My Jack Russell Terrier, Sam, inspired me to write this article on teeth cleaning for dogs because he is the world’s worst patient when it came to anything remotely to do with the vet’s. For a time, he suffered from terrible “dog breath”, which we put down to the fact that…well, ummm… he’s a dog!

But that was only part of it. Not only did his breath smell awful, but he had a few other symptoms, some of which we’re kicking ourselves for not noticing earlier.

Teeth Care For Dogs

This brings me on to the most important aspect of dog dental health – regular teeth examinations.

You see, there are certain tell-tale signs that there is some kind of dental problem that requires your attention.

There’s the one I’ve mentioned already, bad breath, for example. This is such a common problem anyway and may not even be a sign that anything more serious is wrong that it’s easily overlooked. However, I would strongly encourage you to pay attention if your dog has consistently bad breath for no identifiable reason. If your dog’s breath gets a lot worse than normal then that could also be a sign that an underlying dental problem is developing and needs your attention.

Other signs that there’s something wrong include broken teeth, lumps under the eye, loss of appetite, nasal discharge and red or swollen gums.

Sam didn’t exhibit any of these other symptoms apart from the loss of appetite, which was very noticeable because he was a bit of a glutton. I mean, he’d eat anything and everything on offer. He would eat pasta (without any sauce on it – just plain old spaghetti), carrots were a favourite of his, too – I think he enjoyed the crunch. On one occasion, while everyone was out, he broke into the kitchen cupboard and ate my sister’s birthday cake, candles and all!

So when he turned his nose up at his usual bowl of food, we should really have suspected that he was suffering from a medical problem of some kind. Unfortunately, we just put it down to the old lady next door feeding him treats in between his mealtimes. Well, you live and learn.

So keep an eye out for symptoms like those I’ve just mentioned and bear in mind that they can be caused by bad teeth.

How to Care for Dogs Teeth

So how should we be caring for our dogs’ teeth?

In addition to a regular examinations, I think that keeping your dog’s teeth clean is the most important thing you can do to maintain his health.

And if you’re in any doubt that the effort involved in looking after your dog’s dental health is worth it, bear in mind that if your dog’s teeth are in poor condition they can have serious knock on implications for the health of your dog in general.

For example, if a dog has bad teeth, eating can become painful, which results in a loss of appetite and mal-nourishment. There is also the potential for serious infections of the mouth to occur which, if left untreated, can damage the immune system and even travel in the bloodstream to the heart, where serious complications can arise.

Professional Teeth Cleaning For Dogs

If your dog has teeth that are in very poor condition, it is well worth taking him to the vet’s in order to get a proper going over. You see, a regular routine of brushing can help to keep plaque at bay, but it won’t do anything to fix teeth that are already in poor condition.

When your dog goes to the vet’s for teeth cleaning, the vet will most likely give him a general anaesthetic. You see, for vets it is essential to use anaesthesia for dogs teeth cleaning because, for some reason, our canine companions don’t like to co-operate with members of the veterinary profession. This is an issue in general, but is all the more important when dealing with the sharp rows of gnashers that can put a veterinary surgeon’s livelihood at risk.

As a result of the need to put your dog under sedation during the procedure, it is a rather expensive business that can take up to an hour to complete.

Low Cost Teeth Cleaning for Dogs

So, if you don’t like the sound of an expensive trip to the vet’s for a dog with bad teeth, it’s important that you embark upon a regimen of regular oral hygiene for your dog.

At home, teeth cleaning for dogs without anaesthesia is obviously the way to go. Not least because most of us are not qualified vets who could safely administer the correct dose to knock our pet out for the required amount of time.

Before I go into the procedure for cleaning your dog’s teeth, it’s worth considering the tools you’ll need for the job.

Teeth Cleaning Products for Dogs

Before you start, gather together the following tools:

You’ll need a damp washcloth, some dog toothpaste (DO NOT USE HUMAN TOOTHPASTE because this contains fluoride which is toxic to dogs) and a finger toothbrush (or gauze wrapped around your finger).

I cannot stress highly enough that you must not use human toothpaste on your dog. Your dog isn’t able to swill his mouth out and spit the toothpaste residues down the plug hole, so everything pretty much ends up in his stomach. Bad news if that means a lot of fluoride which can poison him.

A word about your choice of brush. Although it is possible to use a human toothbrush on him, I would highly recommend using a purpose-designed finger toothbrush for dogs. The extra cost is hardly worth bothering about and it means that the brush is perfectly suited to the ergonomics of your dog’s mouth. Brushing your dog’s teeth is hard enough so you should take every little bit of help that’s on offer and using a human toothbrush is false economy in my opinion.

Plaque Remover for Dogs Teeth
Don’t use a plaque remover! These can damage your dog’s gums and are best left for use by vets. I would never forgive myself if I damaged my dog’s teeth by using an inappropriate tool on him and I suggest you avoid these specialist tools, too.

Teeth Brushing For Dogs

So you’ve got all your equipment laid out and ready to go. Your dog is nice and relaxed, preferably tired after a long walk which will make him more amenable to the idea of a spot of dental hygiene. Now it’s time to get the job done.

Before we begin, let’s consider what we need to do to get your dog used to having his teeth cleaned.

Some dogs might be reluctant to have their owner touch their mouth, especially if they are already in discomfort due to bad teeth. So, the best way to get them used to the idea is by gently lifting their lips (a bit of soothing talk is a good idea at this point) and then taking the wet washcloth and rubbing it gently on the dog’s gums and teeth. This will get you dog used to being handled in this way. If he looks impatient or annoyed, just back off, give him a treat and then try again the next day, gradually increasing the time each day until he’s happy with being touched in this way.

