basicgrooming

A puppy's 1st 5 months is his/her most crucial learning period. What he learns in that
time will form his personalu\ity. Make sure to socialize early and begin teaching him
about things that he will encounter all his life. Grooming not only keeps your pet
looking good, but also keeps her skin, teeth and nails in tip-top shape while giving
you the chance to discover any changes in your pet's overall condition.

GENERAL GROOMING
It is very important that your puppy/dog be professionally groomed every 4-6 weeks.
The longer the coat the more often grooming is needed. This however does not
mean that you do not need to brush your Puppy/Dog daily! Because some dogs do
not shed, their undercoats will matt quickly. It is the daily brushing that removes the
dead undercoat thus effectively "shedding" the coat. Your puppy, if started young,
will learn to love brushing and grooming if you use a gentle hand. Professionals
agree that it is best to introduce your puppy to the clippers at the earliest possible
time. The more familiar that puppy becomes with clippers, nail clippers, tweezers,
brushing and other grooming paraphernalia, the more comfortable they will be in the
future when they find themselves in dire need of a good grooming. Remember, a
good groom starts with preventative maintenance at home.

Mats and Tangles
They cause more problems than just a difficult brush out. If not dealt with, they can
result in serious skin problems and expensive vet bills. Tangles are easy to deal with.
Most of them brush and comb right out. But mats are different. They are formed by
friction when undercoat loosens and starts to come out, by a tangle that hasn't been
dealt with, or from simply not brushing and combing regularly. They are
like rawhide and have a life of their own. They stretch when they get wet, and shrink
to a tight glob of fur as they dry. As they shrink, the gather hair from around them, and
grow bigger and tighter and can be very painful. Eventually they work themselves
down to the skin, pulling the skin up into them, causing skin irritation and hot spots.
Mats are difficult to rinse free of shampoo, and even more difficult to dry. When they
reach the skin they become itchy and irritable. Some dogs will literally tear out their
fur to rid themselves of these itchy appendages.
When bathing at home, it is important for the safety of your pet, to train your dog not
to jump on the side of the tub/sink. Also, It is much easier to get your dog clean when
they are still and behaving themselves, it may be cute but very annoying and for a
professional bather.
Remember, all dogs are not good on the table for grooming. You will occasionally get
razor burn or a groom that does not meet your standards, please let you groomer
know if this happens so that it might be prevented the next grooming. If you are not
happy with a groom, tell your groomer before going else where.

EARS
It is important that your puppies ears be plucked each time they go to the groomers.
Because non-shedding dogs have ears they are prone to "wet" ears and yest
infections. If the hair in the ears is not removed it becomes the perfect medium for
growing bacteria. Yes the plucking can sometimes be a little painful to your dog, but
much less painful than a raging infection would be. Also it is important to check your
dogs ears for fleas and mites daily. Groomers do not cause ear infections, lack of
grooming on a regular basis does.

TEETH
Gum disease is a problem in toy breeds. All dogs are susceptible to gingivitis just like
people. The gums become ulcerated and inflamed, leading to the gum receding,
bacterial infection, and "doggy" breath. To help prevent this it is important to feed
your dog proper hard (not soft) dog food, give toys for chewing to aid in tarter
build-up, and regular tooth brushing. DO NOT use human tooth paste, this is not
made to swallow. Use only dog tooth paste. We have dental hygiene products on
out site, or you can visit you local pet store.
*REMEMBER* - the younger you start your puppy on a tooth brushing regime the
easier it will be on both of you!

ANAL HYGIENE
Excessive licking or dragging of the hindquarters on the carpet is usually a sign that
you dogs anal glands are blocked and need to be expressed. Please make sure that
your groomer empties the annal glands at every grooming. If not done the blockage
can lead to infection. Larger dogs usually can express their own anal glands

NAILS
Cutting the nails is very important. If the nails are not cut they can grow and curl
around into the pads of the feet causing pain and infection. It is also painful for your
dog to walk with long toenails. Long nails can also become caught in fences or in
carpet and the toe nails can be pulled out. Please remember to tell your groomer if
your dog has dew claws.

Importance of Grooming and
starting young