Clipping your dogs nails properly is very important. If your dog needs their nails clipped, here is a video and some tips. So you can be well informed on what to do if they start bleeding, as well as a material list of what you need before you get started.

How To Trim Your Dog’s Nails

Pedicures aren’t just for pampered pooches—your dog is descended from wolves, but her nails don’t have the chance to wear down as they would in the wild. A regular clipping every three or four weeks will save her from painful ingrown nails and sore paws.

Clipping Dog Nails – Tips For Keeping Your Dog’s Nail in Good Order

The first thing you are going to want to do when you are clipping dog nails is to make sure the nails are pliable. The easiest way to do this is to clip the dog nails after your dog has had a bath. You should give your dog a bath each month, after which time, you should commence clipping his nails.

Just like a human, dog nails grow until they are cut or break off. Dog nails can dig into furniture, your skin and even the skin of your dog. They can also, if uncut, become ingrown and infected. This would entail the nail actually growing so long that it grows back into the skin.

You need to have good dog nail clippers in order to do a proper job. This is not the time to skimp. You can get good clippers by looking at a variety of different places online. Take a look at what is available and get a decent pair of dog nail clippers made for the breed of your dog. One option is to ask your vet as to the best type of clippers for your dog.

If you get cheap dog nail clippers, chances are that they will not last a long time and you will be stuck paying for better quality again. Instead of throwing good money after bad, why not get the best quality dog nail clippers you can get from the beginning?

You are going to have to hold the dog still when you clip his nails or else you can hurt him. Take his paw firmly in your hand while you have him on your lap. If he is a big dog, it might be necessary to have someone else hold him the first few times. Hold the paw with one hand and use the other hand to clip the nails. Do not clip too far, just take off the very tips. This should only take a few minutes.

It will be easier to clip the front paws than the back and as those are more important when it comes to your furniture and even yourself, those are the first you should clip. If your dog runs from you, do not make a big deal out of the clipping. Try to do a little more each time. Be firm, but do not yell or frighten the dog or else he will run every single time you take out the clippers.

Most dogs will begrudgingly put up with having their nails clipped. A few dogs like it but most dislike it. If you talk in a soothing tone to him while you are clipping his nails, he will most likely be more cooperative when it comes to nail clipping time. Again, if you embark on this task after the bath, you should have a much more positive results.

Clipping dog nails takes practice. The more you do this task, however, the better you will get at clipping the nails of your dog and the easier it will get for your dog as well.

To learn more great tips about clipping dog nails and other great puppy related information take a look at http://www.takingcareofapuppy.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daithi_Bailey

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Nail clipping has to be one of the most feared elements of grooming around. Neither owners nor dogs particularly like doing it or having it done but this is for very different reasons.

Dogs do not like having their nails

clipped because it feels strange. If you think about having your own nails cut, the sensation is more than a little odd. However, owners do not like clipping their dogs’ nails purely and simply because they know the risks.

If you know what they are though and find out exactly how to clip nails then you will find that it becomes second nature within just a few grooming sessions.

Knowing exactly how to cut your dog’s nails is an absolute must and getting the technique right is incredibly important. This is why a complete step by step guide must be adhered to at all times. However, you might want to know a little more about the nails before you clip them. Not only will this knowledge help you to understand how to clip nails but it will also reinforce why you should because there are serious consequences if you do not do so.

Much like our nails, a dog’s nails grow constantly and so will keep on growing until they are brought under control. If you leave them and expect granite sidewalks to wear them down naturally then this will happen to a degree but not to enough of an extent that your dog’s nails will not be a problem. If your dog does walk on such surfaces often then it may reduce the regularity at which you need to cut the nails but it will not eliminate the need completely. Think of it as a nail file – it can only go so far in wearing the down and the rest is up to you!

Failing to clip a dog’s nails can actually cause crippling, arthritic type pains in your dog’s paws, which in turn can actually lead to malformation of the paws and thus permanent damage and pain. This can occur naturally anyway in certain breeds but you do not want the nails to add to it at all.

Finally, just one last tip to help you during grooming. Always check your dog’s paws out thoroughly when you are cutting the nails. You need to check the pads to make sure that they are intact and not stuck with thorns, glass or other foreign objects. Make sure that your dog has healthy paws and then you will happily be able to leave them alone until trim time rolls around again.

If all else fails then you could always ask a vet or professional dog groomer to do it because they will have extensive experience and know full well how to do it without causing any harm at all to your dog. However, you should try to do it first as a part of the grooming process.

