grooming

Grooming your Dog
Grooming Tools and Tips
How to Groom Your Dog Video

Grooming Your Dog

http://www.dogstales.co.uk

Dog Grooming:
Grooming your dog performs 3 functions: keeps your dog clean & sweet smelling, establishes yourself as the 'pack leader' and allows you to give your dog a check up in order to spot any problems with skin, nails, eyes, ears etc.

Bathing your dog.
Some short-haired breeds may not appear to need regular bathing as they may easily shed any dirt they pick up. The doggie smell may linger though!

It rarely does any harm to give your dog a bath and its probably essential to keep him acceptable to yourself and others!

It is an essential part of dog grooming!
If you have a small dog breed, then you may be able to use a large bowl or the sink to bath him. A large dog may need to go into the family bath.

Be prepared before starting to bath him as you dont want to leave him once he is in the water. (If you give him the chance to jump out, you may never see him again!)

Gather your essentials:
Fill the bowl or bath with a few inches of clean, warm water
Place your shampoo of choice within easy reach
Keep a large towel to hand
Have a means of pouring water on to him i.e. jug or shower head
Gauze swabs for cleaning around the eyes and in the ears
Wear a waterproof apron!

doginbath

There are different shampoos on the market so try to make sure that you buy yours from a reputable source.
There is the usual medicated shampoo that is the most common. There is anti-parasitic shampoos to treat and prevent fleas. And if your dog has a particular skin condition, your vet may recommend a specialised shampoo.
Avoid getting water in to your dogs eyes when bathing. Use some gauze swabs to gently wipe around the eyes and in the ears. Remember to use dry swabs to dry inside his ears once you have finished.

Give him a brisk rub with the towel once you have finished bathing then he will probably run around madly to help the drying process.

Give him a quick comb through whilst he is still a little damp to prevent tangling.

Grooming your dog.
When choosing a dog breed for a pet, its worth considering how much time and money you are prepared to spend on dog grooming.

All breed dog grooming.
The most demanding are of course, the long-coated breeds, such as the Afghan and the Old English Sheepdog.
Long-haired breeds need a lot of daily grooming and unless you are an expert, a monthly visit to the grooming parlour for a trim.

Your local grooming parlour will give you lots of advice about the daily care of your dog so if you choose a long-haired breed, be sure to visit them as soon as your dog is allowed out.

Rough-coated dog breeds also need considerable attention.
Although rough-haired dogs may not moult as much as other breeds, they do 'cast.' This is a type of moulting but the hair is lost in quite substantial matts every 6 months or so and especially if they are not regularly groomed.
Daily brushing and combing with a stiff brush is essential. Remember to brush right through the thickness of the coat by seperating and brushing until you reach the top layer.

A professional groomer may also be needed especially if you are planning to 'show' your dog.

The easiest type of dog to groom is one of the short-haired breeds.
Short-coated dogs do tend to moult almost constantly but this can be kept under control with daily brushing.
A good stiff bristle grooming brush is all that is needed and about 10 minutes a day.
Brush all of the coat gently whilst checking your dogs skin for sores etc. and being careful to avoid the eye area.
Whichever breed of dog you have, make sure you invest in some good grooming equipment from a reputable source.

There are many types of grooming equipment on the market, brushes, combs, clippers and grooming gloves so be sure to buy the necessary equipment for your dog breed.

Nail Clipping.
There are available to buy, nail clippers to clip your dogs nails. If you choose to do this job yourself then you must be very careful not to clip into the 'quick' of the nail or your dog will feel pain, bleed and never let you near his paws again!

Much better to ask a dog grooming professional!

Teeth Cleaning.
Get your dog accustomed to having his teeth cleaned daily. Use a soft tooth brush or some gauze wrapped around your finger with some tasty dog toothpaste.

Some toothpaste can just be placed into the dogs mouth and will do the job just as well!

reprinted with kind permission from Andrea
http://www.dogstales.co.uk

****************************

Grooming Tools and Tips

Grooming enables you to remove dead and unwanted hair and skin, debris and dirt from the coat. It allows fresh air and sunlight to get through the coat making room for fresh new growth and creates a more flowing lighter coat which allows the skin to breath. When grooming it is important that no areas are missed as these grooming sessions enable you to check for any noticeable changes with your dog. Check the skin is healthy and there are no parasites. Look at the ears and check that there is no unusual smell or dirty discharge. The eyes should be bright, clear and with no discharge. Check under the tail to make sure it is clean and clear and there is no sign of internal parasite. Check the length of the nails on the feet, not forgetting the dew claws and make sure that they are not split or damaged in any way. Check the pads for any splits or sore patches and look between the toes as from the spring time onwards grass seeds and mites can cause an irritation.

Always use the proper comb or brush for your dog's coat type. There are several companies who make excellent grooming tools designed specifically for the many different coat types. The longer the coat, the longer the pins need to be in a brush. A similar rule applies when selecting a comb. For a longer and thicker coat choose a wider and longer-toothed comb.

Tidy the feet by trimming any excess hair and taking out knots from under the pads, using very short-bladed scissors. If your dog has knots you cannot brush out, use small scissors to cut through them pointing the tip of the scissors away from the skin. Pull the knot open with your fingers, then brush and comb untill the knot is broken down or pulls out.

Comb and brush gently to prevent damage to the skin or breakage to the coat. If you can hear the sound of the brush, you are brushing too hard.

Thinning scissors have one straight and one serrated blade. These are usefull if you want to thin the area around the anas or behind the ears on heavy coated dogs.

Long bladed scissors are for shortening the coats of long-coated dogs.

Comb out all mats prior to bathing using a Detangle Spray. It is best not to comb out an entirely dry coat and bathing an already matted coat will worsen the problem.

The best time to brush out a coat is after a bath while using a forced air or stand dryer.

******************

The Slicker Brush

The pad has a series of metal filaments which are used for removing unwanted hair especially for longer haired breeds of dogs. The Universal Large has a nice big head and has a curved body hence more curved cushion.

Double Sided Brush

Double sided brush for medium/large dogs, all coat types. This brush has a soft bristle brush on one side and metal pins on the other to give a thorough groom to all breeds. Brushing distributes natural oils and removes loose hair and dirt whilst promotin a healthy, shiny coat.

Metal Combs

A nice light weight comb for using on the ears and feathers of larger breeds. Ideal for getting in behind their ears to check for and remove tangles.

Blunt nose Scissors

Only use scissors between the pads of the feet and around the anus. The blunt nose helps avoid stabbing a fidgeting dog.

Blunt Nosed Curved Scissors

Chrome plated bull nose curved scissors. Scissors ideal for trimming ears, face and paws. Suitable for all animals. These curved scissors are the safe way to trim your pet.

A Matt Splitter

Mikki Splitter. A handy pocket sized plastic splitter to easily cut through smallmats. A top quality product designed for easy and efficient removal of matsand tangles. A soft comfort grip handle. Stainless steel blades sharpened both sides for optimum cutting.

Undercoat Rake

A undercoat rake will penetrate deeply into your pet's coat and remove loose undercoat without removing the other hair.

The Furiminator

This patented tool utilizes a unique blade that removes dead undercoat and loose hair while leaving the topcoat alone. It features a 1 1/3-inch wide blade with fine 1/8-inch teeth. This tool removes an amazing amount of fur easily.

For more details see Good Value Items

******************************

CANINE COAT CARE