08-01-2008, 07:21 AM
Here are some great grooming tips that should be done daily for the health of your pet.
Brushing them everyday, whether they have short or long hair. if you have a longhair dog you can use a slicker brush (http://www.morrco.com/slickerbrush.html) which will help with matted long hair. With short hair dogs I like to use a flea comb because it take care of two things at once. It helps with all the shedding hair and fleas. Even if your dog go outside just to potty it could get a flea or tick especially in the summer months. I recommend getting a lint brush, the kind that has those sticky paper and you tear off. I like to use that first when my dogs come in and they like it. It contains any hairs that are lose and also it will get any ticks or fleas or another bug on your dog. Make sure you brush your pet from tail to head then head to tail. this helps with getting all the shedding hair off.
Next comes brushing your pet teeth. Its good to start off with the finger toothbrush. I believe it gets the dog use to it and to me it cleans better. I like to buy the white toothpaste better than the yellow because it doesn't stain. There is also bones and tablets that can be given to your pet on a daily basis to help with the tarter throughout the day.
Other grooming tips that can be done once a month depending on the breed are trimming the nails and ears and eyes. A warm wash cloth works great for cleaning the ears and eyes. No need to go and buy expensive items unless there is debris in the eyes and they nee to be flushed with an eye medication or lots of wax or debris in the ear. As for the nails I found that the best tool is a nail grinder. It really works great in trimming the nail verses cutting which could result in bleeding if done wrong. Plus the nail is not sharp like when you use a nail clipper and best of all no bleeding.
Brushing them everyday, whether they have short or long hair. if you have a longhair dog you can use a slicker brush (http://www.morrco.com/slickerbrush.html) which will help with matted long hair. With short hair dogs I like to use a flea comb because it take care of two things at once. It helps with all the shedding hair and fleas. Even if your dog go outside just to potty it could get a flea or tick especially in the summer months. I recommend getting a lint brush, the kind that has those sticky paper and you tear off. I like to use that first when my dogs come in and they like it. It contains any hairs that are lose and also it will get any ticks or fleas or another bug on your dog. Make sure you brush your pet from tail to head then head to tail. this helps with getting all the shedding hair off.
Next comes brushing your pet teeth. Its good to start off with the finger toothbrush. I believe it gets the dog use to it and to me it cleans better. I like to buy the white toothpaste better than the yellow because it doesn't stain. There is also bones and tablets that can be given to your pet on a daily basis to help with the tarter throughout the day.
Other grooming tips that can be done once a month depending on the breed are trimming the nails and ears and eyes. A warm wash cloth works great for cleaning the ears and eyes. No need to go and buy expensive items unless there is debris in the eyes and they nee to be flushed with an eye medication or lots of wax or debris in the ear. As for the nails I found that the best tool is a nail grinder. It really works great in trimming the nail verses cutting which could result in bleeding if done wrong. Plus the nail is not sharp like when you use a nail clipper and best of all no bleeding.