In the next article, we will cover HOW to clip your dog’s nails.

For more information on grooming your dog plus access to the popular FREE Dog Grooming newsletter – Please visit Dog Grooming Secrets Website.

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There are several staple elements of the grooming of all dogs and all of them can help to boost the health of your dog’s skin and coat. Brushing is undoubtedly one of them and is actually one of the most important elements because of all of the benefits it brings. For example, you can see the improvement in the health of your dog’s coat but it also boosts the skin and the supply of nutrients to it because it encourages the flow of blood underneath the skin.

Your reaction and enthusiasm towards brushing may be along the lines of “Great” I’ll go and grab the brush then!” However, your dog will probably not see it that way to start with, especially when it is dealing with knots and tangles. In fact, unless you go about it the right way you will have to pin your dog down to be able to do it again after the first time. There are many elements of brushing to consider and much depends on the coat of your dog.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT BRUSH

You cannot brush your dog without a brush so the first thing that you need to do is take the time to make sure that you choose the right one. You have to take a lot of factors into account when trying to choose the right ones. For example, the coat plays a big part because longer and coarser quotes will be more prone to matting and tangling than shorter coats. Similarly, harsh brushes are likely to damage the skin on shorter coats because they is no real furry protection available. As such, brush selection is a little difficult but it is an important decision to make so it is essential to ensure that you take your time and make the right choice.

There are numerous brushes that you can choose from. To recap though, there are perhaps five that you have to choose from:

• Bristle Brush – The most common of brush types, natural bristles are designed to work in harmony with the skin and the coat in order to get the best possible results. There are various sizes available so you should choose one that suits your dog size and not focus on the coat. The larger the dog, the larger the bristle brush should be. However, there are certain bristles that suit certain coats as well. If your dog has a long coat then wide spaced and longer bristles would suit it best. Tighter bristles are better for short haired coats.
• Wire Pin Brush – Pin brushes and wire brushes are ideal for longer coats as well as coats that are curly because they tend to be much stronger than bristle brushes and push through tangles really well. However, they will hurt smooth coated dogs and thus damage the skin so they are best avoided for those dogs.
• Slicker Brush – A slicker brush should be used in conjunction with a wire pin brush because it should be used afterwards to smooth the coats of longer haired dogs. Slicker brushes are renowned for removing mats and tangles and so are ideal for double coated dogs but again should be avoided on single coated dogs.
• Undercoat Rake – The undercoat rake is pretty self explanatory. If your dog has a double coat then you should use one to remove any dead and loose hairs from the undercoat of double coated dogs. It may be that you have a medium or long haired dog, a small or large dog.. It really does not matter what they look like or what breed they are. If you have a double coated dog then you need this brush.
• Dog Comb – Every single breed needs a comb because it is essential for getting out tangles, smoothing the fur down after a bath and even to take care of fleas as well. It is the one piece of equipment that is not dependent on coat at all so invest in a god brush.

The ideal combinations for all coat types vary from dog to dog but most owners will only need a bristle brush and a comb. However, you may want to consider having a wire pin brush as well if you have a long coated breed. After all, you can chop and change as and when required.

For more information on grooming your dog plus access to the popular FREE Dog Grooming newsletter – Please visit Dog Grooming Secrets Website.

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Believe it or not, even in this day and age, there are dog owners asking this question each and every single day. They do not believe that taking the time to groom their dog properly on a regular basis is necessary, despite all of the evidence to the contrary. After all, your dog cannot just stay clean on his or her own. In fact, although they are capable of cleaning themselves to a certain degree, they need more help than many owners often believe.

Here are 6 of the 8 main reasons why you should take the time to groom your dog outlined below that highlight the benefits for both you and your dog. As such, they should give you an idea of the importance that should be placed on grooming by all dog owners today:

