TRIMMING TOENAILS

Most dog owners hate trimming their dog’s toenails, probably because they worry about cutting into the quick, making their dog bleed, and causing pain. Although this can happen, letting the nails grow too long isn’t good for the dog, either. Long nails can cause the paw to become painful as the toes are stretched into awkward positions. If the toenails remain too long for an extended period, the paw can actually become deformed.

There are several types of toenail trimmers on the market, but the two easiest styles are the scissors type and the guillotine type. Ask for help at your local pet store to find the correct size for your breed of dog. You will also need some styptic powder on hand (also available from the pet store) in case you do make one of your dog’s nails bleed.

To trim the nails:

1. If you are nervous and afraid, you might make your dog nervous, too. Have some peanut butter on hand so you can distract her, as you did during ear cleaning.
2. Take one paw, separate one toe, and pull all the hair away from the nail. If the nail is clear or white, you will be able to see the pink quick inside. If you cut into the quick, the dog will cry and the nail will bleed. The nail beyond the quick has no feeling at all—just like your nails—and this is where you should cut.
3. If your puppy has black nails, check all her toenails. If she has even one white nail, you can use that nail as a trimming guide.
4. If there are no white nails, look at the nail from the side. The top of the nail is evenly curved but the underside has a small curve under the tip and then bulges down a little under the quick. You can safely cut the tip off.
5. If you do cut into the quick, dip the bleeding nail into styptic powder and hold the paw still until the bleeding stops. Then, continue with your trimming.

Trim the nails weekly so that you and your puppy get used to it. You may need to trim only the tips of the nails, but that’s okay. You will become more skilled and sure of yourself, and your dog
will learn to trust you.

How to: Trimming Toenails - Video

Combating Fleas, Ticks, and Mites

FLEAS
Fleas, ticks, and mites are external parasites that feed on your dog. In addition to taking a drop of blood each time they feed, they can also transmit diseases—some quite serious—and can cause significant discomfort. A dog infested with fleas will scratch and chew until her skin is raw, and secondary infections will follow. Controlling these pests is essential for your dog’s good health.

Fleas are tiny, crescent-shaped insects. They have flat sides so they can move through animal hair easily. They have a small head and a large abdomen. Fleas are the intermediate host for tapeworms and can cause anemia from blood loss, especially in small puppies or older dogs. Fleas feed on your dog and then move away. They actually spend most of their time in the dog’s environment—in the house or yard, hiding in the dog’s bed, or in your carpet.

New products introduced in the past decade have made flea control considerably easier. Some of these products kill adult fleas (which are the only ones that bite), while others are insect growth regulators that stop immature fleas from maturing. Some of the newer products do both. If your dog is infested with fleas, you will want to approach flea control with a three-pronged attack:

• On your dog: Talk to your veterinarian about a prescription for a systemic product such as Program or Sentinel. As the flea bites your dog, it will take a drop of blood that will be carrying the flea-control product.
• In the house: Spray carpets, dog beds, baseboards, cracks, and crevices with an insect growth regulator and a quick-kill ingredient designed for indoor use. Make sure you read and follow the directions.
• In the yard: Use a spray designed for outdoor use that contains an insect growth regulator.

Don’t mix flea control products. Using a systemic product and then spraying your dog or putting
a flea collar on her could potentially be deadly. Instead, talk to your veterinarian or groomer
about which products are working best in your area, and then use them as instructed.

TICKS
Ticks are eight-legged insects that bury their heads in a dog’s skin to feed. They will stay on the dog until gorged, when they will drop off to breed and lay eggs. Like fleas, ticks can pass along diseases to dogs and people. The most deadly right now is Lyme disease, so ask your veterinarian if Lyme disease (or any other tick-carried disease) is prevalent in your area.

