 | Clean Up Your Coat Rub a dub dub, your dog?s in the tub. But wait! Before you start to lather your retriever, take a moment to brush him down. Grooming prior to bathing removes loose hair and mats that prevent the shampoo from getting to the skin. Plus, once those knots and mats get wet, they get tighter to the skin causing an irritating pinching sensation when you wash. Use a mat comb to remove them; if it?s too much to comb out, cut them with scissors. If your dog?s knots are beyond anything you can comfortably tackle, put the comb away and call a professional groomer to have the dog shaved. Of course your dog will look silly without fur, but it will give you the opportunity to start from scratch and maintain a grooming regimen that keeps those mats from returning.
Once the dog is brushed out?either by you or a professional?you can move on to the actual bathing. To make your dog feel more secure, place a rubberized non-slip mat on the bottom of your bathtub so your dog can keep his footing. A dog that feels like he is on roller skates will have a hard time settling down, causing you to have a hard time concentrating on the task at hand. It is much easier to use a shower nozzle with a lengthy hose to dispense water as this will help to facilitate getting the entire dog completely soaked. Lukewarm water (slightly warm on your skin) is the best water temperature and be sure to have it running at that temperature BEFORE you begin saturating the dog?s coat. Some dogs are difficult to wet down completely because of the type of coat or hair they have, so do the best you can.
Starting at the top of the dog?s head, add shampoo, massage it into a lather, and repeat the process from the head to the body, then to the legs and finally to the tail until the whole dog is covered in soapy lather. (If you have a helper, this is probably a good time to get the camera .) During this process, chat with your dog. Reassure him in the calmest voice you have that everything is fine and that this won?t last long. Being soaked and lathered is a daily occurrence for us but for dogs the sensation is a lot stranger. If Fido gets fidgety, try to avoid over-restraining and raising your voice?this will only make your dog struggle more.
If you are using a medicated shampoo from your veterinarian, allow the lather to stay on your dog for the prescribed amount of time. Then, rinse the dog THOROUGHLY, repeating the steps of the lathering process described above; start at the top of the head again and work your way to the tail. Once squeaky clean, use your hand to gently squeeze the coat to get rid of excess water then towel dry. If the dog will tolerate it, use a hair dryer to finish the drying process. A word of caution: DO NOT use a human hair dryer set on the normal setting. This may be too warm for your dog?s skin and can result in serious irritation. Use a medium or cooler setting or purchase a specialty dryer made for dogs at your local pet store.
A Puppy "Paw-dicure"
Ah, the job every dog owner hates to do: nail clipping. Most dog ?parents? relinquish this job to a groomer or veterinarian just to wash their hands of the whole ordeal. But it doesn?t have to be a dreaded ordeal. With a little know-how and training, you?ll be trimming nails like you were born to do it.
Some dogs just don?t like to have their paws pawed, which is why we suggest handling your puppy?s feet on a regular basis so that he gets accustomed to the attention. If your puppy is used to having her feet touched, your once-a-month trimming battle is half-won. For the actual clip, it is best to purchase a nail trimmer that is specifically designed for your dog?s size. They come in both scissor and guillotine styles; either is fine. While you?re at the pet store, purchase a small bottle of blood-clotting powder too?it?s much better to have it on hand and never need it than to need it and not have it!
There are two ways you can position your dog for nail-trimming: have your dog sit beside you or put your dog in a laying down position. (If you have a very small dog, you can even pull it off while she sits on your lap.) Got the patient situated? Have at it:
- Take the first paw in your hand and gently remove any dirt from around the nail.
- Locate the quick within the nail. (Remember, we want to avoid this vein!)
- Gradually shorten one nail, avoiding the quick that contains the blood vessel and nerve. If you cannot see the quick, stop cutting at the point where the nail begins to curve downward. (Sometimes the nail will suddenly appear thicker at this point.)
- If you do accidentally cut into the quick, don?t panic! It will bleed profusely, but it looks worse than it is. Using a cotton swab, apply some of the clotting powder to the end of the nail and press against it firmly (no peeking!) for about two minutes.
- Repeat the nail cutting process and don?t forget the dewclaws, which are located on the inside of the front and/or rear legs. (Some dog?s don?t have dewclaws, so if you don?t see any, don?t worry?it just means you have 2 or 4 less nails to trim!)
Eye See You
In the midst of all of this combing and cutting and washing and probing, it?s important to remember that you are not a professional. Since that?s the case, NEVER put anything into your dog?s eyes without the advice of your veterinarian!
If your dog?s eyes seem red or irritated, or if there is any discharge from the eyes, do not take it upon yourself to use medication even if you have used it for a previous eye problem. Different medical conditions require different medications and, depending on the problem, certain types of drugs can be more harmful than beneficial. An ulcer or scratch on the cornea, for example, may heal more slowly if treated with cortisone. In worse cases it could cause scarring or loss of sight.
If you feel that your dog has too much ?goop? adhered to the fur around the eyes, use a damp paper towel or wash cloth to gently wipe the eyes clean. In some breeds of dogs, this can be a constant task. Talk to your vet to find out if this is normal for your dog.
All the Better to Hear You With
Ear care is probably one of the most important aspects of grooming because early detection of ear abnormalities will help avoid painful ear infections and permanent hearing loss due to severe infections. Dogs that have droopy ear pinnas (such as Labradors, Golden Retrievers and Setters) are more susceptible to fungal and bacterial infections and should be checked once or twice weekly. In your inspections, you?re looking for redness, excessive ?dirt,? a foul odor coming from the ears along with scratching and head shaking. These are all signs of ear irritation.
Infected ears are not only painful, but can lead to further complications if left untreated. One common problem is a hematoma, a broken blood vessel within the ear pinna (flap) caused by constant scratching and head shaking. The hematoma will create an uncomfortable, balloon-like swelling. Normally a hematoma is treated surgically with the draining of accumulated blood and ?tacking? the ear with sutures so that it cannot reoccur. The other alternative is to allow the blood within the flap to dissipate over a few months, however, this usually results in an ear that looks crumpled, not to mention an unhappy dog.
The skin on the inside of the ear flaps should be a normal fleshy pink color. If there appears to be a little dirt?and it should come as no surprised when there is?use a cotton ball moistened with warm water or a small amount of mineral oil to remove the accumulated dirt from the opening of the ear canal. Do not ever probe deeply into the canal with a cotton swab or other object as it may irritate or damage the ear. (This is especially true if an infection is present.) If you feel your dog?s ears need deeper cleaning, seek the help of your veterinarian who will be able to prescribe an ear cleaner that is the correct formulation for your dog?s ears.
The Doggie Dentist
Most pet owners rarely even consider it, but you really should check your dog?s teeth at least once a month and clean them as needed with pet toothpaste and soft toothbrush. Though they probably don?t chew as much gum as we do, dogs can develop cavities and periodontal disease just like humans. With the new trends in veterinary medicine, it has now become the norm to try and prevent dental problems rather than just ignoring them until you can?t bear your dog?s breath anymore. As your dog gets older, your veterinarian may need to perform ultrasonic dentistry to remove built up tarter and to clean under the gumline. Tarta and gingivitis (inflamed gums) can cause bacterial infections that can ultimately end up in the kidneys, liver and heart of your dog ? which can be life-threatening.
The benefits of a proper grooming schedule can do a lot more than make your pretty pup look good. Taking good care of your dog?s outside and the inside will help you by taking care of itself.
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