A Tangled Pooch

How many of us dog owners brush and comb our pooch’s coat on a regular basis in-between grooms?  If you said, “never”, “not often”, or “not enough”…then you may have come across the issue of bunches of itty-bitty knots or mega-tangles in your pooch’s coat.  These knots or tangles (better known in the grooming world a “matt”) can be very obvious or not obvious and/or unsightly, but above all, an eventual painful obstacle for your pooch to a good grooming.

De-tangling (also known as de-matting) your pooch’s coat is an appropriate and necessary step to grooming your dog.  The de-matting process will take place well before the dog is bathed.  Bathing a matted dog will only make the matts worse upon drying and this will result in even more discomfort for your dog. Attempting to dry a tangled and knotted coat will result in the knot drying and result in possible pulling at the skin, if it has not already done so, causing not only irritated skin and discomfort, but poses a hazard to your dog during the grooming process. 

During the grooming process…should clippers come into contact with one of these knots of fur while trying shorten the fur, the clippers could cut into the dog’s skin presenting a new and more serious risk.

To help find the presence of matts, one should be able to run a small tooth comb through the pooch’s coat from head to tail, chest through belly as well as the underarms, hindquarters through the tail including under the tail.  The inability to do so will likely hinder not only the grooming process but the bathing phase as well.  Though, in most cases, de-matting is possible…it does come with risks and concerns…not to mention extra charges.  The added charges depend on the condition of the coat and the degree of the severity of the matts that are found. Charges are added because of the risk to the pooch, the risk of a possible dog bite to the groomer (dogs fight the process), extra wear-tear on equipment, and the time it takes a groomer to dematt or detangle a dog…so do not be upset with the added charges. They are fair and necessary charges.

Any and all grooming shops will have thier respective de-matting fee structure.  Please inquire as to thier de-matting fees and how those charges are incurred.  They may be accessed as a base rate or upon intervals of time.  In either case, be sure to ask your groomer about their particular grooming process and fees.   Ask your groomer how you can help keep your dog’s coat matt free with regular brushing including a thorough comb-through with a small tooth comb, so that when your  pooch comes in for their regular grooming you will not be surprised with… a tangled pooch and the added charge!

More Dangerous Objects To Your Dog

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There are a few foods which can harm your dog, some you may not have ever thought as being dangerous. Gum is very hard on the stomach to digest. For humans it can take months to years for us to digest it, but for dogs they may never digest it in their lifetime. Gum can easily build up due to being hard to digest and can lead to death or health problems. Getting your dog to throw it up as soon as you find out he ate it can help prevent those problems. But if you can’t get your dog to throw it up, take him to the vet.

Salt, which can be found in almost every drink there is and most foods, can cause your dog to become dehydrated. Enough of it can kill your dog if you wait too long.

One plant which you should always keep your dog away from is the Castor Bean plant. The Castor Bean plant is the most poisonous plant in world. The plant products a fruit which can kill humans in less then twenty four hours. If your dog happens to get a hold of one of these and eat it, take your dog to the vet. The fruit will cause more severe symptoms in a dog then a human depending on how much is eaten and the size of your dog. There are many more plants which can be dangerous to your dog’s health, but this is the most dangerous.

The first two are fairly common household items, and the last one will only grow in certain areas. If you’re planning to go out camping with your dog, try to stay away from areas where this plant would grow. And the other two you should keep out of the reach of your dog.

Dog Immuse System

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Depending on the strength of your dog’s immune system, your trips to the vet can be more frequent or less frequent. Some things about your dog’s immune system you can’t change because when your dog was born, he might have inherited a very weak or a strong immune system. If your dog has an immune system which is weak, your dog’s immune system can be strengthened to help prevent your dog from getting sick. There are three main causes why your dog’s immune system may become weak. Stress, no exercise, and a poor diet. Any or all three of these situations can cause your dog’s immune system to weaken and your dog to become ill more often.

