GROOMING TIPS

As a pet owner, you might have seen your furry friend rolling on the ground or licking their coat to keep themselves clean. However, sometimes they need a little extra help from you to maintain their hygiene and appearance. Fret not, as we are here to guide you. We have compiled some tips to help you keep your dog's fur, skin, nails, teeth, ears, and paws in top-notch condition. Let us help you keep your four-legged friend looking and smelling their best!

BATHING YOUR DOG

It is recommended to bath your dog at least once every three months, but some may require more frequent baths if he or she spends a lot of time outdoors or has skin problems. Here are some steps to help you get started.

READ MORE

  1. First, give your pet a good brushing to remove all dead hair and mats, and then put him or her in a tub or sink that's been filled with about three to four inches of lukewarm water.
  2. Then, use a spray hose, large plastic pitcher or an unbreakable cup to completely wet your pet.
  3. Take care to not spray or pour water directly in his ears, eyes or nose.
  4. Gently massage in shampoo, working from head to tail, and rinse and repeat as needed.
  5. Dry him or her thoroughly by giving your pet a good rub with a large towel. Voila, clean pet!

Dogs with loose facial skin or wrinkles—such as Shar Peis and Pugs—will need special attention. To prevent dirt and bacteria from causing irritation and infection, clean the folds with damp cotton. Always thoroughly dry the areas between the folds.

NOTE: Select a products, like shampoos, that are specifically formulated for your species of animal, as some ingredients may be harmful when applied to different types of pets. It's always smart to talk with your pet's veterinarian to make sure you're selecting a shampoo that will meet your pet's needs.

BRUSHING YOUR DOG

Regular grooming with a brush or comb will help keep your pet's hair in good condition by removing dirt, spreading natural oils throughout her coat, preventing tangles and keeping her skin clean and irritant-free. Plus, grooming time is a great time to check for fleas and flea dirt—those little black specks that indicate your pet is playing host to a flea family.

READ MORE

The way you brush your pet—and how often—will largely depend on his or her coat type.

  • Smooth, Short Coats
    If your dog has a smooth, short coat (like that of a Chihuahua, Boxer or Basset Hound), you only need to brush once a week. Use a rubber brush to loosen dead skin and dirt and follow with bristle brush to remove dead hair. Polish your low-maintenance pooch with a chamois cloth and she's ready to shine!
  • Short, Dense Fur
    If your dog has short, dense fur that's prone to matting, like that of a retriever, brushing once a week is fine. Use a slicker brush to remove tangles and catch dead hair with a bristle brush. Don't forget to comb her tail!
  • Long, Silky Coats
    If your dog has a long, luxurious coat, such as that of a Yorkshire terrier, she'll need daily attention. Every day you'll need to remove tangles with a slicker brush. Next, brush her coat with a bristle brush. If you have a long-haired dog with a coat like a collie's or an Afghan hound's, follow the steps above, but also be sure to comb through the fur and trim the hair around the feet.
  • Long Hair That's Frequently Matted
    For long-haired pooches, it's a good idea to set up a daily grooming routine to remove tangles and prevent mats. Gently tease out tangles with a slicker brush, and then brush your pet with a bristle brush. If matting is particularly dense, you may try clipping the hair, taking care not to come near the skin.

SHEDDING

Although shedding old or damaged hair is a normal process for dogs, the amount and frequency of hair shed often depends upon their health, breed type and season. Many dogs develop thick coats in the winter that are then shed in the spring. Dogs who are always kept indoors, however, are prone to smaller fluctuations in coat thickness and tend to shed fairly evenly all year.

READ MORE

Steps to Minimise Shedding While you cannot stop a healthy dog from normal shedding, you can reduce the amount of hair in your home by brushing your dog regularly. Ask your veterinarian or groomer to recommend a specific type of brush or comb that will work best for your dog’s hair type.

Excessive Hair Loss
Shedding is a normal process for pets. Excessive shedding can also be circumvented with proper nutrition. Quality pet-food manufacturers work hard to include the right amount of nutrients so that supplements are not needed, but pets with allergies or sensitivities might need to experiment with different brands to discover which food works best for them.

However, excessive hair loss or bald patches may be due to one of the following:

  • Parasites (fleas, lice or mites)
  • Fungal or bacterial infections
  • Inhalant- or food-related allergies
  • Kidney, liver, thyroid or adrenal disease (including Cushing’s)
  • Pregnancy or lactation
  • Certain medications
  • Self-induced trauma due to licking
  • Cancer
  • Immune disease
  • Sunburn
  • Contact with irritating or caustic substance

If you notice any of the following conditions, consult with your veterinarian for treatment.

  • Skin irritation, including redness, bumps, rashes or scabs
  • Open sores of any kind
  • Bald spots or thinning of coat
  • Dull, dry hair that pulls out easily
  • Scratching
  • Constant foot licking or face rubbing

DENTAL CARE

Regularly brushing your dog's teeth, along with a healthy diet and plenty of 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.

