Every pet we brush exposes us to dirt, dust, and dander in animals' coats. When we clip hair, fragments of it are in the air we breathe. When we buff the claws, the residue floats around us. And then there is drying, when we aim high volumes of air directly into the fur, causing skin cells, tiny particles, and even chemical residue from the products we use to become airborne.
Although cats are well-known for their attempts to self-groom, many require a bath. Pet owners are often surprised to learn that most cats tolerate a bath quite well if it is given in a feline-friendly manner. “What is that?” you ask. The steps are outlined below.
Many pet owners think their cat should not be bathed because they believe cats don’t like water. However, many cats tolerate the bathing process very well if the procedure is feline-friendly. Getting dry seems to be more objectionable to most cats. There are ways to safely and kindly dry cats. Read on to learn how.
Frankie was a teeny Yorkshire terrier that I groomed for years. As he got older, he developed a problem with discharge from his eyes. His owner brought him to me every twelve weeks to be shaved from nose to toes (we did leave funny fluffs on the tips of his ears as his trademark), and all was well. Until it wasn't. Let me explain.
If you struggle to make faces on dogs such as poodle mixes and drop-coated breeds like Shih Tzu and all of the above mixes, look as adorable as they can, read on to learn some tips and tricks to create cute faces fast. The first key to creating faces that make the pet owner say, "Aww!" is to ensure that the fur is immaculately clean and perfectly fluff-dried and combed out before you begin. Since faces get pretty grimy, this may mean shampooing more than once to remove all the dirt and oils so the face reaches optimal fluff. No matter how well you can trim and scissor, greasy fur will never look pretty.
A kind veterinarian once said to me, as he was patching up a dog I had accidentally nicked, "Groomers work with sharp tools on moving objects. It is amazing that more accidents don't happen." He made me feel a little better, and I recognized that he was correct: grooming wiggly pets with tools that cut is an invitation to accidents. Following, you will find seven safety tips that I have learned the hard way:
There you are, trimming a dog's claws. It's something you have done so many times you can practically accomplish the task blindfolded, but when you get to one claw, you notice it doesn't look normal. Maybe it's thicker than the others or shaped differently. Perhaps it seems to be cracked, or the outer layers seem to be flakey. Possibly, it angles away from the toe in a way that is different from that of the other claws. How should you proceed?
A new groomer asked, “How do I safely use a #7 blade?” She had previously nicked a dog while using one and was hesitant to try again. Here is the deal. Number seven blades are great for shaving down matted coats. Becauseof how their teeth are spaced and shaped, they can often get under tight matting while still leaving a tiny bit of length and a smooth finish. They are handy tools. However....
It's never good when you pop a dog into the bath, and as their coat becomes saturated, you realize you have unwanted company in the form of fleas.
In the "olden days" of pet grooming, dealing with fleas and ticks was a regular occurrence for those livingin climates where external parasites are a problem. Before modern flea and tick preventatives were developed and widely used, many, if not most, pets arrived for grooming with hitchhikers hiding in their coats. Groomers regularly doused animals with toxic dips. Speaking for myself, I am glad those days are over.
Dog faces. Some are smooth, some are fluffy, some are wrinkled, some are beautiful, and others are adorable. What they all have in common is they get dirty and smelly. Maybe it's from digging in the dirt, rolling in something that stinks, or having salmon for supper, but cleaning those faces can be a serious challenge.
