Wash N Wag Grooming

Oh how those furry little black and white creatures can wreak so much havoc! 

Should you ever experience a skunking (and I hope you don’t) STAY AWAY FROM WATER – DO NOT BATHE!  Skunks emit an oily substance and bathing without properly neutralizing the stench first will only make matters worse; it will spread the oil into the skin. 

The old remedies of tomato juice, lemon juice, and vinegar just don’t work.  Contact your Groomer or Vet right away for instructions on what to do next, you’ll be glad you did.

All pets get mats every now and then.  Even short haired breeds get them on occasion believe it or not.  There are the “pretty puppy” mats that happen behind the ears from too much loving on them (okay, there’s really never too much loving you can give back to them!), then there’s the occasional “rump rock” or “tail/toe tangle” during high shedding times. 

Mats happen and Groomers understand; that is until a dog is brought in whose owner absolutely refuses to properly comb/brush it.  Think about this, if we went for weeks without brushing our hair imagine what shape it would be in (unless you have a very tight crew cut).  Not caring for a pets coat is in fact a form of neglect and one that could be easily remedied with just a few minutes of care a week with the proper grooming tools; you can even watch TV while doing it.  Coat matting causes all kinds of skin issues, is very painful, dirty, smelly, can lead to maggots on underlying sores (very gross), and, it costs more at the Groomers!  At Wash & Wag Grooming we are more than happy to show our clients the proper tools and techniques required to care for their specific breed coat. 

Just because a pet has Poodle or Bichon type hair doesn’t mean it’s not prone to matting, in fact those can be the worst kind known as “pill” matts.  These types of tangles are usually all over the entire body and look like little curls blending in with the rest of the coat.  Remember, every type of pet coat requires some sort of maintenance to remain healthy and beautiful.

So, next time you wonder if your pup is matted, do a simple test..  run a comb (not a brush) through the coat down to the skin from face, to feet, to tail.  If you can’t easily comb through at least 90% of your pets coat it is considered “excessively matted”, and in some cases a “severely matted” coat may require a trip to the Vet for sedation with a shave down to the skin (expensive!).   And, no mat should ever, EVER be tight down to the skin. 

A good comb out is a wonderful time for bonding and an opportunity to spare your pet the pain and suffering that comes along with matting.  But, if you just don’t have time to do it yourself (or don’t want to), then in all fairness to your pet it needs to be put on a regular 4 week bath and brush schedule with a full groom as needed and appropriate coat length to suit your busy lifestyle.  Put yourself in their fur!

6 – 18 Months, puppies will go through adolescence, time period when they are most influenced by humans and other pack members

This wraps up the Puppy Series, I hope it’s been helpful in understanding some of the behaviors your new best friend is or will display and provide you with a little more patience in knowing what’s to come.  Puppies are fun, but mostly a lot of work.  If you put the time and effort into training now they’ll be such a pleasure to live with for all the years of love and companionship to come.

7 – 9 Months, puppies explore dominance including challenging humans, if unneutered/unsprayed will begin to demonstrate sexual behavior, will have a second chewing phase

Next post 6 to 18 month stage

3 – 6 Months, puppies focus is mostly on social order, pack rank, they will teethe so make sure they have appropriate chew toys

Next post 7-9 months stage

3-12 Weeks = Socialization Stage; critical time to provide opportunities to meet other dogs and people, they are learning how to play, becoming aware of surroundings, refining physical skills and coordination, and social skills are developing; positive human interaction is essential, reinforcement and training should begin

Next post 3-6 months stage

2 – 4 Weeks = Transitional Stage; when a puppy is most influenced by their Mother and Littermates, their eyes open, teeth cut through, hearing and sense of smell are developing, they begin to stand, walk some, wag tails and bark

Next post 3-12 Week Stage

If you’re considering getting a new puppy or already have one this information will be invaluable in understanding the growing process (and pains) you will both experience.  The series to follow is a quick insight to the Developmental Stages of a Puppy.

0-2 Weeks = Neonatal Stage; when a puppy is most influenced by their Mother, their touch and taste are present at birth

Next post 2-4 Week Stage

There’s always been concern about overbathing and drying out or irritating a dogs skin.  Good news, most Groomers will agree there’s no harm in bathing a dog once a week, so long as a good, professional shampoo is used and rinsed extremely well. 

In fact, many show dogs are bathed as much as 2 to 3 times a day.  So next time Fido or Fifi decides to do a dirt roll or starts to get a little stinky, don’t hesitate to bring’em on in.  There’s nothing better than a fresh, clean puppy dog!

Think about how often you cut, file manicure your nails for a moment.   Most of us at least tend to our nail on a monthly basis, if not weekly, so why do we let our pets go for months without nail care?  Lack of concern is usually not the reason, but lack of understanding the differences between our nail growth and theirs tends to be for most.  Simply put, our nail bed/quick has a stopping point so we can go without a nail trim somewhat indefinitely; a dogs nail bed/quick continues to grow with the length of the nail. 

So, imagine for a moment the pain we feel when we have a nail that is accidently broken or torn down into the quick, now imagine the pain (not to mention bleeding) your pet endures when overgrown nails are trimmed back after months of growth without care.  Groomers have only two choices when trimming overgrown nails, 1. cut just the very tips to avoid quicking the nail, therefore leaving a long nail and possible health problem unattended to, or, 2. inadvertently quicking the nail while trying to trim a nail back to a shorter, healthy length.

The Verdict… a dogs nails need to be cared for on a monthly basis, especially if they tend to not be outdoors on a hard concrete surface often, and all dogs should have a nail trim at least every six weeks.  And, if you’re fearfull of caring for your pets nails use a nail file if you have a little dog, or for the bigger pups learn to use a Dremel with Peticure attachment (my personal favorite).  A Dremel gives you more control to file a little then check to see where you’re at, verses a nail clipper where its one shot and you hope for the best.  When using a Dremel just be sure not to overheat a nail, if the nail starts to get warm move on to the next nail while the other cools and then come back to it.  My dog actually lays down on his side and takes a little cat-nap while getting his nails Dremeled.  He likes it, though it does tickle at times. 

Finally, an easy way to keep up with your pets nail care is the next time you manicure your nails – give your pet a manicure too.  Your pet will be forever grateful not to experience the trauma of a quicked nail, and so will your Pet Groomer!