Your dog’s diet may need different things depending on what the size of your dog is, weight, and the age of your dog. Some dog foods have been designed for particular age groups or weights. Dog food with vitamin C can help keep your dog’s immune system strong. Exercising your dog is necessary for him to become healthy and is good for his immune system. Walking your dog several times a week can help your dog maintain a health weight and keep his immune system healthy. Playing with your dog can also help reduce stress and you can also get exercise for your dog at the same time. This is a great way for getting exercise in, and it can get two of the things that cause a weaken immune system taken care of.

The amount of time you spend exercising and what you feed your dog will depend on your dog’s weight, age, and size. But the time you spend with your dog is all up to you. At least spend ten to twenty minutes a day with your dog to keep him happy and healthy. Keeping your dog’s immune system strong can help keep your dog healthy longer, and keep him alive longer.

Your Dog And The Sun

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Dogs that spend most of their time running around and playing outside have a high risk of getting sunburned and skin damage from the sun. This can be costly and lead to health issues later in your dog’s life. Short haired dogs or lighter colored fur will also increase the chance of your dog having issues with the rays of the sun. Keeping your dog inside might not be the best solution to the problem. Keeping your dog inside where he can’t run around will fill him with excess energy, and he might pick up a few bad habits if he gets bored.

There is clothings for dogs that will reflect the rays of the sun, or just regular clothing for dogs can help prevent some of the rays. But the clothing shouldn’t be too thick or keep too much heat in or else it could cause heat stroke or other problems. Another option is using some different sun screens which can prevent sunburn and other damage. Sun screen that is made for kids can also work for dogs most of the time. But sun screens with scents can sometimes cause irritation to your dog’s skin. There are also some sun screens designed for dogs that are less like to cause problems when applying it to your dog.

Even though there are ways to prevent it, there really is no way to keep the sun from posing some problems. There still is a chance that it can pose problems, but sun screens and clothing that reflects it will help prevent the chance of it harming your dog. So instead of leaving your dog locked inside the house the whole day so he is full of energy and is bored, try some sun screens and different clothings that can keep your dog safe from the rays of the sun.

Dog Hair

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Your dog’s hair is important to your dog’s health and how he looks. Dogs can sometimes get dry hair or experience increased shedding from shampoos which wash away oils your dog needs to keep his hair and skin healthy. This can be fixed by changing the shampoo you use or by adding different things to your dog’s diet.

One of the items that can increase the health of your dog’s coat is adding a raw egg to the diet. There are a few minor risks to this process, but is the easiest to do. Don’t feed your dog too many egg whites at a time or he may get sick. The other risk is salmonella. This risk is one in tens of thousands, but there is a small chance it could happen.

Fish oil is another thing which can be added to your dog’s diet to make your dog’s hair healthier. This is also another easier way to make dog’s hair better, but like the raw eggs, may take a little time to show the improvement.

If your dog can stay still for a long time while taking a bath, and you want to have an instant improvement, try using olive oil. Wet down your dog’s hair in a bath tub, put olive oil on your dog’s hair and rub it in, let it sit for about fifteen to thirty minutes, and wash the extra oil off of your dog’s coat. This way can be the biggest pain for dogs who don’t like to take a bath, but it is the fastest way to get an instant result.

The last thing that could make your dog’s hair better, is to change your dog’s dog food. Some dog foods will have more ingrediants to increase the health of your dog’s hair, but it can cost more because of the contents. This method will also take some time to show.

There are many other ways to make your dog’s hair healthier, but these are a few of the ways that are fairly easy and don’t cost a lot of money to do. But if you don’t have the time to do any of these, you could always drop your dog off at a local groomer, which can give your dog a bath and save you time.

Heat Exhaustion in Dogs

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While you’re out walking or at the dog park with your dog during a hot summer day, there is one deadly risk associated with these activities…heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion can affect dogs differently depending on if you have a long or short haired dog. If you have a long haired dog, you’ll want your dog stay out of the heat for longer periods of time then a short haired dog. An average dog’s temperature will be around one hundred to one hundred and three. If the temperature is above one hundred and four, your dog will probably start reacting to the heat and will start to show problems.

