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Show Page 6 THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Volume II, Issue XX October 15, 2000 Keeping Your Pet Groomed By Vicki Kuanu The Poodle Shoppe in Ogden has a tradition of providing quality grooming and pets care to our community. Owner Pat Corey and her staff offer excellent advice for the pet owner looking for a groomer and for the pet owner who grooms his or her own pets. Regular grooming is a top priority in keeping your pet healthy. The animal feels better, smells better, keeps your home cleaner and the grommets’ experience with animals helps detect health problems. Animals kept outside also need grooming on a regular basis. Matted hair holds the water when it gets wet and will remain wet, chilling the animal. Matted hair will also pull at the skin and cause the skin to split. A curved wire brush works well to brush out all lengths of hair and will take out most small mats. Be careful when brushing shorthaired breeds with a wire brush. A hound glove and soft towel work well with short, fine haired breeds such as whippets and greyhounds. Surgical gloves also work well for short haired breeds. The staff’s advice for the do-ityourselfer is to groom the pet before you bathe them. Start at the bottom and work up to the skin. This will remove the mats and make the hair easier to clean. If the animal is very matted don’t wash the coat. It will make the matting worse and leave wet mats on the coat. If the mats can’t be brushed out they will need to be clipped out. Use a good quality professional type dog shampoo, which is better for the skin. Human shampoo has a different pH balance and dish soap will strip the natural protective oils from the skin and hair. Towel dry the hair as much as possible, and a professional blow dryer for animals will finish the job quickly. Otherwise keep the dog away from drafts and cold air until completely dry. Thoroughly brush the hair again working up from the bottom and finally brushing the top outer hairs. Clip the nails being careful not to go up into the vein. Clotting powders can be purchased in case of bleeding from the nails. Long nails affect the animal’s ability to walk and can be damaging to the feet and legs. The eyes should be cleaned daily with water and hydrogen peroxide solution. Eye wash solutions can also be purchased at pet supply stores. When choosing a groomer for your pet, visit the shop with your pet before the first grooming. Discuss the pet’s personality type and health issues with the groomer. Also discuss how you want your pet to look after the grooming. Grooming can be stressful to the pet if the animal has not been prepared in advance. The Poodle Shoppe staff thinks the best preparation for you pet is to properly socialize the animal from an early age. Play with the feet and face so the animal is used to these parts being handled. Take the pet on outings to different places and encourage the pet to greet people and be handled by strangers. Fear of the unknown creates fear biters. Discuss the use of tranquilizers with the groomer and your vet. The Poodle Shoppe staff will work with the animal before recommending the use of tranquilizers. Your vet will need to administer the drug before you bring the animal to the groomer. Health problems such as heart conditions can determine the use and safety of using tranquilizers. Well-socialized pets do not need to be tranquilized. The care of a groomed coat between groomings is simple. Just brush regularly. Do not bath or use scissors on the coat. Grommets find a variety of animal health problems and, often times, are the ones to inform the owners of a problem. Common problems found during grooming are dry skin (bad diet), thyroid problems, hot spots, ear and eye infections, tumors, injuries from fighting, and bad teeth. Carrie, one of the Poodle Shoppe staff, has had dogs teeth fall our on her table during grooming, due to infected gums. The Poodle Shoppe staff has a list of suggestions to the pet owner: Vaccinate your pets. Schedule regular veterinary visits. Begin grooming sessions early. Seven weeks is not too early if the pet is vaccinated. Have the pet groomed on a regular basis, every four to six weeks. Provide shade, shelter, warmth and a clean environment for your pet indoors and out. A last word of advice from Denise, Carrie and Sunny: Know what your cute puppy will become when it is fullgrown. Research the breed and breeding. Ask professionals, use the Internet, and go to dogshows. Ask the breeder about the parents and puppy’s medical history. Ask about temperament, and normal adult behaviors for that breed. Be wise. Carefully chose that best friend. He or she will be with you a lifetime. The Poodle Shoppe staff will gladly answer your questions about grooming. Call them at 394-4674. Halloween Party! Costume Contest! Join us for fun, games, scary stories and prizes. (Everyone who comes in costume will receive a prize.) Monday, October 30 at 5:00 p.m. at the Ogden Valley Library. Call 745-2220 for more information. |