| ||
| ||
|
||
|
|
|
5 Common Grooming Mistakes Made by Dog Owners
1. Clipping the quick when cutting nails. Don't be in a hurry to finish his nails even though your dog wants you to finish quickly. Take baby clips using a SHARP nail clipper (my preference is spring style or cat clippers for small dogs). Don't use a Dremel or other electronic/motororized tool unless you've had some training in using it. It's too easy to overcut. If your dog has white nails, the quick should look pink. STOP clipping before you get there. If your dog has dark nails, you should see a black circle in the clipped part of the nail. STOP clipping before you get there. If you do draw blood, apply pressure and styptic powder. A product called QuikStop can be purchased at most pet stores. If you can't control the bleeding, get to a veteranian or animal hospital immediately. 2. Getting shampoo in his eyes during baths. Dogs love to shake their wet heads and it's easy for shampoo to sting his eyes. Buy some sterile ophthalmic ointment (at pet store or www.1800PetMeds.com) and dab in each eye before bathing. If shampoo gets in his eyes, rinse with cool water or saline eyewash. Do NOT put more ointment in his eyes. If his eyes remain red or he's squinting long after he's dry, he needs a vet's attention. 3. Causing electric clipper burn. It looks like a rash and results from using overheated clipper blades or damaged blades. Inspect your clippers before each use and replace missing or dull blades and blades with broken teeth. If your dog is affected, he'll try to scratch or lick the areas, which only worsens the irritation. It's a good idea to keep an Elizabethan collar on hand (or make one) for such problems as they prevent the dog from reaching irritated areas. Keep the area clean and use an antibiotic ointment on the skin until it heals. 4. Unintentionally encouraging allergic reactions. Allergies seem to be on the rise and some dogs are more sensitive than others. If your dog is very itchy after a bath or his skin is red and irritated, it may be an allergic reaction. Try products with oatmeal or use all natural products. And always rinse thoroughly to prevent residue build-up. If your dog develops a serious reaction such as hives, diarrhea or pinpoint-sized pupils, he needs immediate medical attention. If he's just itchy, try different mild products until you find one that he likes. You can work with a vet to pinpoint allergens but this a time-consuming and expensive process. I'd try various products first. 5. Leaving him unrestrained or unattended. Dogs, especially those who hate being groomed, can try to make escapes by jumping off a table or off a lap. Serious injuries can result to small dogs. Never leave a dog unattended. Groom him on the floor or restrain him if he's on a table or in a sink. Create a barrier around him so he has no place to jumping off spot. You can have a second person hold the dog while you wash him if you're using an area too large to fence him in. Be patient, stay calm and offer lots of praise as you groom and you'll avoid most problems. Louise Louis is a long-time dog person and creator of http://www.ToyBreeds.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Universal Principles For Successful Dog Training Dog training is not rocket science and is not as difficult as you think. It is certainly possible for ANY dog owners to train their dogs themselves provided they put in adequate amount of effort. Horse Training Secrets For Busy Horse Owners Short On Time Picture this. You're late for work one day. Rescue Dogs We have all grown up with at least one hero in our life, but how many people can call their hero Duke or Spot? The answer- anyone who has had their life saved by a rescue dog.Whether it is a house fire, tornado rubble, leftovers from an earthquake, or flowing water behind a hurricane front, these specially trained rescue dogs rush in with no concerns for their own welfare, pulling out victims, some dead and some still alive. Dog Training - How To Win Your Dogs Confidence Settling a puppy into a new home successful is often easier than an older dog because a young dog will adapt more willingly to joining what is, in effect, a new pack.Even so, it's usually possible to win the confidence of older dogs so that they will adapt well to their new environment, although this will require more patience. How to Teach YOUR Cat to Use a Litter Box - Secrets to Litter Tray Success Even the most dedicated cat lover has little patience with a cat that doesn't use its litter box. Yet, patience is the key to creating litter box success. Parrot Keeping Parrots are becoming more popular as pets with each passing day. This is evidenced by the proliferation of Internet discussion lists which provide access to information regarding parrot care and behavior. A Moving Experience: Making Your Move Easy on Your Parrots Moving is about as stressful a time as any in our lives and the lives of our fids. Having just completed moving the "gang" into a new house, I thought I would share some of the things that helped our move go smoothly. Dog Training Information for Training Your Puppy Puppy TrainingPuppy training can be a trying time. The key to this time is to really remember that all puppy behavior is normal. How To Protect Your Pets From Fleas And Ticks Fleas are wingless, blood-sucking insects that feed on dog, cats, humans and other species. There are many different types of flea each one specific to the animal that it lives on. Does Your Dog Dig? Dear Fellow Dog Lover,I assume you love your dog, or you probably wouldn't be reading this. But, looking at your "battle-field" of a yard filled with holes sometimes makes it tough to love your dog like you want to. A Dog Name is Something To Be Chosen Carefully How important is a dog name? Well let's think about this.How often do you call your dog? Who will hear your dog's name? Will you be writing to anyone about this dog?Now that you think about the times you'll use the name, maybe you should put some thought into what that dog name is. 7 Puppy Naming Tips You've picked out the perfect puppy. You spent hours on the internet, researching the right breed for you and your family. Mind-Set: The Second Of 6 Keys To Building A Life Long Partnership With Your Horse Your mind-set, approach and way of thinking (beliefs) are critical to building trust and a lasting relationship with your horse. Your mind-set is the first thing you must scrutinize and work to understand in developing skills in horsemanship. Grapes, Nuts, and Your Dogs Health -- Foods that Fido should Avoid "Magoo was a big, playful Labrador retriever who often got himself into sticky situations.. Tips For Buying a Horse Online More and more folks are looking to the Internet to find their next cat, dog or horse. While this offers a convenient solution and broader selection outside of ones locality, it can be fraught with unseen expenses and potential heartache. Seven Ways to Boxer-Proof Your House You are ready to bring your Boxer home? First, you must prepare your house. Whether you are bringing home a puppy or adult Boxer, you may want to spend some time surveying your house from a Boxer eye view (about 2 feet off the ground). Are Your Fish Sick? Keeping a fish tank is a wonderful and relaxing hobby, but it can turn stressful if your fish start to die off. The most common cause of fish disease is poor water quality so it is vital that you perform regular maintenance on the tank, making sure you do a partial water change periodically and clean out any waste or uneaten food so it does not decay and poison the water. If You Want a Friend, Get a Dog! Carl Icahn, the hostile takeover master who was THE original corporate raider, is often quoted as saying, "In this business, if you want a friend, get a dog!" The rest of us already knew that dog was man's best friend, and with good reason. Dogs as pets date back at least as far as the days of Pompeii, where the remains of a dog stretched out next to a little boy were recovered from the rubble at Pompeii. Love of Horses My love of horses began at the age of 11 when I worked every summer at a ranch. My twin brother and I would walk about ten miles a day in circles taking children on pony rides. Clicker Training For Dogs: Positive Reinforcement Training There is nothing more adorable than a new puppy. Large adoring eyes, and unconditional love pave the way for a new attachment.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