Some systemic flea control products are advertised as being effective at killing ticks as well, but nothing is as effective as a daily examination. If you massage your dog each day, you can feel with your fingers for bumps on your dog’s skin. Or visually check the favorite hiding spots, which include the “armpit” areas of the legs, in and around the ears, the neck, and under and around the base of the tail. When you find a tick, use tweezers or forceps to grab the tick and slowly pull it straight out of the skin. Twisting can break the head off, leaving it in the skin. Check the tick to make sure that the head is still attached; if the head has broken off in the skin, try to pull it out. If retained in the skin, an infection could result. Put some antibiotic ointment on the wound. Burn the tick or drop it in some alcohol. Do not flush it down the toilet; it will live!

MITES
Mites are everywhere. Experts say that we clean, well-groomed people are exposed to mites all the time. Dogs have their own mites, even though we can’t see them. There are two types of mites found on dogs: demodetic and sarcoptic.

Demodectic mites are on dogs all the time and usually cause no problems. But sometimes, when a dog is under stress or in puberty, the mites get out of hand. Small bald spots show up, usually on the face first, and then spread. The spots rarely itch, and the dog doesn’t seem bothered at all. Unfortunately, this demodectic mange can cause severe problems in older dogs, although with treatment young dogs usually recuperate easily. Any unexplained bald patches should be seen by a veterinarian; never try to treat demodex on your own. Demodectic mites do not live on people.

Sarcoptic mites cause severe itching, and dogs will scratch continually, even to the point of drawing blood. Like demodectic mange, this problem requires veterinary care. Sarcoptic mange is contagious to other pets and to people.

Bathing Your Dog

You need shampoo, conditioner (if your dog’s coat is dry or tangles easily), several absorbent towels, and, if it’s cool, a hair dryer (many hair dryers have a cool setting). If your dog is anxious about baths, have a few good treats within reach.

1. Test the water before putting your dog in the tub. It should feel warm but not hot.
2. Lift your dog into the tub, praise her for being brave, and pop a treat into her mouth.
3. Put a cotton ball in each of her ears to prevent water from running in.
4. Using a handheld spray nozzle, wet your dog thoroughly. Begin working shampoo into her coat, starting at the head and working down her back toward her tail and down each leg. Don’t forget under the chest, the belly, and between the back legs.
5. When she’s covered with shampoo, give her a quick massage all over to loosen the dirt. Brush your dog thoroughly prior to bathing.
6. Begin rinsing at her head, tilting the head so that the water runs away from her eyes and ears. Work the coat with one hand as you rinse with the other. Make sure all the soap is rinsed out.
7. If you’re using a conditioner, rub it into the coat now. Again, use your hands to give the dog a massage so the conditioner spreads evenly throughout the coat. (Conditioner is most effective on coats that can tangle; it makes the hair coat slicked and easier to brush out.)
8. Rinse out the conditioner, using the same technique you used for the shampoo.
9. Use one of the towels to blot the excess water off the dog before you take her out of the tub.
10. Put that damp towel on the floor or table, lift the dog out of the tub, and place her on that towel. Using a dry towel, get her as dry as possible.
11. Use the hair dryer to get her as dry as you can, especially if the house is chilly. If your dog is worried about the hair dryer, use it in short spurts and keep a supply of treats at hand. Praise her for being brave.
12. Once the dog is dry, brush and then comb her.

Most experts recommend bathing a dog only when she needs it. If she gets into something dirty, rolls in the mud, or smells doggy, bathe her. Sometimes dogs need to bathed more often. Dogs participating in dog shows, for example, must be freshly bathed and groomed prior to each show.
Therapy dogs must be clean before each visit. Frequent bathing can dry the skin, so choose a gentle shampoo and conditioner that will keep the skin and coat healthy.

Brushing Canine Teeth

Always keep the teeth clean is a good practice for dog's health. Many studies have shown that disease in the gums, teeth, and mouth can travel through the body, primarily through the bloodstream, and can affect other organs. One study in particular found a direct link between a dirty mouth and heart disease in older dogs.



For tools you can use a child’s small toothbrush and some baking soda. Although there are toothpastes made specifically for dogs, sometimes these taste too good, and it’s tough to keep the dog’s tongue out of the way—he’s trying to eat the toothpaste!

