Dec 22 2009

Here’s How To Make Clipping Your Dog Both Fun And Easy!

Very few people see clipping their dogs as an art form. Instead, they just tackle certain areas, such as scraggly fur on the feet, to keep their dogs from tacking in mud. In an effort to get rid of undesirable hair, however, many owners forget that clipping their dogs can actually cause damage.

Remember to pay attention to the breed of your dog when clipping his or her fir. Long haired breeds must be clipped correctly to prevent dirt from accumulating close to the skin and causing problems. Fleas, ticks, and man other parasites may also breed more easily in a poorly or improperly clipped coat.

You should also be sure to keep your pet’s nails trimmed to avoid pain in walking and breakage. An overly long mail will have a tendency to turn to the side, and may even grow to puncture the skin. Dogs with too long nails will also easily catch them on things, causing breakage and splitting.

Injuries are common during the process of clipping a dog’s nails – the inside of the nail may bleed when cut. Since the quick of the mail is the source of blood and the location of nerves, it’s what keeps the nail healthy and growing. This area is located well back in the nail, but if the nail’s been cut too short or splinters, the quick may be exposed. This sensitive area will then be quite painful.

When cutting your dog’s nails and hair, make sure you always use very sharp clippers. For nails, make sure you get the right tools for the job – nail clippers for people just don’t work for dogs. There are lots of new types of nail clippers out there that are made to cut down on pain and damage.

If you live in an area that’s cold in winter, don’t clip your dog during the cold months unless you have to. The winter can be very stressful for your dog if his coat isn’t long enough to protect him. Remember that dogs can get frostbite the same way we can.

Overclipping in summer can be bad as well. It might not seem like it, but your dog’s coat protects him or her and keeps the harmful rays of the sun from causing damage. It’s okay to thin or shorten the coat slightly, but make sure you leave enough fur to protect your pet.

Don’t clip your dog when he or she is ill, since it can stress your pet even more. Clip only when needed to get rid of broken nails or dirty fur.

Walking your dog on concrete daily can help keep him or her healthy. This will help you wear down the nail on a gradual basis and will keep them even. That way, you and your dog don’t have to go through the clipping process.

To get the best results, you’ll want to talk to a professional groomer who knows how to correctly clip your dog.

It’s also important to look into the best dog training tools to make sure your pooch behaves like you want him or her to. Click Here for a proven dog training program that you can start using today to improve your dog’s behavior!

Dec 21 2009

A Safe Guide To Clipping Your Dog

Mot dog owners don’t view the process of clipping their pet as an art. Instead, they’re trying to deal with the problem areas – scraggly hair on the feet that tracks in mud, for instance. In their efforts to get rid of undesirable hair, however, they may forget that they can accidentally hurt their pets.

Remember to pay attention to the breed of your dog when clipping his or her fir. Long haired breeds must be clipped correctly to prevent dirt from accumulating close to the skin and causing problems. Fleas, ticks, and man other parasites may also breed more easily in a poorly or improperly clipped coat.

You also need to trip your dog’s toenails correctly to keep them from breaking accidentally and making walking painful. Longer nails will tend to twist sideways, and in serious cases even dig into the foot and cause injury. Dogs with overly long claws will often catch them on hard surfaces, splitting or breaking them.

Injuries also easily occur during clipping of nails. The quick of the nail will bleed it it’s cut. This is the source of blood supplying the nail, as well as where the nerves are located. This keeps the nail alive and growing. However, this area is situated far back inside the nail, and will only be exposed if you cut the nail too short or if it splinters. This can be sensitive or painful.

You must always use the right clippers for your dog’s nails and hair – make sure they’re sharp and meant for animals. Human tools won’t work here. You can find quality tools at your local pet supply store.

If you live somewhere with a cold climate, avoid clipping your dog in winter unless you have to. The winter can put a lot of stress on your dog, particularly if your dog’s coat is not long enough to protect her from the snowy weather and chilly climate. Remember that humans aren’t the only ones to get frostbite.

Overclipping in summer can be bad as well. It might not seem like it, but your dog’s coat protects him or her and keeps the harmful rays of the sun from causing damage. It’s okay to thin or shorten the coat slightly, but make sure you leave enough fur to protect your pet.

Don’t clip your dog when he or she is ill, since it can stress your pet even more. Clip only when needed to get rid of broken nails or dirty fur.

Walking your dog on concrete daily can help keep your dog’s nails worn down in a more even, gradual way. This helps you avoid having to deal with clippers.

To get the best results, you’ll want to talk to a professional groomer who knows how to correctly clip your dog.

It’s also important to look into the right dog training tools to ensure that your dog behaves like you want him or her to. Click Here for a top-notch dog training program that is easy to use to improve your relationship with your pet!

Dec 19 2009

Easy Tips To Make Bathing A Dog Easy!

Most of us think about bathing dogs in one of two ways. Either we believe that dogs nearly never need bathing, or we fall in with the people who feel a dog should be bathed once a month or even more often. The truth is somewhere between the two.