READ MORE

Give your dog regular home checks and you'll have a very contented pooch with a dazzling smile. We recommend brushing two to three times a week.

  • First, you’ll want to get your pet used to the idea of having her teeth brushed. To do this, start by gently massaging her lips with your finger in a circular motion for 30 to 60 seconds once or twice a day for a few weeks before moving on to her teeth and gums.
  • After a few sessions or when your pooch seems comfortable, put a little bit of dog-formulated toothpaste on her lips to get her used to the taste.
  • Next, introduce a toothbrush designed especially for cats or dogs—it will be smaller than human toothbrushes and have softer bristles. Toothbrushes that you can wear over your finger are also available and allow you to give a nice massage to your pet's gums.
  • Place the brush or your gauze-wrapped finger at a 45-degree angle to the teeth and clean in small, circular motions. Work on one area of your dog's mouth at a time, lifting her lip as necessary. The side of the tooth that touches the cheek usually has the most tartar, and giving a final downward stroke can help to remove it.
  • If your dog resists having the inner surfaces of her teeth cleaned, don't fight it—only a small amount of tartar accumulates there. Once you get the technique down, go for a brushing two or three times a week.

Choosing Toothpaste
Do not use human toothpaste, which can irritate a dog's stomach. Instead, ask your vet for toothpaste made especially for canines or make a paste out of baking soda and water.

Bad Breath
If your dog’s breath is not a field of lilies, that's okay. Normal doggie-breath isn't particularly fresh-smelling. Halitosis, or bad breath, can be the first sign of a mouth problem and is caused by bacteria growing from food particles caught between the teeth or by gum infection. Certain dogs—particularly small ones—are especially prone to plaque and tartar. If plaque is the culprit, your pet may require a professional cleaning and regular at home brushings are a great solution.

Persistent bad breath can indicate that your pet has digestive problems or a gum condition such as gingivitis, and should be examined by a vet. If your pet’s breath is especially offensive and is accompanied by a loss of appetite, vomiting or excessive drinking or urinating, it's a good idea to take your pooch to the vet.

Ways to Prevent Dental Problems
Give your pooch treats that are specially formulated to keep canine teeth healthy, and ask your vet about a specially formulated dry food that can slow down the formation of plaque and tartar.

Chew toys are also a great way to satisfy your dog’s natural desire to chomp while making his or her teeth strong. Gnawing on a chew toy can help massage the gums and keep teeth clean by scraping away soft tartar, plus it also reduces your dog's overall stress level and prevents boredom. Ask your vet to recommend toxin-free rawhide, nylon and rubber chew toys.

EYE CARE

Giving your pup regular home eye exams will help keep you alert to any tearing, cloudiness or inflammation that may indicate a health problem. First, face your dog in a brightly lit area and look into his eyes. They should be clear and bright, and the area around the eyeball should be white. The pupils should be equal in size and there shouldn’t be tearing, discharge or any crust in the corners of his eyes. With your thumb, gently roll down your dog’s lower eyelid and look at the lining. It should be pink, not red or white.

READ MORE

A gentle wipe with a damp cotton ball will help to keep your pet’s eyes gunk-free. Wipe outward from the inner corner of the eye and be careful not to touch his or her eyeball—you don’t want to scratch the cornea! If your pet constantly suffers from runny eyes and discharge, please see your veterinarian. Your pet may have an infection or plugged tear ducts.

Symptoms of Eye Infection
The following are signs that something may be wrong with one or both of your dog’s eyes. Be sure to watch your pooch’s body language, too—pawing or rubbing his eye area may indicate possible problems. Call your veterinarian if your dog is experiencing any of these symptoms.

Discharge and crusty gunk

  • Tearing
  • Red or white eyelid linings
  • Tear-stained fur
  • Closed eye(s)
  • Cloudiness or change in eye colour
  • Visible third eyelid
  • Unequal pupil size

Common Eye Problems in Dogs
The following eye-related disorders are commonly seen in dogs:

  • Conjunctivitis: One or both of your dog’s eyes will look red and swollen, and there may be discharge
  • Dry Eye: Diminished tear production can cause corneal inflammation, squinting and discharge.
  • Epiphora: An overflow of tears creates stains on the dog’s facial fur.
  • Cherry Eye: An enlarged tear gland forms a cherry-like mass in the corner of the dog's eye.
  • Glaucoma: The cornea may become cloudy and the eye enlarges due to an increased pressure in the eyeball.
  • Ectropion: A turning outward of the eyelid away from the eye (lower lids may look droopy).
  • Entropion: A rolling in of the eyelid causes discharge and tearing.
  • Cataract: An opacity on the lens of the eye can cause impaired vision and possible blindness.
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy: Caused by degeneration of retinal tissue—night blindness is often its first sign.

