You are viewing entries tagged 'fur'.
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Responsible Dog Ownership Tip #5: Grooming for your hound!
While some dogs have more demanding grooming requirements than others, the majority of dogs need some or all of the following on a semi-regular basis: bathing, brushing/combing, tooth brushing, nail clipping, ear checks and cleaning. Matted fur, overgrown nails, bad teeth, and ear infections can be exceedingly uncomfortable for dogs and are easily prevented by routine maintenance. |
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Depending on you and your dog’s lifestyles, some dogs may require more frequent bathing than others. One negative of bathing is that it does strip your dog of the necessary oils that are naturally produced. An alternative to frequent bathing is to wipe your dog down with grooming wipes. These are great for surface freshness and cleaning, but will not dry your dogs skin out. It is also important to use products like ear cleansers and face wipes when doing your grooming to keep up with overall health on a regular basis. We recommend getting into a routine and setting up a grooming calendar to keep track on frequency. |
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If ice gets between your dog’s paw pads after a winter walk, you might have to melt it. Place the foot in a bath of warm water (which also removes any salt if you’re in an urban environment) and dry it thoroughly afterwards. If warm water won’t do it, a hairdryer on the lowest setting is the best way to melt ice that may have caked between your dog’s pads or toes. |
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Why would a dog be fearful of being brushed? If you yourself didn’t start grooming your dog when she was a puppy, then she may have had some bad experiences with the brush or the handling, and may associate these unpleasant memories with a grooming tool. Calm, regular introductions to a brush will help to ease the transition into regular brushing. |
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Breeds with hair that covers their eyes – like Old English Sheepdogs – can easily become jumpy and nervous. They do better if you trim their bangs so they can see what is around them and who is approaching. |
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Just like with human children who get into sticky stuff, you can try to roll the goop out of the hair with a gob of peanut butter. If that doesn’t work, you’ll have to cut out the area in question. |
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If something sticky gets into a long coat use some cocoa butter-type hand cream to get it out. A greasy moisturizing product will be a good aid in helping to dissolve the sticky stuff. |
