Dog Grooming...Not The Same for All Dogs

Keeping your dog’s coat, skin and nails in good condition is an important part of ensuring
that she stays happy and healthy. However, the approach you use for dog grooming isn’t
necessarily the same for all dogs. Your dog’s temperament and personality can play a big
role in determining how to properly groom her. If your dog has any of the following, you’ll
need to adjust your grooming techniques accordingly.

Fearful Temperament

If your dog is fearful, she might give you a hard time about getting bathed or having her
paws handled when you try to trim her nails. If your dog becomes timid about grooming,
even if she’s fine at other times, you’ll have to take steps to make sure she’s more
comfortable about it. This includes staying calm, keeping your voice relaxed and building
a positive association with grooming. You don’t want your dog to see it as a negative
experience. Giving your dog a treat or a toy as a reward or a distraction can help make
grooming more pleasant for her.

High Energy Level

If you have a dog who has high energy levels, grooming can be difficult to do. Your dog
might be too excited to stay still for bathing, brushing or having her nails trimmed. If your
dog is a big one, this can make grooming even more of a challenge. One of the most
effective ways to get your dog to calm down for grooming is to tire her out beforehand.
Let her out in the yard to burn off energy or play with her inside your home. She’ll have
less energy during grooming, which should help her keep calmer for you.

Aggressive Behavior

Your dog might exhibit aggressive behavior, such as snapping or growling, when you try
to groom her. She might do this if she’s highly fearful or if she has a medical condition or
injury that hurts when you handle her. Your vet can rule out health problems and injuries
for you. If her aggressive behavior continues, consider bringing her to a professional pet
groomer for help.

Puppy Boarding Requirements

Boarding is a convenient option for most dogs when their owners have to be away from home, but what about puppies? Since puppies are generally more vulnerable and more at risk of certain illnesses, boarding facilities usually have requirements about age. Find out more about puppy boarding, so you can properly plan ahead for an upcoming trip.

Age Requirements

You won’t be able to board a newborn puppy or one that’s only a few weeks old, but you should be able to find a place for boarding when your puppy is around a few months old. Puppy boarding facilities maintain these requirements in an effort to prevent puppies from becoming sick from kennel cough and other contagious illnesses. Younger dogs have a higher risk of complications from some of these diseases. In general, you’ll find that boarding places require puppies to have at least one round of vaccines before being allowed to stay there. This typically means that puppies around three months old or older can board. If you’re concerned about health risks that your puppy might face while being around other dogs, consider waiting until after her second round of vaccines to board her. Puppies usually get this second round when they’re about four months old.

Vaccine Requirements

For the safety of all dogs that board, dog boarding facilities require up-to-date vaccinations. Your puppy won’t be able to board if she hasn’t had any, but she should be allowed to if she’s had her rabies vaccine and any other required vaccinations. It’s best to check with the dog boarding facility to learn more about vaccine requirements.

Parasite Concerns

Puppies with parasites, such as worms, won’t be able to board. Most boarding places won’t allow dogs to board unless you can prove that your puppy is free of worms and other parasites. This is also done in order to keep all dogs in the facility safe and reduce the risk of parasite infestations. When boarding, you can expect to be asked to prove that your puppy has gone through the deworming process and doesn’t have fleas or other parasites.

Dog Training Collars for Walking

Getting your dog used to walking on a leash requires a lot of training. When you’re working on dog training for leashes, it’s important to choose the right kind of collar. Learn more about the different types that are available.

Flat Buckle or Snap Collar

These are common dog collars that many dogs wear. Although they’re good for carrying ID tags, they’re not a great choice for dog training. Your dog can easily get out of one if it’s on too loose, and she’ll still be able to lunge and pull when you take her out for walks.

