Henderson Dog Grooming

Dog and cat grooming – Article 2

Dog Grooming – Cat Grooming

A Groomer’s How To – by Candy Levine Doppert

The first basic rule of thumb is to start early. A puppy can have its first grooming around 3 months of age, just basically a ‘get acquainted’ visit, then another full grooming around 6 months. It’s a good idea to get them used to the routine of brushing, nail trims, etc…this will hopefully make everything so much easier as they get older. “Turn your pets’ bad hair day into a good hair day!!”

Here are just a few basic things that will help introduce you to the grooming world….

Nails – Don’t be afraid to play around a bit with your dog’s feet; this will help it get used to the feeling of someone holding their foot in order to do a nail trim. It is a good idea if you are apprehensive about cutting nails yourself, to take your pet into your groomer or veterinarian to learn how to do it properly. If you do try it at home, make sure you have a good pair of nail clippers and some Quick Stop or a Styptic Pencil handy, just in case you cut into the quick and it starts to bleed.

Ears – They should be checked on a regular basis. (Cats need clean ears too). There is an ear wash, a cleaner and a powder. If the ears are especially bad, and there is a lot of hair that has built up inside the ear, this needs to be removed. Some people say to leave it, but my own experiences have lead me to pluck the hairs out of the ear. Use ear powder to help get a grasp of the hair and pull it out. Ear powder also helps to dry the ear out and control the odor. Next step is to put a couple of drops of the ear wash into the ear canal and massage gently to bring up all the wax build-up, dirt, etc. that has accumulated in the ear. It is important not to use a Q-Tip if you don’t know what you are doing; you can damage the ear if you go too far in…stay with a cotton ball, or soft cloth. Wipe out the inside of the ear, and you can finish up with using a good quality ear cleaner. I prefer a natural one with oils to help promote a healthy ear.

Bathing at home – Make sure you use a dog/cat shampoo, not a human shampoo. Our skin and a pet’s skin have a different PH level, and our shampoo can cause skin problems in your pet. Make sure you put cotton in the ears so as to not get water inside the ear; the build-up of water can cause ear infections.

Anal Glands – Larger dogs have less of a problem expressing these glands on their own during a bowel movement. Smaller dogs seem to have more of a difficult time, in some cases. Check with your vet or groomer. Some groomers include ’anal glands’ as part of their services, and some don’t. One way or another, they need to be “expressed”. These little glands can be a concern. If they are a constant problem, and develop frequent infections, sometimes there is no choice but to have them surgically removed for the health and comfort of your pet, but this is only in severe cases.

Brushing is mandatory! – Introduce your dog to a soft brush, and pick a time to do it. Make it part of your daily routine. “Don’t Give Up!” Many dogs can manipulate this brushing session to the point where they win the battle. Owners give up when their pet nibbles, fusses or scratches, saying “he/she doesn’t like it”. But, when they go see their groomer, they have to go through the process; it’s the groomers job to make sure that the grooming gets done. It is very helpful to a groomer that the animal they are working on is co-operative (which isn’t always the case!). This can start at home; a lot of patience, re-assurance and a firm voice goes a long way. Remember, you are the boss, not your pet during this time. A lot of times, pets co-operate at the groomers, they know that it is getting done!!