Pet The World

Trimming toenails at home can be a simple endeavor with some proper instruction. Before tackling this task, it is important to have a veterinarian or a groomer give you a pedicure demonstration on your own dog’s toenails. Doggie toenails vary extensively in shape and hardness, and each requires some skill in knowing where and how to make the cut.

After that, the biggest challenge is restraining the pet. Most dogs do not like to have their feet touched. The common mistake people make is trying to accomplish this feat sitting on the floor. But this makes it too easy for the pet to get away, and usually when we play with our pets we sit on the floor with them. Therefore they do not recognize this to be a serious task because they are not restrained properly.

It is important to put the dog up onto something, a counter, a table, a workbench, etc., so that movement is limited. Do not leave a pet unattended while he is up on a structure. If possible, it is best to have a helper to hold onto the dog while you clip the nails.

It is vital that the nail clippers be very sharp. Good quality nail trimmers can be purchased at stores for under ten dollars. The most common varieties are scissor and guillotine. Scissor types have blades that come together in a scissor-type mechanism. Guillotine clippers have an opening in which to place the nail, then the blade comes up from underneath. Smaller dogs’ toenails respond well to both types, but large breeds have harder nails, making the scissor-type more effective.

Every toenail has a blood supply, much like our “quick,” which must not be cut. The nail will bleed extensively if cut too short. If your dog’s nails are white, the blood supply can be easily seen under the surface. The most effective method to trim toenails is to take off a small portion of the nail at a time, until you almost reach the quick. The nail should be clipped approximately 1/4 of an inch from this blood supply.

It is very important to recognize the shape of the toenail in order to properly cut it, which is where the demonstration mentioned earlier comes in handy. This is especially important if the dog’s toenails are black, as the blood supply will be impossible to see. If any of your dog’s nails have grown around to form a circle, please seek the assistance of a professional groomer or veterinarian to properly trim these nails.

If you happen to nick the blood supply during the pedicure and nail begins to bleed, do not panic. This type of bleeding can usually be controlled with products you have around the house. The best bet is a styptic pencil or a dab of styptic powder. These work great to control the bleeding, and can usually be found in the medicine cabinet.

If that isn’t an option, flour and cornstarch are great substitutes. Dab a dime-sized amount into your palm, then drag the dog’s toenail down and through the powder. This will form a little plug inside of the nail cavity by forcing some of the powder up into the nail where the blood is coming from. Apply some pressure onto the bottom of the nail holding the powder inside for a few minutes.

It is important to limit the dog’s activity for a while afterward. If disturbed too soon, the nail will resume bleeding. If you’ve cut the quick severely and these methods do not work, you may need to make a quick trip to your vet to have the nail cauterized. But if you are careful this can be an easy task with some practice.

The nail trimming process can easily be performed at home by the pet owner with the proper tool and instruction, and of course, a fairly cooperative pooch! First, consult the professionals before attempting this endeavor. With proper preparation, this task can become part of the home grooming process for your canine pal.

© Shannon Lynnes Heggem (2006)
Shannon Lynnes Heggem is a motivational speaker with a strong background in the pet care industry. In the 1990’s, she established an upscale pet resort in Montana, and then founded the Fast Track Institute of Pet Careers, a vocational school focused on pet-related careers.

Shannon quickly became one of the top experts in the pet care industry. She was the first Certified Master Groomer in Montana, and went on to become a Certified Kennel Operator; only four people in the world actually hold both of these certification titles!

She amazingly survived a vicious Rottweiler attack in 1998, and since then has overcome incredible obstacles to continue her life’s journey. Shannon has just launched a revolutionary new seminar series Learning About Pets Program focused on teaching pet owners vital knowledge to enhance their pets’ vitality, health, and well-being! http://learningaboutpets.com/

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The more authentic information about pet grooming you know, the more likely people are to consider you a pet grooming expert. Read on for even more facts that you can share.

We all know that basic dog grooming or cat grooming is a necessary evil, but do we give our animals all that they deserve? Do we even know what kind of dog grooming supplies we need? Why own a pet at all if we are not going to love and care for it properly? There are so many animal facilities available, both stationary and mobile, there is absolutely no excuse for an unkempt animal. Whether you have a dog, cat, rabbit, horse or other animal you care for it is imperative that they get the attention they deserve.

Admittedly there are a few owners that go way overboard when it comes to their pets. There are places that will provide exercise and socialization, spa treatments and even birthday parties. Some owners think of their pet as a family member and indulge them unmercifully. When it comes to cucumber facial masks and aromatherapy that may be taking things a bit too far, but that is an owner’s exclusive right or privilege. However, this article is not concerned with overindulgence, but with the basic necessity of rabbit , horse or cat grooming plus shih tzu, poodle or other types of dog grooming. A well-groomed animal is much easier to love.

So exactly what does pet grooming involve? What type of dog grooming products do we need? The basics to cat or dog grooming, and even the job to groom other animals for that matter, is simple. It boils down to a shower, shave and a haircut along with a couple of other easy procedures. Obviously, keeping your animal’s hair the proper length is very important for its appearance. This can involve either cutting or brushing the hair. Some pets never need a cut while others look much better with an occasional clipping. With some animals regular brushing will be enough to keep the hair nice and neat.