Head Halter or Head Collar

If your dog tends to pull on the leash a lot, a head halter or collar can reduce this behavior. This type of collar goes over the head and moves your dog in the opposite direction if she pulls. The idea behind this is to teach her that pulling won’t get her where she wants to go, which should cause her to stop. Just remember that it could take a bit of time for your dog to adjust to wearing this kind of collar. If you plan on using a head halter or collar, make sure you get one that fits right. This helps ensure that it works correctly and doesn’t harm your dog.

Martingale Collar

Martingale collars are usually a good choice for dogs that have a thicker neck and smaller head, since they can get out of regular collars with ease. These collars have a bigger loop that fits around your dog’s neck and a small loop that holds the leash. If your dog pulls, the bigger loop gets tighter in order to stop your dog from getting loose.

Prong, Shock and Choke Collars

These types of collars are inhumane ones to use for dog training. They teach dogs by causing them pain or discomfort, such as choking them or pinching their skin. Avoid using these collars and choose a humane one instead, so your dog will learn to walk on a leash without learning to fear you.

What Happens When I Board My Dog?

Knowing what to expect when you bring your dog into DoGone Fun for boarding can help you feel more comfortable about it. Your dog will enjoy plenty of playtime, get a good night’s rest every night and be given attention so she won’t feel lonely. The following provides you with a look at how your dog’s day will go when you bring her in for dog boarding.

Morning Routine

Drop off times for dogs are between 7 and 9 a.m. After you drop your dog off, she’ll have a chance to meet some of the other dogs at our facility. We’ll give her breakfast at 8 a.m., then let her play outdoors with her new friends. If you signed your dog up for obedience training during dog boarding, we’ll have these sessions in the morning and in the early afternoon.

Afternoon Routine

Dogs at our facility get a break from playing around mid-day. Your dog will have lunch at 12 p.m. if you requested a meal at this time. If not, your dog will have a chance to relax and take a nap for an hour or so before heading back outside for more playtime. If your dog will be getting a bath or having any grooming done, this usually happens during the afternoon. Afterwards, your dog can play outside again. Keep in mind that our facility has an indoor play area in addition to an outdoor play area, so your dog can have plenty of playtime even when the weather’s bad. You can also check on your dog during playtime by viewing our webcam.

Evening Routine

When your dog stays with us for dog boarding, she’ll have dinner between 5 and 6 p.m. The evening hours at our facility are more relaxed, so that dogs can calm down and sleep well at night. Since they get more than eight hours of playtime, they need this time to rest. If you’re unable to pick up your dog by late afternoon or early evening, we have later pickup times available during the week from 7 to 10 p.m.

What do dog groomers actually do?

Professional dog groomers are responsible for handling many different tasks that help dogs stay in good health and look their best. They also have other responsibilities that don’t directly involve handling dogs, such as cleaning up the grooming area. Find out more about what dog grooming is like for those who do this professionally.

Customer Care

Dog groomers don’t just work with dogs when doing their job. They also spend time interacting with customers, such as setting up appointments and providing them with information about services. Dog groomers also address any questions or concerns customers have and talk to them after grooming sessions to find out if they’re pleased with how it went.

Coat Care

One of the most common dog grooming tasks that groomers do is giving dogs baths, which helps keep their skin healthy and their coat clean and shiny. They also give dogs haircuts or style their hair as requested by customers. Dog groomers also offer different kinds of shampoo, such as shampoos for dogs with white fur.

Nail Care

Professional dog groomers keep nails short, which makes walking more comfortable for dogs and lowers the risk of having nails get caught and torn. Dog groomers need to be able to provide a calm environment for dogs who don’t like having their nails trimmed. Some also color a dog’s nails if requested.

Ear Care

Some dog groomers help keep your dog’s ears healthy during grooming sessions by checking for signs of mites or infections. They also clean ears to clear away dirt and bacteria that could cause health issues.

Dental Care

Dog grooming sessions sometimes include teeth brushing, which is an important part of helping dogs maintain a healthy mouth. They use toothpaste and a toothbrush designed for dogs in order to provide quality dental care.