If a dog is suffering from heat exhaustion, he will start to look distressed and may start circling or pacing, and may have his tongue hanging out of his mouth at weird angles. Your dog may also have glazed over look in his eyes that can also be a sign of heat exhaustion. You may also want to feel the temperature of your dog’s fur to know how hot it is. If it feels like it’s on fire, you will definitely want to take your dog over to a shady area or into some water to help him cool down.

If your dog happens to get heat exhaustion take him into a cooler area like under some shade, or if possible, inside. Once in a cooler area, put some lukewarm to cool water on your dog’s belly to cool down your dog faster. If you put the water on your dog’s back, it won’t cool your dog down as fast because the hair on your dog will get cooled more from the water meeting contact with that first. You also do not want to dump a bucket of cold water on your dog if he has heat exhaustion. That can lead to putting your dog’s body into shock and killing him. Avoid the use of ice because it may do more harm than good…cooling your dog down slowly is more effective…you do not want to make your dog shiver as this may raise his body temperature. Also, do not let your dog drink ice water when he is over-heated, this can lead to stomach cramps and possible bloating which can also result in death. If you decide to try and drive your dog to the vet, make sure the car is not hot, and you keep your dog’s temperature down on the ride there.

If you go outside with your dog during a hot day, make sure your dog can get plenty of water and make sure he stays cool. Also do not leave your dog inside a car without air conditioning. This will cause your dog to over heat quickly and possibly kill him. So remember to keep your dog safe when you go out into a hot place. You don’t want your dog to get heat exhaustion.

Collars For Dogs

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Finding the right collar for your dog can depend on the size of your dog, his personality, any medical problems, and what you do and don’t want him to do. Some collars can cause problems that will harm your dog in the long run. Others were made to keep those problems from happening. There are three main types of collars: prong, choke collars, and harness. Larger more outgoing dogs who like to jump up on people and chase things that they shouldn’t should use a prong or choke collar until they learn not to. Quieter, less outgoing dogs should use a harness.

Prong collars have the same purpose as a choke collar, to keep your dog from taking off running to chase an animal or something else. The prong collar has sets of dull spikes on the inside of the collar, so if your dog takes off running after something when he’s on a leash, he’ll learn, hopefully, to not do that again the next time around. This shouldn’t be used on older dogs because it has a higher risk of harming them and causing problems.

Choke chain collars are for the same purpose as a prong, but can cause problems to dogs quicker. The choke collar will tighten more and more the more your dog pulls away from you when your dog is on a leash. This also takes a bit longer to train your dog because it doesn’t cause as much discomfort as a prong collar, but it doesn’t make it safer over time.

Harnesses are less likely to cause a problem to your dog, and are better to use if he already has a health problem. Harnesses take a bit longer to get on and don’t stop your dog from pulling away from you as much when he wants to chase something. It is best to use this collar after your dog learns to pull away.

There is one more collar which is used to teach a dog called a shock collar. There is alot of controversy over these and probably should not be used without consulting a veterinarian.

Finding the right collar will depend on how your dog acts and any medical problems. So when you’re trying to find the right collar, just think of the four things: size of your dog, his personality, any medical problems, and what you do and don’t want him to do.

How to Keep Your Dog Healthy

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Keeping your dog healthy is one of the most important responsibilities a dog owner has. Exercise is a important part of your dog’s health, however, where you live and the type of job you have can effect the amount of exercise that your dog can get. If you work eight hours a day, work down town or far away from work, or if you have a apartment where residences are built close together and you can barely find some grassy area, let alone walk your dog, he probably won’t get a lot of exercise. But if you live in the country area or have a large yard or any yard, he will get a lot more exercise. One thing you could do to get your dog to get more exercise if he lives in the city, is to drop him off at a local doggie day care center that will take care of your dog during certain hours like a babysitter. Usually they will let your dog roam around freely and get some exercise for him. Even though it costs some money, it save you the time and trouble of trying to do this yourself.

The next important thing that effects your dog’s health is diet. Your dog shouldn’t be fed a lot of people food or this can lead to a poor diet and to poor health. If you feed him too much, this will also lead to health problems. For smaller dogs you should feed them about a half a cup of food to about one cup of food twice a day to keep them healthy. For medium sized dogs, this will be about one cup to one and a half cups twice a day, and for large dogs, about one and a half cups twice a day should work. This is a good estimate of what your dog should eat every day.

