How To Groom Your Dogs

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How to Groom Your Dogs
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Grooming your dog regularly is an important part
of keeping him or her healthy.
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Dogs vary widely in the amount of grooming that
their coat requires, but all canines require some
basic care.
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Taking care of these needs can help prevent
future problems.
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Brushing
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Brushing is important for your dog's skin and
coat health, as well as for their comfort.
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The type of brush that should be used depends on
the type of coat your dog has. Combs may also be
more appropriate for certain breeds.
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It is important that you teach your dog to like
brushing so that regular grooming doesn't become
a battle.
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When just starting out, introduce the brush
gently and praise your dog softly for allowing
the process.
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Be careful never to hurt your dog accidentally
with tools like slicker brushes and de-shedding
rakes.
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If your dog already doesn't like grooming, try
giving a treat after every few brush strokes.
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The number of brush strokes depends on how much
your dog dislikes being groomed.
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Hopefully, after a while you will be able to just
give one treat when the grooming is over.
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Bathing
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Some dogs go their whole lives on only one or two
baths. Some dogs are bathed every day. What is
the best practice?
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Generally, moderate bathing, something like once
a month or four times a year is considered best.
However, gentle shampoos can be used more often.
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Always use a shampoo formulated especially for
pets. Their skin has a different pH than ours,
and using the wrong shampoo can dry out their
skin and hair.
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Pet stores usually have many options.
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Dogs can be bathed outdoors if it is warm enough,
in the bathtub, or in the sink.
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Just like people, dogs tend to like slightly warm
water best. Don't use hot or very cold water to
bathe your dog.
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A handheld shower head can be very useful for
bathing your dog indoors.
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Nails
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All dogs need to have their nails clipped. If
they overgrow, they can cause the dog pain by
putting the feet at an unnatural angle.
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Some dogs are easy to do, but a lot of dogs hate
having this done. Positive reinforcement training
can help these dogs get over their fears.
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Teeth
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Teeth are a neglected part of the body for most
canines.
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Because of this most canines will have some
degree of oral disease by the time they are three
years old. However, this is largely preventable.
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The two main ways that your dog's teeth can be
kept clean are through brushing and chewing.
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You can brush your dog's teeth with toothpaste
from the pet store, and this will help keep his
or her mouth in good shape.
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It needs to be done regularly and at least once a
week.
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Chewing is sometimes referred to as "Nature's
toothbrush."
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Dogs that chew regularly keep their teeth
cleaner. Special chews are made for this purpose,
but they don't need to be used.
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Anything that is safe for your dog to chew and
that he or she likes chewing will usually help.
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Ears
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Some people clean their dog's ears regularly.
Others don't think it is necessary.
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At the very least, you should take a look and a
sniff in your dog's ears when you groom him or
her.
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This will help detect problems such as infections
or mites.
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