Grooming Area Care

Professional dog groomers spend part of their day cleaning the grooming area. This includes making sure that all supplies, tools and equipment used for grooming is sterilized or thoroughly cleaned. Having a clean grooming area reduces the risk of spreading infections and illnesses among dogs.

Basic Home Dog Grooming

Brushing, bathing and other types of dog grooming play a crucial role in ensuring that your pets stay in good health and feel their best. If you have the right tools and knowledge, you can do most grooming in the comfort of your home. Keep the following basic pet grooming information in mind for your dogs.

Brushing Dogs:

Brushing helps keep dogs’ coats shiny and free of tangles, especially if they have longer or thicker hair. For shorter hair that’s also smooth, you should brush once a week using a rubber brush for best results. If your dogs have shorter fur that’s more coarse or medium-length hair, plan on brushing once a week using a slicker brush or a rubber brush. Afterwards, use a comb to remove any mats that have formed. For dogs with longer hair, use a slicker brush every day to prevent tangles. When you’re done brushing, use a comb to eliminate any lingering tangles.

Bathing Dogs:

Dogs don’t need baths every day or even every week, but you should bathe them at least once a month. Dogs that get dirty more often will need more frequent baths. When you give dogs a bath, use a shampoo designed for dogs. Before putting dogs in the tub for a bath, brush their hair to get rid of tangles. Avoid getting any bath water in their ears or eyes while bathing them, and thoroughly rinse their fur after shampooing it. After baths, dry your dogs with a towel.

Cleaning Dog Ears:

Dog grooming includes ear care, which involves looking for redness or other signs of ear infections on a routine basis. To clean your dogs’ ears, use a cleaning solution that’s safe for dogs and a cotton ball or cleaning pad to gently remove debris. Avoid reaching deep in the ears, since this can damage them.

Trimming Dog Nails:

Dogs typically need their nails trimmed at least once a month. When you trim dog nails, stop cutting right before their nails begin curving or before reaching the pinkish part. Avoid cutting higher, since this can lead to bleeding.

5 Grooming Tools You Can't Live Without

Keeping your pets groomed regularly is important for their health and happiness. You can do most grooming at home as long as you have the right kinds of supplies. The following are pet grooming supplies that you should have in your home.

Brush and Comb:

Brushing and combing your pet helps remove dead hair and prevent mats from forming. Brushing also helps keep your pet’s coat and skin in good condition. Choose the right brush depending on your dog’s coat. Common types include bristle brush, slicker brush, wire-pin brush, rubber curry brush and wide-toothed comb.

Dog Shampoo:

Bathing your pets on a regular basis is also important for keeping their skin and coat clean. Keep in mind that your pet grooming supplies for baths should always include dog shampoo. Never use human shampoo on pets, since it can hurt their skin. Choose a dog shampoo that will moisturize their skin if needed, and consider special ones, such as whitening shampoos or medicated ones, for dogs with certain coats or skin problems.

Ear Cleaning:

Keeping your pets’ ears clean helps lower the risk of infections. When choosing ear cleaning supplies, pick a cleaning solution that you can squirt inside the ears to reach deeper areas. You should also have cleaning pads that can help get rid of dirt and debris just inside the ears, but don’t use these in the ear canal or deeper parts of the ears.

Dental Supplies:

Clean teeth and gums help protect your pets’ health. For cleaning their teeth, you’ll need a toothpaste made for dogs rather than human toothpaste, which can hurt their stomach. You’ll also need a toothbrush with gentle bristles on it in order to clean their teeth thoroughly.

Nail Trimmers:

Keeping nails trimmed helps ensure that your pets can walk around comfortably. Choose nail trimmers based on the size and thickness of your pets’ nails. Common types include scissor nail trimmers, guillotine clippers and grinder tools. Trim your pets’ nails when they’re long enough to reach the floor while they walk, so they won't catch on anything and tear.