How To Keep Your Dog Clean And Healthy

Cleaning and grooming is essential to your dog's health as well as to the cleanliness of your home.

Grooming serves a multitude of purposes.

1) It keeps your dog sleek and handsome.

2) It gives you the opportunity to keep an eye on your dogs health,letting you notice any fleas or lumps, or any skin conditions.

3) It's a great opportunity to create a bonding with your dog.

This may mean working with your new dog or puppy to get him to stand or lie still whilst being attended to. That is half the battle.

Start grooming your new dog as soon as possible the more often you groom the better the better the results.

Your caring attention not only assures him that he is being well cared for, but also
establishes you as the boss and someone they can trust as you gently move him about,
asking him to lift his legs and feet.

Acceptance may not be immediate, as older dogs may be more resistant to being handled.
Some dogs just don't like it.

It's very important not to lose your temper,especially with a puppy, or you will reinforce the impression that grooming is a terrifying experience.

While your puppy is still young and small,it does no harm to hold him in your arms while you are doing the grooming.

Good grooming not only makes your pet look better, it's important for his health also.

Tools for grooming...

You'll only need a brush that gets through hair down to the skin. You don't want to be giving
your dog a rash!

For shorthaired dogs such as Dalmatians and Dobermans,all you need is a dog mitt or a soft bristled brush. The soft bristles are gentler on your dog. A thorough brushing will remove dead hair and skin and also distribute the body oils evenly, making his coat shiny and soft.

Heavily coated dogs such as Saint Bernards, Collies,and Huskies benefit from an initial going over with a slicker brush (one with metal pins set into a rubber). This helps pull out the loose hair of the undercoat.

Breeds with long coats such as Afghans and Setters you must use a cloth after each use,
making sure to remove brushed every day to keep them looking their absolute best.

If you've neglected the grooming for awhile, and the matted hair goes all the way to the skin, you should think seriously about clipping the dog.

Longhaired dogs also benefit from an oil based conditioner, which keeps their coats looking elegant.

Some breeds, such as Poodles and Terriers, do need to be clipped. If this is the case with
your dog, start by getting him used to the clippers.

Good breeders run clippers (without blades) close to their puppy's face when they are just a couple of weeks old to get them used to the noise.

Never raise your voice to a puppy while he is being groomed, as doing so will only make him fear any future grooming.

See what you can do for your dog's health. John's been involved with arthritis in dogs for over 15 years and you can view his site at http://www.dogarthritissite.com