Sunday, August 16, 2009

Teeth Brushing, Ear & Eye Cleaning

TEETH:
To keep the tarter build-up down, brush your dogs teeth regularly. I find that the gloves or thimble type brushes (built in on the tip) are easier to use than a human toothbrush.


A tarter control pet toothpaste can be added to the brush tip and let the dog sniff and lick it to see that it won't hurt him, like the big dog above.


Then, rub the front teeth first with the brush and paste. Most dog toothpaste is flavored so they like the taste. This allows you to gently wedge your brush tipped finger to his back teeth.
EARS:
For poodles and other small breeds with hair inside the ear, pluck out that hair with an ear powder first.
Use a cotton pad (found in the cosmetic section of a pharmacy) for large ears and a Q-tip for smaller breeds. Squirt a small amount of dog ear cleaner (or half & half mixture of vinegar and alcohol) on the cotton and wipe gently, using a separate pad for each ear. Be careful not to go in too deep, especially with a Q-tip. If a dark residue shows on the pad, use more pads or swabs until clean.
EYES:
When gunk accumulates in your dog's eyes, use a cotton pad with an eye solution for dogs. Wipe using a separate pad on each eye as not to transfer an infection if there is one.

Some dogs tear more often than others, and a tell-tale sign is a discoloring of the hair under the eyes. Dogs such as the Shih Tzu have hair that grows wild around their eyes, creating a mess when their eyes tear. This area needs to be cut clean first to avoid the build up and so you can see their pretty eyes!

You can find pet care products at your local pet store or here's an online site that offers natural pet care products: http://search.onlynaturalpet.com/

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Furminate Your Dog & Cat




The Aussie Pet Mobile (who I groom for) offers a Furminator service for dogs and cats. It's great for both long-haired pets and short-haired ones alike. Maya (above) is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that I furminate every two weeks. Because she is done regularly, she doesn't have as much hair wash/brush off as a Labrador that is done once a year.


Aussie's Furminator process is 3-Steps: a shampoo that is massaged in for 10 min, a thick rinse solution that stays on for 10 min and then the dog is rinsed well and turbo dried. The final step is the brushing with the furminator combs that have teeth like a #40 blade. This process removes the dead hair, tufts left over from the winter coat and loose undercoat.


A big dog will take me 90 min while a dog Maya's size will be about an hour - the drying time takes longer for those with thick or long hair.


Furminating will not only make your dog shinier, cooler and happier, but also keep your home cleaner with much less dog hair!
For info on Aussie Pet Mobile, a self-contained grooming service that comes to your home or business: http://www.aussiepetmobile.com/