Bathing is very good for dogs, but it shouldn’t be done too often or it could cause some real health problems.

That’s because all dogs have oils in their fur and skin, the same way as people do. Wash your dog too often and his skin will dry out. Your dog will itch, and may scratch and create sores. Remember there there are benefits to retaining the natural oils. They protect the skin from its own bacteria, for instance.

You can make bathtime fun for both you and your dog. Just be sure to take care about a few things and your chances of success go way up.

1. It’s important to provide protection for your dog’s ears. Soap and water, if they get into the ear canal, can cause significant infections. This is often temporary, but infections can cause real damage, up to and including deafness. If you think your dog may have an ear infection, look for frequent head shaking and discharge from the ears to be sure.

To make sure that this doesn’t occur, all you need to do is use cotton balls to stop your dog’s ears. Never force these into the ear canal – just place them securely at the entrance of the ear, keeping water out. Once the bath is over, dry the ears to keep moisture out – a finger wrapped in a cloth works well. If you decide to use a cotton swab, make sure you don’t put it too deeply into the ear canal, since it could damage the ear drum.

2. Remember to use a shampoo that’s been made for dogs, since they’re formulated to protect the fur and skin of your pet. Soaps made for humans are often harsh or irritating, plus dogs may be allergic to the scents used in them.

3. How frequently you’ll need to bathe your dog will depend on breed. Dogs that have longer hair need to be washed more often than dogs with short hair. Spaniels and other hairy dogs may need to be washed as often as every two months. Some other breeds can go as long as eight months. Outdoor dogs get dirty more quickly and will need more frequent bathing.

Starting your dog off right with routine bathing is important. Be compassionate and patient, since scaring your dog makes it a lot harder to bathe him. Make bathtime fun if you can, since lots of dogs enjoy swimming or being sprinkled with water.

If you can, set the bath up outside and encourage your dog to play in it. Distract your dog from water with toys. When the dog calms down, you can start the bath. A leash may help with this process.

Have everything ready first, including soaps towel, a bowl for pouring water, and brushes. Water coming out of the tap might be a little cold, so let water in the bath warm up a little.

If you show your dog that the bath is fun, you and your pet will both enjoy it and look forward to it.

It’s also important to look into the right dog training tools to make sure your pooch behaves like you want him or her to. Click Here for a top-notch dog training program that you can start using today to improve your relationship with your pet!

Dec 15 2009

How Can I Bathe My Dog? Here’s The Easy Way To Wash Your Dog!

Most people have one of two opinions about dog bathing. Some believe that dogs only need to be washed every year or so. Others believe that they should bathe their pets once a month.

Bathing is very good for dogs, but it shouldn’t be done too often or it could cause some real health problems.

Just like us, dogs naturally have oils in their fur and skin. Bathing your dog too often will cause drying of the skin, which means itching, scratching and possible sores and injuries. Remember that the natural oils have some benefits, since they provide protection from bacteria and other elements.

With care, you can make bathing entertaining for you and your pet. Just watch for a few things.

1. Ear protection is important for your dog in the bath. If the ear canal gets soap and water in it, an infection could occur. This could be temporary, but serious damage could also occur. Infections can cause harm to the ear drum, leading to possible deafness. Some signs that your dog could be suffering from an ear infection, he may shake his head often or develop a discharge from his ears.

If you want to be sure that this doesn’t occur, you can gently block your dog’s ears. Use cotton balls, and don’t force them into the ear canal. Place them gently but securely at the entrance to your dog’s ear to keep water out. Once the bath is done, make sure you dry the ears carefully, since moisture can still get in. A cloth around your finger is a good way to do this, but you can also choose a cotton swab if you use it carefully.

2. Remember to use a shampoo that’s been made for dogs, since they’re formulated to protect the fur and skin of your pet. Soaps made for humans are often harsh or irritating, plus dogs may be allergic to the scents used in them.

3. How frequently you’ll need to bathe your dog will depend on breed. Dogs that have longer hair need to be washed more often than dogs with short hair. Spaniels and other hairy dogs may need to be washed as often as every two months. Some other breeds can go as long as eight months. Outdoor dogs get dirty more quickly and will need more frequent bathing.

Starting your dog off right with routine bathing is important. Be compassionate and patient, since scaring your dog makes it a lot harder to bathe him. Make bathtime fun if you can, since lots of dogs enjoy swimming or being sprinkled with water.

If you can, set the bath up outside and encourage your dog to play in it. Distract your dog from water with toys. When the dog calms down, you can start the bath. A leash may help with this process.

When you bathe your pet, get the shampoo, towel, soap and other tools together early, and avoid using the hose. Water from the garden hose is usually too cold. Use a bowl with water from the bath instead – it’ll be warmer.

If you teach your dog that bathing is to be enjoyed, you and your pet will enjoy the next session.