• It encourages the health of your dog’s skin and coat. Regular brushing and grooming of your dog’s coat can encourage the health and vitality of your dog’s skin because it boosts the blood flow underneath the coat. This in turn ensures that the cells get everything they need via the bloodstream. Similarly, dogs need to wash much the same as humans do in order to keep toxins that may get caught in the fur at bay because they can also cause problems with the coat and skin.
• It enhances your dog’s overall health. Grooming enhances your dog’s overall health in a number of ways. It can ensure that your dog is mentally and physically in top condition as a result of the attention. Furthermore, it can improve the circulation, boost muscle mass and reduce the possibility of infection. By pairing grooming with a good diet, you can also boost your dog’s immune system, meaning that he or she will be less likely to become ill anyway.
• It eliminates the smell associated with dogs. This point applies to both your dog and your home. Everyone knows that there is nothing worse than walking into a house and having your senses assaulted with the pungent odor of stale dog but you do not have to worry about that if you regularly groom your dog because it minimizes the smell. This applies to all breeds of dog, even those that have particularly long and thick coats.
• It highlights any problems as and when they arise. This is not one of the more obvious reasons but it is a reason nevertheless because regular grooming enables you to notice changes in your dog’s body, which can be important in the diagnosis of many illnesses. For example, you will notice any cuts, grazes, lumps, swelling and even heat that occur. You may also notice slight differences in your dog’s general demeanor that may hint at depression or pain in some way. As such, if you notice these symptoms then you can seek help for your dog much quicker than would otherwise be possible.
• It can cut down on the overall cost of grooming. If you pay for someone else to groom your dog, whether on a regular basis or for a six monthly coat trim. By regularly grooming your dog, you may not need to hire anyone else to provide personal attention for your dog in the first place. This will save you money and enhance the relationship between you and your dog.
  
• Finally, and most importantly, it enhances the bond between you and your dog. As hinted at under the last point, grooming enhances the relationship between man and dog because it gives you a shared experience and one that is pleasurable for your canine companion. Dogs do enjoy grooming because it means that they get attention from their owners. All dogs absolutely love the attention. As such, it is an activity that you will be able to laugh at and your dog will be able to enjoy.

All of the above reasons should be more than enough to give you a push in the right direction because now you can see exactly why you and your dog can benefit from the process. Grooming is an essential part of owning a dog so the sooner you integrate it into your routine the better. The information in the ensuing chapters will most definitely be able to give you an idea as to where to start.

For more information on grooming your dog plus access to the popular FREE Dog Grooming newsletter – Please visit Dog Grooming Secrets Website.

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WHAT IS A PARASITE?

External parasites are pretty common among dogs. A parasite is an organism that lives off the resources your dog has to offer: namely, fresh blood (which most parasites drink) and a warm place to stay (in and on the skin and fur).

What are the common parasites that might affect my dog?

There are a wide range of parasites that affect dogs:

- Fleas
- Ticks
- Mites
- Lice

All of these parasites cause adverse reactions in your dog: typically, itching and inflamed skin, a dull coat, and bald spots. In advanced cases, your dog may develop anemia (blood loss) and become generally debilitated (particularly if he or she is very young, very old, or suffering from another condition).

In addition to this, many parasites convey secondary and internal parasites to your dog – for example, fleas usually carry the common tapeworm (which causes constipation and flatulence), and ticks can cause a variety of much more serious problems like Lyme’s disease and paralysis.

In today’s newsletter, we’re going to be looking at fleas: what they are, how to tell if your dog’s affected, and how to get rid of them.

A CLOSER LOOK AT FLEAS

Fleas are without question the number-one most common external parasite affecting dogs. They’re small, jumping insects that are light brown in color, although humans generally can’t see them – they move much too quickly for that!

Fleas live off your dog’s blood. The life cycle of a flea moves very rapidly from stage one (egg) to stage four (adult flea), which means they’re capable of multiplying with staggering rapidity.

An adult flea lays hundreds of eggs per day. Each egg will then become an adult flea, which lay hundreds more eggs of its own. One flea becomes a major problem very quickly!

HOW TO TELL IF YOUR DOG HAS FLEAS

The symptoms of a flea infestation are unmistakable.
A dog with a flea infestation will scratch almost constantly, often at areas that fleas seem to favor: the ears, the base of the tail, the belly, and the stifle (the webbing of soft skin between the thigh and the abdomen).

It’s actually the saliva of the flea that causes the irritation, not the bite itself, and some dogs have a genuine allergy to this saliva (as opposed to a standard irritation). Dogs with allergies suffer much more significant negative reactions to a flea infestation, and usually develop “hot spots”.

These hot spots are areas of sore, inflamed, flaking, bleeding, and infected skin, caused by the flea saliva and your dog’s own reaction to it. Bald patches will sometimes develop too, from repeated scratching and ongoing inflammation.

If you think your dog has fleas, you can confirm your suspicions by taking a closer look at his skin: you probably won’t be able to see the fleas themselves, but you should be able to see what looks like ground pepper (a thin sprinkling of fine black grains) on his skin. This is flea dirt (poop).

If you groom him with a flea comb (which is like a fine-tooth comb), try wiping it on a paper towel: if red blotches show up on the towel, you know that your dog has fleas (on a white background like a paper towel, flea poop shows up red: since fleas subsist on blood, their poop is colored accordingly).

