Author: Kelly Marshall
There are a few tricks of the trade that all professional
groomers use to give your dog that great look when they leave
the shop. These simple little steps help your dog feel more
comfortable and look better until the next trip to the groomer.
If you are not squeamish it is possible to complete these
grooming extras at home so that you can give your pooch that
just from the groomers polished look.
Eyes - often with dogs there is a tearing or staining effect at
the corner of the dog's eyes. This can be a serious medical
condition and should be checked by the vet, however there are
other dogs, and some breeds, that are just prone to tearing. To
remove discoloration on white and light colored dogs add a small
amount of hydrogen peroxide to warm water. Using a soft cloth,
and being extremely careful to not get too close to the eye
itself, apply the dampened cloth to the stained area, moving in
the direction of hair growth. If you do this on a regular basis
you will minimize the staining. Darker colored dogs will not
show tearing and just a soft cloth moistened with plain water
is all that is needed to remove debris and dirt that may
collect.
Ears - long hairs in the ears can collect wax and ultimately
dirt. By taking the time to look in the dog's ear and pull out
the long hair in the outside of the ear canal you can eliminate
the source of the wax build-up. Do this by firmly grasping the
hair at the base and pulling outwards. Pet stores sell
"stripping" fingers, which are small, rough sleeves that can be
placed on the fingers to provide more grip on the hair. Never
use scissors in a dog's ear or push your fingers into the ear
canal itself as this can cause permanent damage.
Toenails - unclipped toenails are both a safety hazards to dogs
and humans. Long claws can damage furniture and carpets even
with just walking or jumping. Long toenails can also cause
painful welts and even cut skin on humans or other pets.
To properly trim toenails buy a good quality dog nail trimmer
either in the guillotine style or a slotted scissor style. The
guillotine style is usually much easier to work with for most
people. Never use human nail clippers or regular scissors as
they will shatter the nail and possibly cause the dog pain or
at the very least leave ragged nails that will catch on fabrics
and surfaces. Hold the dog's paw still in one hand, and insert
the end of the toenail into the hole on the guillotine style
trimmer. Be careful to cut below the quick, the pinky looking
protrusion seen in light colored nails. The quick contains
blood vessels and nerves and is very sensitive, like the
cuticle on a human nail. Cut at a 90-degree angle so that the
nail will be parallel to the surface of the floor. If the dog
has dark nails and you cannot see the quick only remove the
very end of the nail and do not cut if the dog begins to show
agitation or try to pull the paw away when you apply pressure.
Anal glands - probably the least favorite task in grooming a
dog, anal gland emptying can be a bit messy and smelly, but
certainly helps the comfort of the dog. Dogs that "scoot" or
slide their bottom along the ground or carpet usually have
impacted anal glands, not worms as many people believe.
To empty the anal glands you will need rubber gloves, surgical
gloves are the best, a soft cloth and warm water. The steps
are:
. Have someone hold the dog facing away from you. Grasp the
tail close the bottom and expose the anus.
. Using the cloth and warm water heat up the area by holding
the warm, wet cloth against the dog's bottom.
. Remove the cloth and place your index finger and thumb
against the very outside and bottom edges of the anus, about ¾
of the way from the top on either side.
. Apply gentle pressure in an upward and inward fashion. You
should feel two hard balls or glands under the surface of the
skin and close to the anal opening. These are the anal glands.
. If they do not release a thick, smelly substance try the warm
water compress again and repeat the process.
If the glands do not empty it is important to get your dog to
the vets as soon as possible. Impacted glands are very painful
for the dog and cause tissue damage if not treated.
Providing these extra steps in your home grooming routine is a
great way to have your dog looking like they just came from the
professional groomers. If you have any questions or want
specific information on grooming consider taking a class or
doing some research on dog grooming practices.
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