Pet Care Tips, Advice and Information

Regular attention to the dog’s coat, ears, eyes, teeth and feet is very important. You will be troubled with many disorders relating to these parts of the dog’s body if regular care is taken.
Brushing:
Brushing a dog’s hair everyday is one of the most important parts of grooming. Normally, a dog should get used to being brushed from an early age; else, he may resist it later. However, even in the latter case, it is not an insurmountable problem. Grooming improves the appearance of the short-coated varieties of dogs and is, of course, absolutely essential for those with long coats. Dogs do not normally object to daily brushing if it is done with sensitivity and with a firm brush, the bristles of which do not scratch. At the same time it should be remembered that over-soft bristles will not serve a useful purpose. One should spend about ten to twenty minutes a day on this task, depending on the length of the dog’s coat. Brushing not only removes the dead hair and dirt from the coat- it is also the best way to help prevent tangles and mats from forming, and keeps the skin clear and healthy by its stimulation. A rich glossy coat usually means that all is well with the dog, whereas a dry, coarse coat with constantly shedding of hair means that something is wrong. Normally, dogs shed hair twice a year although some shedding goes on all the time. Sometimes heavy shedding is noticed following an illness. Worms too may cause brittleness and shedding of hair. Long-haired dogs may have to be combed first before brushing, with preferably, a steel comb. Combing out matted fur hurts because it pulls the skin. Sometimes you may have to use a pair of scissors to remove the matted part of the hair. In long-haired dogs like Pomeranians, the hair should first be brushed from the top of the head to the tail, and then towards the head to make the coat fluffy again. This makes the coat look beautiful. Some of the long hair on either side of the anus should be clipped away.