TREATMENT FOR FLEAS

Because fleas only spend a small amount of time actually on your dog, and the rest of their time leaping through your house laying eggs and feeding on human blood, it’s not enough to just treat the dog: you also have to target his bedding, the entire house, all human bedding, and the yard (yes, fleas lay eggs all through the yard, too. Even if it’s cold outside, you’re not necessarily off the hook: cold weather doesn’t kill flea eggs, it just puts them into a state of hibernation. The eggs will hatch as soon as it gets warm enough outside.)

You’ll need a broad-spectrum treatment which kills not only the adult fleas (which are the ones that bite), but also any developing fleas, and the eggs.

PREVENTION IS THE BEST (AND THE EASIEST!)

Prevention is definitely the best cure – you should keep your dog’s flea treatments up to date with the use of a calendar, and use a treatment that’s prescribed by the vet. Off-the-shelf treatments aren’t recommended, since different dogs require different strengths depending on their size, age, and activity levels. A particular benefit of prescribed flea treatment is that most are also designed to prevent other parasites (like mites, ticks, and heartworm) from affecting your dog.

FOR AN EXISTING INFESTATION

If your dog already has fleas, you have two options:

- You can ‘bomb’ the house and yard with a flea-pesticide. These come as foggers (which coat each room, and the yard, in a fine mist of pesticide) and sprays (which are applied manually to each surface throughout the house and yard), and although they’re very effective in killing fleas and eggs, there’s one major drawback: they’re highly toxic to humans, dogs, and the environment. Depending on your priorities, this is probably the quickest solution to a flea problem (and will effectively wipe out the eggs, too) but if you have anyone in the house with allergies or a health condition – including pets! – you might want to think again.

- A more health-friendly alternative is to target the dog with a topical anti-flea solution prescribed by the vet (like Advantage or Revolution), and to rigorously clean the house on a regular basis until the flea problem has gone. This means vacuuming each room thoroughly each day – put a flea collar in with the vacuum bag to kill any fleas that get sucked up – and wash all human and dog bedding in hot water as often as you can (once every day or every two days is recommended). You’ll be able to tell when the problem’s gone because your dog won’t be scratching, and his coat will be clear of flea dirt when you inspect it.

WHAT NOT TO DO ABOUT FLEAS

- Don’t use multiple products on your dog – it’ll make him sick, since you’ll be overloading his system with toxins.
- Don’t forget to treat all the animals in the house at the same time: cat and dog fleas are interchangeable, and if one animal has fleas, they all will have them, even if some are not displaying the symptoms.
- Flea collars are no longer recommended as a safe option for flea prevention, since the collars are highly toxic – vets have realized that placing a toxic material directly against your pet’s skin for long periods of time (flea collars have to be worn 24/7 to be effective) is detrimental to your dog’s health.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PARASITES AND THEIR TREATMENT…

Fleas are just one of the many, many types of parasites that affect your dog. To find out more about the complete prevention and treatment of all types of parasites (external and internal), as well as a comprehensive guide to all aspects of dog health, take a look at The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health.

This book is an invaluable resource for the responsible dog owner, and will help you to ensure that your dog remains happy and healthy – just the way you want him to be!

You can check out the book by clicking on the link below:

External Parasites and fleas on dogs

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Even if you’ve got the most easy-care dog in the world, she’ll still need some attention to be paid to her appearance every once in a while – so it’s worth spending a bit of time learning the best techniques for easy, stress-free grooming.

WHY SHOULD I BOTHER GROOMING MY DOG?

Not so long ago, the average American’s approach to canine grooming was somewhat cavalier. Dogs were seen as something that lived in the yard (usually in a dusty, hard-floored kennel), ate whatever was put in their bowls, and existed as a sometime-playmate for the household’s children.

Today, we tend to care for our dogs a lot more, and view them more as members of the household than the Thing in the Yard.

Ever since this rise in the estimation of our beloved pooches became widespread, grooming has been increasingly recognized as an important facet of your dog’s regular health-care. It ensures that any skin-care problems are minimized (because grooming distributes the natural skin-oils evenly throughout the coat), and assists you in monitoring your dog’s overall condition – if you groom on a regular basis, you can’t help but notice the presence of any unusual lumps or bumps.

This preventative action has saved many a canine life. Our dogs can’t tell us where it hurts, but taking just a little bit of time every so often to check them over ourselves can save a lot of grief in the long run.