Don’t use toothpaste made for people; the taste is much too strong for dogs, and not all the ingredients have been tested for safety on dogs.

1. Before you begin, mix a little baking soda (maybe a tablespoon) with just enough water to make a paste. You will dip the toothbrush in this paste and use it as you would toothpaste.
2. Invite your dog to sit in front of you or in your lap, depending on her size. You can wrap a towel around her neck or drape it over your lap.
3. Dip the toothbrush in the dampened baking soda, lift your dog’s lips on one side of her muzzle, and gently begin brushing as you steady her head with your other hand.
4. Every few strokes, pick up some more baking soda.

If your dog is very unhappy with this process, stop after brushing the outside of the teeth of onequarter of her mouth. Offer her a drink of water, and then tell her how brave she is and what a wonderful dog she is. Later, or even the next day, you can do some more. Gradually, by doing a little each day, you can get the entire mouth cleaned and, at the same time, get her used to this necessary chore.

Some dog owners have found battery-powered toothbrushes with moveable heads to be very
effective. They make it easier to remove plaque build-up from their dogs’ teeth. Wait until your
dog is used to the teeth-cleaning process, though, before introducing a moving toothbrush, as some dogs are very sensitive to the sound of it.

Cleaning Ears

You must introduce Ears Cleaning when your dog is young and you clean the ears very gently. Begin with cotton balls or the cotton pads used to remove makeup. You will also need witch hazel or a commercial ear-cleaning solution.

Before cleaning, lift the ear flap and take a sniff of each ear. The ears should smell slightly damp but should not smell bad. If you detect a dirty or yeasty smell, do not clean the ears but instead take your dog to the veterinarian so he can see the ears as they are. An early ear infection often can’t be seen but will smell different, often yeasty.

To clean the ears:

1. Make sure that the witch hazel or earcleaning solution is at least room temperature. Never use it cold from the refrigerator.
2. Dampen several cotton balls or pads with the cleaning solution and then squeeze out the excess.
3. Lift the dog’s ear flap up and fold it over the top of the dog’s head.
4. Holding the dog’s head with one hand, use the other hand to gently wipe out the ear with the cotton ball.
5. Wipe all the crevices of the ear but do not force the cotton ball into the ear canal; just get those areas that you can easily reach.
6. If the ears are dirty, change cotton balls as soon as they are soiled.

If your dog is anxious about ear cleaning or is protesting, get a spoonful of peanut butter to distracting her. She’ll be so busy licking the peanut butter that she won’t care what you do to her ears.

Some breeds, such as Poodles and Schnauzers, grow hair in their ears. This hair needs to be removed, as it will get gummed up with earwax, potentially leading to ear infections. You can pull the hair out gently with your fingers or with forceps.

If you have any questions about how to do this, or how much hair to pull out, make an appointment with a professional groomer to show you how to do it correctly.

This can be quite painful if done incorrectly. Unless your dog gets really dirty when playing, the ears only need to be cleaned weekly. If your dog gets an ear infection, her ears may need to be treated daily. Ask your veterinarian for guidance.

Wiping Eyes

For most dogs, keeping eyes clean is easy. You can gently wipe a damp paper towel over the eyelids daily, wiping away any dirt or crustiness. However, for some breeds, such as Toy and Miniature Poodles and Bichons Frises, eye care takes a little more time. Some dogs just seem to produce more tears, and the dampness around the eyes can cause problems. The eyelids and skin around the eyes can be wiped with an antibacterial wipe (the kind made for use by people are fine), but then the skin and coat should be dried with a small hand towel. Don’t let the skin and coat remain damp; it’s not healthy.

If the hair under the eyes, especially between the eyes and the muzzle, turns color (often a rustred), take your dog to the veterinarian to make sure that the eyes are healthy. Sometimes eyelids turn in toward the eyes, causing eyelashes to rub up against the eyes, resulting in irritation and Grooming Your Dog eventually eye damage. This can cause excess tearing, and surgery is often required to correct it.

However, if the eyes and eyelids get a clean bill of health, talk to your groomer about products to
remove the discoloration from the coat.