Overall Dog Info

As summer gets nearer, many dog owners are acutely aware, not because the weather is getting warmer but because the dog’s hair is starting to shed in clumps. That’s why dog owners are always looking for ways to keep their dogs neat and trimmed in every respect. The issues that need to be particularly addressed are the dog’s hair and his nails. That’s why you will need both nail clippers and an effective dog brush.

In order to keep your dog grooming at a minimum during the summer months, make sure that you do some amount of dog grooming on a regular basis. Depending on the length of your dog’s hair and his temperament, it’s best if you can groom him once a week. This can include a quick nail trim and a quick brushing.  By removing his excess fur, there is less chance of your dog’s hair matting, and it will also keep him cooler in the summer months.

It’s time to get our dogs groomed and looking good!  If your dog clippers are old, inefficient or lack enough power to get the job done, here’s your chance to get a great rotary dog clipper for a GREAT price!  It’s on sale from June 1 through June 2! So now’s the time to buy.

Price: $164.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.

Features:

• AGC Professional Animal Clipper with size 40 detachable blade

• Professional rotary motor clipper with detachable blade

• Locking switch button ensures that clipper will not accidentally shut off

• Shatter-proof housing and 14″ heavy duty cord

• All Andis Ultraedge and Ceramicedge blades will fit this clipper

Product Description:

The 22345 professional animal clipper by Andis helps keep pets well groomed. The professional rotary motor clipper with detachable blades runs cool, so fans and air vents that can become clogged with hair are not needed. The Andis dog clippers are equipped with a 4×4 blade drive which increases blade torque by 25%. The locking switch button ensures that the clippers will not accidentally shut off. The clippers offer long-term durability with the shatter-proof housing and 14-foot heavy-duty cord, so that you can use them for years to come. No oiling or greasing of the internal parts is needed so that you can enjoy maintenance-free use. All Andis UltraEdge, CeramicEdge, and Oster model A-5 blades will fit the 22345 clippers.

An important step, before the actual bathing of your dog, is the combing and dematting your dog’s fur.  It is necessary that the dog be thoroughly brushed, removing all tangles and mats before bathing your dog.  There are many types of dog combs and brushes available that are developed specifically for dogs with thick undercoats, short sleek coats and the long flowing fur.  If your dog’s fur tangles and matts easily then brushing at regular intervals such as weekly, or every other day, to daily is recommended.  You don’t generally want to wait until it is bath time to be the only time they get brushed, waiting that long only makes the job more time consuming and at times, painful for the dog when dealing with those nasty, down-to-skin matts.

If you bathe your dog and have not removed the matts, the water only seems to cement the matt together making it even harder to comb out when dry.  And when the matts are right next to the skin it’s very difficult to thoroughly clean the skin that lies under the matted area and it’s diffcult for the shampoo to penetrate the matt so the fur in the matt is still dirty, oil coated and clogged with pet dander and dirt.

Keep your dog grooming brushes handy so that you can give your dog a good brushing, preferably at least once a week, removing those matts and tangles.  The brushing time is also a good time to check your dog for fleas or ticks, it’s better to find them before your dog is completely infested.

So remember, before bathing your dog be sure all the matts and tangles are removed.

While not a predictable trait of a breed, some dogs have sensitive skin or skin allergies.  For dogs that do have skin issues, it’s important to be aware of what products are okay and what products to avoid.  Dogs with skin issues often require special dog food.  The ingredients in regular dog food can cause skin irritation including flaking, redness, and itching.  For the most part, organic food is a safe bet, but it’s best to consult a veterinarian beforehand on which foods are okay to purchase.  When it comes to baths, dogs with sensitive skin also need special dog shampoo.  There are numerous dog shampoos that contain fewer harsh chemicals and cleansing agents, and also contain moisturizers to enrich the skin.  There are several dog shampoo products that feature actual labels stating “for dogs with sensitive skin” so choosing the right dog shampoo is a cinch.

Dogs with sensitive skin should also avoid extensive exposure to the water, and should be washed off after swimming.  If the dog starts biting or scratching at the sensitive area of the skin often, consult a veterinarian.

My kitty cat has no rules. I feel like that’s the best way for him to live because when I got him he was an abandoned kitten. I found him underneath a neighbor’s porch. He was covered in oil and excrement, as though he had been living on the streets for a while.

I took him home, gave him a bath and used scissors to cut the mats from his fur. It’s been four years now and he has grown into the best pet any girl could ever ask for. There’s just one thing that bothers me – his nails are so sharp that he often accidently scratches me. That is why I use a pet nail trimmer to trim them twice a month.

Trimming your dog’s toenails can be a tricky endeavor and very time consuming part of your dog’s grooming, especially if they have black nails and you can’t see where the quick is.  Years ago, I began trimming my dog’s toenails with the common guillotine nail trimmer.  Many times I would nick the dog’s quick and it would bleed and bleed.  Even though I always had the septic powder available for those times, the nail still bleeds quite a bit before it stops.  I always felt absolutely horrible when this would happen.  It didn’t make it any easier the next time because my dog remembered that I hurt him the last time I trimmed his nails.  So, needless to say, trimming the dog’s nails wound up being a struggle and I dreaded the thought of tackling the chore.

I have discovered a much easier way to do this and that is by using a coarse nail file.  What I did was purchase a couple of cheap coarse nail files from the drug store and I filed his nails with those instead of cutting them with the guillotine clipper.

I have a small dog, so I would set on the sofa, get an old towel, lay it across my lap and have my dog lay either next to me or on the towel.  If your dog is large then you may want to sit on the floor next to them.  Be sure to have healthy dog treats handy so you can treat them when they behave well having the nail trimmed.

Begin by having them lay next to you and before you begin be sure they are in a relaxed state, then take one paw, hold a nail firm in your fingers and begin to gently file the nail.  At first, your dog won’t be used to how the grinding on the nail feels and will probably jerk away.  As they become acclimated to the filing of the nail, you can begin filing harder and more rigorously to speed the process.  Trimming the dog’s nails in this fashion is less stressful for you and your pet.  Plus, there’s no worry about nicking the quick and making the nail bleed.  The finished length of the nail should not touch the floor when your dog is standing.  Your dog’s nails need to be trimmed at least twice a month.  If those nails don’t get trimmed the quick will extend longer inside the nail and it’s difficult to get the nail trimmed as short as it should be.

Be sure to purchase the very coarse nail files so that you can take off a substantial amount of nail in the shortest period of time.  Using the coarse nail file can be a precursor to using the very popular Peticure that is advertised on TV.  I have not used the PediPaws brand but would assume it works the same, although the one I use is not battery operated, it’s electric with a variable speed.  I only mention this as I use the Peticure  to facilitate the amount of time it takes to trim the nails and my dog adapted quickly only needing to get used to the noise it made.

This aspect of your dog’s grooming is such a very important part that it is necessary to find alternate ways of getting those nails trimmed.  If the dog’s toenails are left untrimmed they will continue to grow and become jagged and split, possibly exposing the quick.  Not only do the nails become jagged and split, but over a lengthy period of time, the dog’s feet can become deformed if their nails are left too long, which is painful for the dog.

Don’t give in or stop when the dog  jerks his paw away, it’s just because they aren’t used to the grinding on the nail.  If you let them relax and try again they will become used to it and realize that it doesn’t hurt.

Happy toenail trimming!