Preventing Eye Problems
Long-haired breeds can get eye damage if their locks aren’t tamed. Carefully trim the hair around your dog’s eyes to keep his vision clear and prevent hairs from poking and scratching. Soaps and topical medications can be major irritants, so sure to protect your dog’s eyes before bathing him or applying ointments or flea-control formulas.

It’s much safer to drive with the windows only partially down and your dog’s head inside the vehicle to prevent pain or long-last injury from road debris or an insect getting in her eyes. The wind can also dry out your dog’s eyes, possibly causing irritation and infection.

Consider doing a little research to find out if your dog’s breed is predisposed toward eye conditions, such as glaucoma or progressive retinal atrophy. Your pet should have his eyes checked on annual vet visits, but knowing about possible inherited problems will help you take important precautions.

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!

READ MORE

  • If your dog’s inner ears appear dirty, clean them with a cotton ball or piece of gauze dampened with mineral oil, hydrogen peroxide or a liquid ear cleaner specially formulated for this purpose.
  • Fold your pet’s ear back gently and wipe away any debris or earwax that you can see on the underside of his or her ear.
  • Be sure to lift away the dirt and wax rather than rubbing it into the ear.

Recognising an Ear Infection
Because a dog’s ear canals plunge downward and then horizontally from the ear opening, it is difficult for caught debris or water to be released, making canines especially susceptible to ear infections. Check your dog’s ears regularly for discharge, odour, swelling and other signs of infection. If your dog is showing any of the symptoms described below, see your veterinarian as soon as possible.

  • Ear scratching
  • Brown, yellow or bloody discharge
  • Odour in the ear
  • Redness
  • Swelling
  • Crusted or scabby skin on the near ear flap
  • Hair loss around the ear
  • Wiping the ear area on the floor or furniture
  • Head shaking or head tilt
  • Loss of balance
  • Unusual eye movements
  • Walking in circles
  • Hearing loss

NAIL CARE

As a rule of thumb, a dog’s nails should be trimmed when they just about touch the ground when he or she walks. If your pet’s nails are clicking or getting snagged on the floor, it’s time for a trim. For leisurely living dogs, this might mean weekly pedicures, while urban pooches who stalk rough city sidewalks can go longer between clippings.

READ MORE

Finding Nail Clippers for Your Dog
There are two basic styles of nail clippers for dogs: a scissors type and a guillotine type. They both work equally well, so choose the design that you’re most comfortable with.

If your dog finds both kinds of clippers intolerable, an alternative tool is a nail grinder, an electric tool that sands nails down. These offer great control, but take longer than clippers and some people (and dogs) find the sounds and vibrations they produce unpleasant. Ask your veterinarian or groomer for advice about what types of nail trimmers are best for your dog and how to use them properly.

Helping Dogs with Sensitive Feet
Some dogs don’t like to have their feet touched, so it’s always a good idea to get your dog used to it before you attempt to clip his nails—ideally, this should start when he’s a pup. Rub your hand up and down the leg and then gently press each individual toe, and be sure to give her lots of praise and treats! Within a week or two of daily foot massage, your dog should feel more comfortable with a nail trim.

Before beginning a pup pedicure, tire your dog out with some vigorous exercise and enlist an assistant to help you hold her down.

How to Trim Your Dog’s Nails

  • Begin by spreading each of your dog's feet to inspect for dirt and debris.
  • Take your dog’s toe and hold it firmly, but gently. Hold you're trimmer so that you’re cutting the nail from top to bottom at a slight angle, not side to side, and insert a very small length of nail through the trimmer’s opening to cut off the tip of each nail. Don’t trim at a blunt angle as to maintain the existing curvature of the nail.
  • Cut a little bit of nail with each pass until you can see the beginning of a circle—still nail-coloured—appear on the cut surface. The circle indicates that you are nearing the quick, a vein that runs into the nail, so it’s time to stop that nail and move on to the next.
  • If your dog has black nails, however, the quick will not be as easily discernible, so be extra careful. If you do accidentally cut into the quick, it may bleed, in which case you can apply some styptic powder or corn starch to stop the bleeding.
  • Once the nails have been cut, use an emery board to smooth any rough edges.

PAW CARE

The pads on the bottom of your pups feet provide extra cushioning to help protect bones and joints from shock, provide insulation against extreme weather, aid walking on rough ground and protect tissue deep within the paw. It’s important to check your pet’s feet regularly to make sure they’re free of wounds, infections or foreign objects that can become lodged.

READ MORE

To keep them in tip-top shape, look for foxtails, pebbles, small bits of broken glass and other debris. Remove any splinters or debris gently with tweezers. Then, comb and trim the hair between the toes to be even with the pads to avoid painful matting.

Using Moisturiser
If your dog’s pads have become cracked and dry, ask your veterinarian for a good pad moisturiser and use as directed. Avoid human hand moisturisers, which can soften the pads and lead to injury. A paw message will relax your dog and promote better circulation. Start by rubbing between the pads on the bottom of the paw, and then rub between each toe.

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.

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!