are to him or her. It’s new pack. For someone who wants a great dog but isn’t around dogs all that much and for those who may work a lot of hours away from the home and don’t have a lot of time, I would steer clear of the high maintenance grooming type breeds; (cocker spaniels, poodles, schnauzers.) For someday it will be your child that takes on the role of grooming and not much worse than a matted coat that you have to shave off on a dog that just doesn’t quite look right with no hair!

Take in major consideration the age and activity level of your child; and make sure that child goes with you in the selection process! Watch how your child interacts with the puppies but don’t be fooled if he or she shows a strong like for one. Watch that puppies interaction with your child too! If you child leans more on the “lazy” side and spends much more of his or her time in front of the TV rather than outside running and jumping and playing; you sure do NOT want to pick out the highest energy puppy! Those require a lot of exercise to spend that energy, and unless you are willing to be the one to “entertain” this new addition, you might want to persuade your child for a less active, calmer puppy.

Certain breeds are just naturally “more protective” then other breeds. I would NEVER suggest one of these breeds for any child who is that of a “loner”. For when you introduce this type of breed to a child that is not known to have a lot of other people for that dog to come in contact with, the dog will become TOTALLY protective of that child. (German Shepherds, Pit Bulls, Dobermans), and that child’s territory.

Also, you may just love the little toy breeds. But more for the safety of the dog, rather than your child, please, please PLEASE, take in consideration the “gentleness” factor of your child. Dachshunds are sweet and cute, but they also have a very weak back, and if your child is klutzy or just plain a rough houser, PLEASE stay away from this child/dog relationship.

I am a firm believer that there is a kid for every dog as well as there’s a dog for every kid. I am also a firm believer that it is the parents responsibility to be able to teach children the RIGHT way to handle and love a dog, and then nature just takes over from the dog’s point of view of how to handle and love your child no matter how big or how small it is!

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.

The Cavalier King Charles has a coat of soft, gently-waving, never curly longish hair that is silky. There should be a profuse mane extending down in the front of the chest. There should also be thick feathering on the ears and feet, and well up the back of the legs. There should be plenty of feathering in the coat of a Cavalier King Charles. The coat should not be trimmed for the show ring.

Its red and white color type is called Blenheim after the Duke of Marlboroughs estate. Other colors include ruby, black and white and tricolor, which is a combination of black and white with russet brown accents.

Although the Cavalier King Charles claims origin in seventeenth-century England, the roots of most if not all true spaniels are found in Spain. The Cavalier King Charles probably also has some of the ancient Oriental toy breeds among its progenitors as well. Spaniels were and are sporting dogs, designed to flush and retrieve game birds. The Cavalier King Charles of the 1600s may have served a similar function, but the primary purpose was to provide pleasure for its English royalty owners. The Cavalier King Charles boasts a long history filled with royal favor.

You will need a slicker brush and comb. Many pet owners like the feet to be trimmed of feathering especially in the winter. Some pet owners prefer that all feathering be removed.

Grooming procedure:

1. Brush the Cavalier King Charles with the slicker brush.

2. Comb through the coat to remove all tangles. Use an untangle spray if necessary.

3. Check the Cavalier King Charles nails, ears and teeth.

4. Some pet owners like the thicker-coated dogs to be thinned out. You can use thinning scissors and thin with the growth of the coat. Comb the coat thoroughly. Assess whether more thinning is necessary.

5. The excess hair between food pads should always be cleaned out with scissors, but not on top of the feet. The show dog Cavalier King Charles will require a little extra attention.

Now your Cavalier King Charles is ready for his bath. Try bathing him with a pH-balanced shampoo. What may be useful for your Cavalier King Charles is a purifying shampoo and mask conditioner to enhance the coat and skin. Use this about every 4 months.

When you blow dry your Cavalier King Charles be sure you go along with the hair growth, rather than against it. You can also cage-dry your Cavalier King Charles after combing through the coat with a balsam conditioner.

Pet or show dog, the Cavalier King Charles is a delightful creature. He is especially good with children, but all ages can enjoy the companionship of a Cavalier King Charles. He loves to please his family and should do very well with grooming sessions if introduced properly and maintained on a routine basis.

The Cavalier King Charles does require a fair amount of frequent brushing and combing to keep him in shape. Nothing real complicated or anymore than the dog grooming basics of brushing, bathing, blow drying ear cleaning and nail trimming. Beyond these basics, there is a small amount of trimming.

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Grooming is a very important part of owning a dog. All owners need to understand the importance of grooming their dogs, to keep them looking good and healthy.

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. These dogs will still love having their fur brushed even though it is short they still love the attention.

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 the feathers on 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, they have to visit 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 are 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.

All dogs need their due claws clipped from time to time.

No matter which type of dog you have, they will love that bit of extra attention. So keep them brushed and well groomed, they will love that extra attention from you.