You will also want to look into the right dog training tools to make sure your dog behaves the way you want him or her to. Click Here for a proven dog training program that is easy to use to improve your relationship with your pet!

Jul 13 2009

A Safe Guide To Clipping Your Dog

by Cliff Stone

Very few people see clipping their dogs as an art form. Instead, they just tackle certain areas, such as scraggly fur on the feet, to keep their dogs from tacking in mud. In an effort to get rid of undesirable hair, however, many owners forget that clipping their dogs can actually cause damage.

When you choose to clip your dog’s coat, it’s important to keep breed in mind. Longer hair breeds can suffer if you clip them wrongly. Dust accumulates in the coat, and skin diseases may result. In addition, parasites may more freely breed in coats that haven’t been cared for correctly.

You also need to trip your dog’s toenails correctly to keep them from breaking accidentally and making walking painful. Longer nails will tend to twist sideways, and in serious cases even dig into the foot and cause injury. Dogs with overly long claws will often catch them on hard surfaces, splitting or breaking them.

Injuries are common during the process of clipping a dog’s nails – the inside of the nail may bleed when cut. Since the quick of the mail is the source of blood and the location of nerves, it’s what keeps the nail healthy and growing. This area is located well back in the nail, but if the nail’s been cut too short or splinters, the quick may be exposed. This sensitive area will then be quite painful.

When cutting your dog’s nails and hair, make sure you always use very sharp clippers. For nails, make sure you get the right tools for the job – nail clippers for people just don’t work for dogs. There are lots of new types of nail clippers out there that are made to cut down on pain and damage.

If you live in an area that’s cold in winter, don’t clip your dog during the cold months unless you have to. The winter can be very stressful for your dog if his coat isn’t long enough to protect him. Remember that dogs can get frostbite the same way we can.

Never cut your pet’s hair too short in the summer, either. Otherwise, you could expose her skin to the harmful rays of the sun. Dogs’ fur keeps them cooler in the summer as well as warm in the winter. A slight cut will be fine, but make sure you leave enough fur to protect your dog.

It’s also important to avoid clipping unhealthy dogs. This can cause them stress, so clip sick pets only when absolutely necessary.

One way to help keep your dogs nails short and health is walking her on concrete on a daily basis. This allows the nails to gradually be worn down. It naturally controls the length of the nails, keeping you and your pet from needing to deal with nail clippers.

To get the best results, you’ll want to talk to a professional groomer who knows how to correctly clip your dog.

About the Author:
Jul 06 2009

How Can I Bathe My Dog? Here’s The Easy Way To Wash Your Dog!

by Cliff Stone

Most of us think about bathing dogs in one of two ways. Either we believe that dogs nearly never need bathing, or we fall in with the people who feel a dog should be bathed once a month or even more often. The truth is somewhere between the two.

Bathing is really good for dogs, but it may cause problems if you do it too much.

This is because dogs have natural skin and fur oils, the same way that people do. If you bathe your dogs too frequently, their skin will become dry and itchy. This creates a risk of scratching and breaking skin. Remember that the natural oils really are beneficial, and that they protect your dog from many things.

With care, you can make bathing entertaining for you and your pet. Just watch for a few things.

1. It’s important to provide protection for your dog’s ears. Soap and water, if they get into the ear canal, can cause significant infections. This is often temporary, but infections can cause real damage, up to and including deafness. If you think your dog may have an ear infection, look for frequent head shaking and discharge from the ears to be sure.

To make sure that this doesn’t occur, all you need to do is use cotton balls to stop your dog’s ears. Never force these into the ear canal – just place them securely at the entrance of the ear, keeping water out. Once the bath is over, dry the ears to keep moisture out – a finger wrapped in a cloth works well. If you decide to use a cotton swab, make sure you don’t put it too deeply into the ear canal, since it could damage the ear drum.

2. Use a shampoo intended for dogs. These are made to protect your pet’s fur and skin. Soaps meant for people can be irritating and harsh. There’s also a chance your dog will be allergic to the perfumes in human products.

3. The frequency with which you bathe your dog will depend on the breed you have. Dogs with long hair need to be washed more often than breeds that have short hair. That means that if you have a hairy breed, such as a spaniel, you may need to bathe as often as once every two months. Other breeds could go as long as eight months, but outdoor dogs will probably need more frequent bathing.

Starting your dog off right with routine bathing is important. Be compassionate and patient, since scaring your dog makes it a lot harder to bathe him. Make bathtime fun if you can, since lots of dogs enjoy swimming or being sprinkled with water.

Set the bath up outside when you can, and encourage your pet to run through it. Distract your pet from the water with a toy or two, and once your pet calms down, you can start the bath. Some people use a leash to keep their dog from running off.

Collect everything you’ll need for the bath well in advance, including soap, towels, and a bowl for pouring water. Hoses usually are full of water that’s too cold – use water from the bath instead.

If you teach your dog that bathing is fun and enjoyable, he’ll be excited about the prospect.

About the Author: