Grooming

Grooming Tips

Bathing Your Dog

It is recommended to bath your dog a minimum of once every three months, but you may give your pup up to a weekly bath if your dog has a long hair, is quite active or suffers of skin problems. Dog owners should be aware that dogs generate natural oils to regenerate their skin and hair and over-bathing them could produce irritation and skin dryness.

At any rate, you should use hypo-allergenic and natural dog or baby shampoos to reduce the potential risks of skin irritations and dryness.

Dental Care

Dogs, as humans, suffer of similar dental pathologies. If they accumulate tartar on their teeth their gums could create gingivitis and consequently tooth loss. Although we can brush dogs teeth regularly, we should keep in mind that a  healthy diet together with  chew toys, can go a long way toward keeping her mouth healthy. Bacteria and plaque-forming foods can cause build-up on a dog’s teeth. This can harden into tartar, potentially causing gingivitis, receding gums and tooth loss. Many pooches show signs of gum disease by the time they’re four years old because they aren’t provided with proper mouth care.

Ear Care

Your dog’s regular grooming routine should include regular ear checks. This is especially important for dogs who produce excessive earwax or have a lot of inner-ear hair. Don’t clean your dog’s ears so frequently or deeply as to cause irritation and take care to never insert anything into your dog’s ear canal—probing inside can cause trauma or infection!

Treating Wounds

It’s not unusual for dogs to suffer cuts or wounds from accidentally stepping on glass, debris or other objects. Wounds that are smaller than a half inch in diameter can be cleaned with an antibacterial wash and wrapped with a light bandage. For deeper paw cuts, see your veterinarian for treatment.

Winter and Summer Paw Care

As with humans, your dog’s paws will require different types of care depending on the season. The bitter cold of winter can cause chapping and cracking in your dog’s paws. Rock salt and chemical ice melters can cause sores, infection, and blistering, and toxic chemicals can also be ingested by your dog when he licks his paws. Beat these wintertime blues by washing your dog’s paws in warm water after outdoor walks to rinse away salt and chemicals. You may wish to apply Vaseline, a great salt barrier, to your pet’s pads before each walk—or make sure your dog wears doggie booties.

During the summer, it’s important to remember your dog’s paws feel heat extremes. Just imagine stepping barefoot onto hot pavement—ouch! To prevent burns and blisters, avoid walking your dog on hot pavement or sand. Watch for blisters, loose flaps of skin and red, ulcerated patches on your pet’s pads. For minor burns, apply antibacterial wash to the paw and cover with a loose bandage. For serious burns, please visit your vet immediately.

Preventing Paw Problems

When starting a new exercise program with your dog, start off slow. Paws may become sensitive, chaffed or cracked, particularly when starting your dog out on hikes or runs. Be sure to keep your home and yard clear of pointy bits and pieces and avoid hazards such as broken glass and other debris when walking your dog. Always keep this simple tip in mind—if you wouldn’t like to walk barefoot on it, neither will your dog!