From Beast to Beauty – Dog Grooming Process
Nail Trims
How often should a dog’s nails be trimmed? Answer: Monthly, approximately every 4- to 6-weeks. It depends on your dog’s activities (walker, swimmer, runner) and how quickly the dog’s nails grow. There are black and white nails. Look for the vein and do not cut beyond it. If you decide this is something you want to tackle yourself, you will need to invest in high quality nail clippers, a dremel or nail files made for dogs. Nails cut too short could cause the dog to bleed and in the process develop a negative association with nail trims making any future nail trimming a scary event. If you do cut the nail too short, immediately give a novel treat and grab the KwikStop to stop the bleeding. Try to avoid cutting dog nails too short. If they are really long, you, a Groomer or your Vet will need to cut them a little bit every week. In rare cases, dogs who have had one too many bad experiences will get really upset.
Ears with Hair
Hair growing inside ears doesn’t just happen to grandpa. Some dog breeds have hair growing in their ears and if not removed for long period of time, can cause the dogs to develop ear infections. Some examples of dog breeds who grow hair in their ears are Poodles, Yorkies, Schaunzers, some Terriers, Maltese, Labradoodles, etc. Schaunzers have their ears cropp so they are already sensitive to their ears being touch. Other breeds such as Spaniels, German Shepherds, Labradors do not have hair growing in their ears. To remove the hair without causing pain, you need to purchase a special powder that dries up the ear oil. Then, slowly pull the dead hair out bits at a time. Again, get the unique treats out for this one!
Brushing and Combing
Before a dog is bathed or groomed, they must be brushed first. Many reasons for this including you get less fur in the tub and if a dog has any tangles in her/his coat, it will only get worse with water. Important to remove matts BEFORE getting into the bath. Water makes matts worse and those matts cannot be untangled with conditioner (remember that cashmere sweater that was in the wash?). Matts get tighter when wet and may need to be clipped or shaved off, depending on how bad they are. Matts also hurt because they are pulling the hair follicles away from the dog’s skin making it extremely uncomfortable for dogs to be touched. Once matts are removed, daily maintenance with a wide tooth comb can help prevent and maintain your dog’s coat. Flea combs are great for removing eye tears and any remains from your dog’s daily business activities.
Anal Glands
Anal glands may need to be expressed while in the bath, in case you need to rinse off any residual. Be extremely careful expressing the anal glan as this is a very sensitive area of the dog and could require an emergeny vet visit if not done correctly. A tablespoon of organic pumpkin will help loosen up the anal gland liquid, making it easier to exit.
Water
Water should be luke warm and never hot. Dogs have sensitive skin. Especially important when giving your puppy his/her first bath. You want to establish a positive assocation with baths. Grab the her/his favorite unique/novel treats and the camera for this event.
Shampoo
Two (2) shampoos and a rinse, rinse, rinse!! Oatmeal based shampoos from Earthbath or Tropiclean are the best if your dog has shown any allergic reactions. Hot spots can often come about from lack of rinsing not so much due to frequency of their baths. All breeds but especially Pugs and Sharpees need to be rinsed thoroughly. So expect to get wet and have plenty of towels at your finger tips.
Drying
Blow drying is important. It reveals things you may not be able to see from 3-feet above. You can use a dryer used on humans but they often are not high velocity and blow hot air. A dryer for pets is specially designed for dogs and the air temperature does not reach levels that could burn the dog. Another opportunity to build a positive association with sound, air and touch. Blow the air from the dryer from a distance and slowly get closer. Gently wrap a towel around their ears to reduce the sound.
If you have or know of a dog who finds bathing a little stressful, reach out to us for assistance. We would love to hear from you.
Written by Cindy
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