The two important things that affects your dog’s health is exercise and diet. (These are also the two main things that effects people’s health.) Even though it can seem like a pain to get your dog exercise that he needs, it can also help you stay in good health, too. And as for diet, if the amount I recommended  here results in your dog gaining too much weight, cut down by about a half cup, and if he loses too much, add about a half cup until it is perfect.

Clipping Your Dog Nails

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Clipping your dog’s nails can be easy or difficult depending on how your dog acts. If you try holding your dog still and he keeps moving while you’re clippin his nails, you will probably need something to stop the bleeding if you cut too close to the vein which lies within the nail. If your dog is calm, you still may need something to help stop your dog’s nail from bleeding, but it will be much less likely to happen. Every once in a while your dog’s nails will need to be cut, and you will know if he keeps scratching you with them.

In a white or clear nail, you will see a pink area inside your dog’s nail. This is a vein with a nerve next to it (if you can see it inside the nail). This is a area not to cut. If you do this it will cause him to start bleeding if you cut it. If you can’t see the pink inside the nail because the nail is black, you should cut the nail just about where it begins to curve then you are less likely to cut that pink spot. You will see a little white dot if you look into the nail after you clip it. Once you see the white dot, stop clipping the nail or you will make the nail bleed.

There are couple different types of nail clipper for dogs. There are ones that are hand powered. Basically clippers that you control how far away, or how close you want it, and you clip it. These will have a higher chance of cutting too close to the vein, but can be a bit quicker if you use then right for cutting. The other types of nail cutters are the electronic type. One that will run usually on a battery as a power source, and have a lower chance of cutting too close to the vein. It takes a bit longer to cut your dog’s nails with this. It can also act like the hand operated ones with how close or far you want it, but the shorter you want the nail, the longer it takes.

It tends to take around four to six minutes to cut your dog’s nails if nothing goes wrong, and your dog behaves well. But if you happen to need your dog’s nails cut, get him a bath, and brushed, you could take him to you local groomer and save some time while your out working, or doing something else. This way you could get multiple things done, and you won’t have to deal with doing this yourself. And the groomer will usually do a better job because he has everything he needs there to groom your dog, and if anything goes wrong, he will be able to fix it usually with a powder called QuikStop. Even though it is a little extra cost, it is worth it to take your dog to a groomer.

Things To Know About Giving Your Dog A Bath

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After your dog has been running around in the mud and dirt or is about ready to compete in a dog show, he will need a bath. If you decide to wash him yourself, what soap/shampoo should you use? Are there places on his body you should be careful not to get soap on? The list of questions can go on and on. Well, you have another choice if you want to be on the safe side for giving your dog a bath. You could always take him to a local grooming place that would know what to do and what areas to avoid. But back to if you want to give him a bath yourself.

First, it would be highly recommended that you buy a soap/shampoo that is designed for being used on dogs. Some of the shampoos that people use can give a dog rash and can lead to problems with your dog scratching at that rash. So to be on the safe side, use a shampoo that is made for dogs. You can shop at the local pet supplies store or consult with your veterinarian.

Watch out for getting water or soap in your dog’s ears or eyes. This can lead to infections for the unhealthy ear, and may lead to irritation in the eyes. This can result in a lot of vet visits. This is something to be concerned with and if you’re scared something might happen, you might consider taking your dog to a local provessional grooming facility. It will cut down on the risk.

Now, how to give him a bath. First wet your dog down with water. Next, apply soap/shampoo. Be careful not to get the soap into your dog’s ears or eyes. Place the shampoo on his body and work some of it onto his head. Then wash off the soap. Adding soap and washing your dog off again may be required depending hon how dirty/oily he is. And finally, dry off your dog with a towel or blow dryer (on lukewarm or cool).

Give your dog a bath about every one or two months (4 - 6 or 8 weeks), or whenever he needs one. The easier solution is to get your local professional groomer to give your dog a bath. They will know alot more about washing a dog, and will strive to do a great job at washing him and returning a happy & clean dog .

 

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