The trick is getting your dog to tolerate (and even enjoy!) the process …

THE FIRST STEP IN THE GROOMING PROCESS

Something that many owners lack experience in is how to wash their dogs. Dry-grooming (brushing and ‘buffing’ the coat) seems to present little problem for most people; the rot tends to set in when water is introduced to the mix.

Most dogs have a strong dislike of being bathed, and in many cases will become utterly panic-stricken when the tub comes out.

This article is going to deal with the basics of how to wash your dog in a way that’ll keep both of you relaxed and happy.

PREPARING YOUR DOG FOR GROOMING

First of all, the absolute most important thing you can do is to accustom your dog to the grooming process. Now, starting this in puppyhood is the ideal way to handle the situation, but of course not all of us have this luxury; if you’ve got an adult dog, you’ll probably need to move a little slower, but you should still start getting her used to being touched and handled all over as soon as you can.

As your puppy or dog gets used to the sensation of being rubbed and handled, she’ll slowly come to enjoy it. Dogs are social creatures by instinct, and physical affection and contact is a big part of their lives – it shouldn’t take long before she begins to trust you, and allows herself to get some pleasure out of your touch.

All you have to do is start rubbing her slowly all over. Fondle her ears, touch her cheeks and neck, rub her back and belly, pick up her paws and – if she’ll let you – give each one a gentle squeeze (treating and praising her whenever she lets you do this, since paw touching is generally a pretty big deal for most dogs). If she has a tail, rub it between your fingers; get her to roll over on her back so you can rub and stroke her belly and hocks.

This might not seem like such a big deal, but it’s actually a really important part of the grooming process: the more your dog enjoys it, the less stressful the whole event will be for both of you, and so the more often you’re likely to groom her – which increases the health benefits for her.

HOW TO WASH YOUR DOG

Bathing always comes before dry-grooming, since it makes brushing and trimming a lot easier as well as a lot more effective (there’s not much point in brushing a tangled, dirty coat!)

You will need some basic tools: a tub, a non-slip mat, a plastic jug, some warm water, a small sponge, and some canine shampoo (not human shampoo: the pH is all wrong for dogs, and will give her dry and flaky skin.)

Stand her in the tub, on the non-slip mat. If she’s a large or unruly dog, you may want to wash her outside to minimize mess – either that, or you can restrain her by tying one end of a light nylon leash to her collar, and the other end to the faucet.

Pour jugs of warm water all over her until she’s good and wet. This breaks down the grease in her fur, and ensures a thorough shampooing.

Mix a little shampoo with another jug of warm water, and rub it thoroughly into your dog’s fur. Start off with her back and rub it into a good lather (but don’t be too harsh!)

Now you can move on to her head and face. Be very careful here – dogs’ eyes are sensitive too, and if you get any water in her ears, she’ll probably get an ear infection. (You can plug her ears with a small twist of cotton wool to help stop this from happening, if you like.)

Remember to clean under her tail before you wash her off – dip the sponge into the shampoo mixture to do this properly.

Now it’s time to rinse: using the jug and some clean, warm, shampoo-free water, carefully tip it all over her and use your fingers to help disperse the lather from her coat. Rinse her off thoroughly at least twice, since any residue that remains will irritate her skin.

Now you’ll need to dry her off: if she’s got short fur, you can use a towel (an old one will do just fine, although big dogs generally need two); for dogs with longer fur, give her a gentle toweling-off first, and then use a hair dryer to get rid of the last dampness. Be certain that it’s set on low heat, and hold it far away from your dog’s fur to prevent burning either the skin or the fur.

KEEP YOURSELF CALM

Remember that most dogs have an inherent dislike of being bathed, which can cause anxiety and even outright panic.

Your dog takes a lot of her emotional cues from you, so make sure you act like a good role model for the occasion. Reassure your dog frequently, keeping your voice well-modulated, low, and even; keep your movements slow and deliberate; praise her lavishly for good behavior, and give her a couple of treats throughout the process to make it more enjoyable for her.

The more she enjoys the process, the easier it’ll be for you!

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Grooming your dog is just one tiny aspect of maintaining overall health and happiness. For a complete, encyclopedic survival guide to all aspects of dog health, from preventative care to choosing a vet to doggie First Aid (even the canine Heimlich maneuver!), you should take a look at The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health.

A survival guide for knowledgeable, effective, and life-saving dog care, this manual keeps your dog’s health and wellbeing firmly within your control – which is exactly where you want it to be.

To be the best and most responsible owner you can be, take a look at The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health.

You can visit the website by clicking on the link below:

How to Wash Your Dog

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