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Showing posts with the label grooming

Do I Need To Groom My Dog?

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  As pet parents, we are busy. Our typical day not only involves work & maybe two-legged family member responsibilities, but also feeding our four-legged members and making sure they receive proper mental & physical exercise. It's a lot! In the midst of it all, many pet parents forget to groom, brush & bathe their dogs on a consistent basis or at all. Grooming helps keep your dog's coat, skin, ears, paws, claws and sanitary areas clean. Without proper grooming, dead skin & dirt can easily pile up causing infections.  According to the American Kennel Club, most breeds should be groomed once a month. Some breeds need more. Let's break down the needs based on coat length: Short-haired dogs: Short-haired dogs should receive baths about once every 4-6 weeks & brushing should be minimal. Double coated dogs: These are the breeds of dogs that shed their undercoat seasonally. Brushing should be done 1-3 times a week and with a brush that goes through the undercoa...

Prepping a Puppy for Grooming

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  Do you have a new puppy, or planning on getting a new puppy soon? Set them up for success by getting them used to the grooming and bath process at a young age. The most critical learning period of a dog's life is in the first 6 months. By positively introducing the process of grooming to your puppy, you will help your puppy have a nice association with brushes, combs, nail clippers and handling. At all times, this process should be done gently, with positive reward. This is a process of gentle guidance with no resistance.  Handling your puppy-- In this first step, you will be helping your puppy get used to being touched in areas that a dog is naturally uncomfortable with being handled-- the face, top of the head, feet, bottom and tail. When the puppy is cuddling and sleeping next to you, start with belly rubs in a slow, gentle circular movement. If the puppy is ok with this, you can slowly start to pet other parts of the body starting with the legs in slow, downward strokes ...