Bathing, Grooming and Dental Care

Bathing:

     Make sure to keep your dog clean and to give your dog baths every so often. A dog should at least receive a bath once a month. To keep a dog in condition, a bath once a week would be good. You would want to start bathing your dog at a young age, so as it grows older, your dog would be used to bathing time and it would be easier to bath him or her.

     Choosing a shampoo that is suitable for your dog is as important as choosing the proper food and diet for your dog. If your dog has skin problems, there may be specific directions on how frequent your dog should receive his or her bath. Always read the directions in shampoo bottles, as each may be used differently. Some shampoos for skin problem dogs would say to leave the shampoo in your dog’s coat for a specific amount of minutes before rinsing it out, while others are medicated for specific purposes and needs.

     There are several types of shampoos and brands for specific skin and coat conditions of dogs. Different shampoos are also specialized for fleas and ticks, to help kill these insects. Some dog owners would use a standard type of dog shampoo, which would clean the skin and hair of your dog, without specific grooming requirements. Dog show breeders and handlers research the types of shampoos there are or ask each other on which they would use for any opinions before purchasing. They are very fussy with buying foods and other supplies for their dogs.

     With dogs that possess long hair and greasy coat, they can tangle and collect dirt more then a shorthaired dog can. Bathing a dog frequently shows you care for you dog and his or her health, but you may want to use moisturizing shampoo that would help prevent your dog’s skin from becoming dry.

     Dogs are different from humans and should have shampoo made for dogs, when they are washed and groomed. Human shampoos contain harsher detergents then dog shampoos and contains a different pH level, so you should always use dog shampoo on your dog. A dog’s shampoo should have a low pH level and made from natural ingredients. Ideal shampoos should not strip away the needed oils in your dog’s coat, have a nice slight scent and should be tearless, leaving a shiny and healthy coat.

    
      Before bathing your dog, it is recommended to groom out all the tangles and dead hair trapped in your dog’s coat. Small dogs can be bathed in a bathtub, utilized sink or laundry tub. If it is a big dog, then he or she should be bathed in the outdoors on a nice sunny and breezy day with a water hose.

    
     Washing your dog is the same as washing a car. You would first turn the water on and soak your dog up. Then apply a sufficient amount of shampoo on your dog’s neck, along the back of your dog, all over your dog’s body, making sure you get all areas. You would want to make sure you take caution and stay away from your dog’s eyes and nose.  It would be good to clean out the anal glands every so often, like once a month. After, you would work shampoo in your dog’s coat, while rinsing your dog down. Rinse the shampoo thoroughly so that the water appears running clear. Dry him or her off with a towel. Long coated breeds, whether they are big or small, should be blow dried with a dryer customized for dogs. The shorter coated breeds may be towel dried, then air-dried.

-This here is a dog's ear getting cleaned with a cotton pad-

     To clean your dog’s ears, you would use cotton balls and a cleaner. Never dig into the ear. Digging into your dog’s ear when cleaning it can hurt your dog’s eardrums. You would want to use a cleanser that has low alcohol content and before you start, you would want to wash your hands thoroughly so you do not introduce any infectious particles to your dog. Using the cotton ball, you would moisten it with mineral oil and gently wipe the inner ear of your dog. Discard the cotton ball and moisten another with the same oil. With this cotton ball, you would clean the ear canal, making sure all the foreign matter, such as dirt, bugs or waxy buildup, is removed. Do not try to stick or cotton ball any further then it can go. Also, do not use cotton swabs or q-tips, as it can get jammed in your dog’s ear canal if your dog starts to jerk his or her head. This can cause pain and distress. Cotton balls are softer and less likely to get stuck.

     Keeping your dog clean improves their physical and mental health. Every dog needs a bath from time to time. You should give your dog regular, but not frequent baths.

Grooming:

     Brushing your dog out everyday keeps your dog’s coat in good condition. If you brush your dog everyday, you would not have to bath your dog as often. Grooming your dog would detangle mats and take out dead coat or loose hair.

     You would brush all the way down to the skin and out. This would stimulate the surface of the skin, allowing new hair growth to come in. This would loosen and remove flakes of dandruff. Mats are often found behind a dog’s ears and under their legs. All dogs shed, so it is best to brush your dog out frequently, as regular brushing will help keep your dog’s coat under control. Female dogs shed twice a year, while male dogs shed once a year.

     The materials you would use to groom your dog depend on your dog’s texture and length of hair. You should use pin brushes and combs for longhaired dogs. Pin brushes have long, round-ended stainless steel or chrome-plated pins that are suitable for your dog’s coat. Bristle brushes should be used on short or medium haired dogs. It is okay to use bristle brushes for long coated breeds too. Slicker brushes are used for removing mats and dead hair; and rubber currycombs are used to polish smooth coats, which also removes dead hair. Clippers are used to trim your pet’s coat and help to clip their hair to an even length. They come in different sizes, depending on the length you want for your pet. Other grooming tools are shears, rakes and nail clippers. Companies sell different types of blades for clippers, different types of shears and different types of combs and brushes. Most dog breeders and handlers would buy an organizer to organize their entire dog supplies.

     When clipping your dog’s nails, most dog breeders and handlers would clip their dog’s nails short to a point where it starts to bleed. If it starts to bleed, you would want to use styptic powder that would help to stop it. This can be found at stores under quick stop that is made just for dogs.

Dental Care:

     Dogs use different types of tooth paste compared to humans. For example, there is petrodex, which is made by virbac. You should always brush your dog's teeth daily. 42 teeth are present in adult dogs. There are finger tooth brushes or just a regular toothbrush, similar to a human's one.  Or, if you are interested, there is sprays that you would spray into your dog's mouth that helps to eliminate tartar and reduce bad breathe. Make sure to read the directions on the sprays. Most likey, you would need to spray your dog's teeth 1-2 times a day and at least 2-3 times a week.