Bathing is another important step in keeping your pet groomed properly. This is a simple matter of hosing them down, rubbing in some shampoo and then rinsing them off. This can be done in a tub or outside with a garden hose. With regular bathing and brushing 90 percent of the chore is done. The other main ingredients to successfully keeping your pet looking its best are using clippers for clipping nails and possibly a little flea control. There is not much more to it than that. Sure, it is possible to spend a lot more time and money on mobile pet grooming, pet grooming supplies, oiling down the coat, tools, products and other extravagances, but it is not really necessary. Now if you have a show animal on the other hand it becomes a whole new ball game. But the basics are simple, wash, cut or brush, clip and flea control.

If you are the lazy type or just do not have enough time to spend on this job it is a simple matter of finding a mobile pet grooming company that will do the job for you. Or even a dog grooming school. Of course you will pay more, but if having your animal look its best is important to you this is certainly a consideration. If you are going to do the work yourself you might want to search for some online instructions, videos or tips.

You cannot predict when knowing something extra about pet grooming will come in handy. If you learned anything new in this article, you should file the article where you can find it again. As your knowledge about pet grooming continues to grow, you will begin to see how important of a subject this really is.

This article is presented to you by Best Pet Grooming, an online source for pet grooming products. For more information about pet grooming visit Best Pet Grooming.

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Many people bathe their dogs at home, which can be a fun experience for both you and your pet. Professional groomers usually urge people to try this at home, at least once. It will either be a great bonding experience, or you will appreciate your groomer even more!

You need to choose an appropriate location. In the warmer months, the front lawn may seem like a good choice. It can be, as long as the pet isn’t rinsed with cold water from the hose. We wouldn’t enjoy an ice-cold shower, even in hot weather, and dogs don’t, either. It can also be dangerous if the pet is overheated to begin with, as the cold water prohibits the dog’s natural cooling system from lowering his body temperature. So the location that you choose needs to have access to warm, running water. Laundry rooms are a popular choice, with the utility tubs doubling as bathtubs for smaller dogs. If the room has a floor drain, it can also be a good bathing location for the bigger dogs to stand over.

It is wise to set out all of the tools that you will need for your pet’s bath. A good quality shampoo is very important, the key words being “good quality.” If you don’t have access to fine pet shampoo, salon-quality people shampoo works well, diluted to ten parts water to one part shampoo. Don’t buy the cheap pet shampoo; it is usually a watered-down version of a harsh mixture that is not properly ph-balanced for your pet’s skin and coat. For conditioners, all of these same rules apply.

It is important to mention at this point to never choose a flea and tick shampoo; external parasite treatments contain potentially deadly chemicals, and should never used at home, regardless of what the claims are on the bottle. If you suspect that you dog has fleas or other issues, contact your veterinarian. He can provide you with a large selection of simple and safe pesticide treatments that are much more effective than flea and tick shampoos.

Okay, back to the bathing task.

A big stack of old towels is a must. It will take three times the number of towels you think it will. A rubber mat is a good idea for the bottom of the tub, for stable footing. Then, the most important item: you must have a lubricating salve to put in your dog’s eyes to avoid any injury from the shampoo. This is a vital step! You can purchase a tube of eye ointment for a few dollars from your veterinarian. Just a pinpoint drop of this salve in each eye can save you the expense of a vet bill later on.

If you have a long-haired dog, beware! BEFORE you begin, brush your dog out completely! All of the mats and tangles need to be combed out before the dog gets wet. If not, they will shrink closer to the skin, making them much difficult to remove.

Now, you are prepared to embark on your bathing journey. Put the salve into both eyes, and apply shampoo liberally all over the dog. When rinsing, it is very important to eliminate all residues from the shampoos and conditioners, to avoid possible skin irritations. For best results, towel-dry the dog thoroughly and let him air-dry for half an hour in a warm place. You may then use a regular blow dryer to dry the dog’s coat, however the cool setting should be used so that the dog doesn’t overheat.

When the dog is dry, you may then brush out the coat with a gentle brush. Now, your dog’s bathing experience is complete! Good luck!

© Shannon Lynnes Heggem (2006)
Shannon Lynnes Heggem is a motivational speaker with a strong background in the pet care industry. In the 1990’s, she established an upscale pet resort in Montana, and then founded the Fast Track Institute of Pet Careers, a vocational school focused on pet-related careers.

Shannon quickly became one of the top experts in the pet care industry. She was the first Certified Master Groomer in Montana, and went on to become a Certified Kennel Operator; only four people in the world actually hold both of these certification titles!

She amazingly survived a vicious Rottweiler attack in 1998, and since then has overcome incredible obstacles to continue her life’s journey. Shannon has just launched a revolutionary new seminar series Learning About Pets Program focused on teaching pet owners vital knowledge to enhance their pets’ vitality, health, and well-being! http://learningaboutpets.com/

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