This is easier to accomplish with a young dog so it’s best to start with a puppy so that you both get into good habits.

Once your dog is used to the gum and teeth massages using the wet washcloth, you can get going with teeth brushing properly.

First, put some toothpaste on the brush and let your dog lick it off. This will get him accustomed to the taste and texture of the paste. Chances are that he’ll like the taste because you’ll be using a special doggy toothpaste that tastes of yummy meaty flavours.

Lift up the lips and gently rub the brush against the teeth and gums. Don’t push it, just do it until your dog complains. Then give him a treat, even if he’s been a big baby about the whole thing, and leave it until tomorrow before trying again.

The next day, repeat the process, whilst trying to gradually increase the time spent brushing until you feel you’ve been able to give the teeth and gums a thorough clean.

How Often Should I Brush My Dog’s Teeth?

This depends on how difficult it is to get your dog to co-operate and how commited you are to your pet’s oral hygiene. Ideally you should brush them every day, but I think most experts would agree that once or twice a week is acceptable.

Teeth Whitening for Dogs

This is only my opinion, and many people would disagree, but I don’t like to do anything unnecessary to my dogs. I wouldn’t dock his tail and I wouldn’t whiten his teeth using anything other than natural treatments either.

These are cosmetic treatments and I would not put my dog through something that is of no benefit to him just for the sake of making him look nicer to humans.

You might want to whiten your dog’s teeth, but I wouldn’t do it. I’m not being judgmental here, if you want to do it then fine. It’s just not for me, that’s all.

Best Treats for Dogs Teeth

Now, some dogs make such a fuss over getting their teeth cleaned (often with violence and aggression thrown in) that their poor owners are at a loss as to what to do. Under these circumstances there are three choices:

1. Give up on the dental hygiene altogether. This is not an option for a responsible dog owner.
2. Pay a lot of money to have the vet do it at regular intervals. Quite apart from being an expensive option, this introduces unnecessary risk for your dog, who is subjected to general anaesthetic at frequent intervals.
3. Use doggy chews and treats that also clean the dog’s teeth. This is by far the best option if you’ve tried without success to get your dog to co-operate with your teeth cleaning efforts.

So what’s available that will clean you dog’s teeth without actually using a toothbrush?

Well there are a number of dental toys on the market that you can use with your dog. Some of these even allow toothpaste to be squeezed into them so they actually do a half decent job. Examples of these are Busy Buddy, Kong Toys and Nylabone products which are all designed to clean a dog’s teeth while he plays.

Some premium dog foods like Hill’s or Iams dog food contain an abrasive which help dislodge plaque.

Tartar control biscuits are also available as are chews, such as the ones available from Greenies. Enzyme-treated rawhide chews and products such as Pedigree’s Dentabone can also make a useful contribution to a dog’s dental hygiene regimen.

Large bones can be beneficial with a big marrow bone or the knuckle bone from a cow being a popular choice for helping canine teeth. You’ll come across some vets who recommend freezing bones when they’re raw or boiling them to make them safer. Other vets advise against them because they harbour bacteria and can splinter causing injury or blockage. Another risk is that they can break a dog’s teeth.

Whether you give your dog a bone or not is down to you; a personal judgement based on your knowledge of your dog’s behaviour and preferences. My own opinion is that the occasional bone is probably good for your dog’s teeth – after all, wild dogs must spend a fair amount of time chomping on bones of animals they’ve killed for food so it seems entirely natural to me.

Conclusion

Whatever option you choose for keeping your dog’s teeth nice and clean, make sure you start young and keep it part of a regular routine. Make use of all the available options, including chews and special biscuits etc and test what suits your dog best in terms of toothpaste flavours and whether they prefer a finger toothbrush or simply a piece of gauze wrapped around your own finger. Regular check-ups at the vets will help to ensure that everything’s on track and can resolve most problems that can arise.

So take care of your dog’s teeth and you’ll help keep him happy and healthy well into old-age.

Image by DogCartoons

I was sent a useful checklist the other day by a fellow dog lover, which covers a few things that you should be aware of as your dog gets older.

Aging is a natural process but it’s not something we like to talk about much. If your dog is getting long in the tooth, take a look at the tips below to help keep him in tip top condition during his golden years…

Tips For Grooming an Older Dog

As your dog gets older, his health problems increase. He needs more attention and time from you and you need to be more active. You need to notice any physical changes happening to your dog, like changes in his skin, weight, et al. Your pet needs to be kept clean and comfortable and taken for regular checkups. It needs all the time you can afford. Here are a few important things that need to be taken care of –

• Skin and coat changes – The common changes are flaky and dry skin for some and oily for others. Healthy skin might show dander, which is like dandruff for pets. These changes mean that your pet is not being groomed properly. For this, you need to take medical help, use medicated shampoos and try and keep your pet as clean as possible. Brushing and bathing will have to be increased in frequency. Sometimes, the skin becomes thin and fragile and tears easily due to hormonal changes. It is also associated with problems of the endocrine system. Skin might even start darkening or lightening randomly and may be prone to blackheads. Any such changes should always be taken care of because they may lead to something bad for the pet.
• Lumps under the skin – You might notice some lumps on the skin of your pet as your pet ages. Some of these lumps are harmless and some may be hazardous like tumors. Some lumps start bleeding and every such skin change must be taken care of by the vet. Pressure sores create quite a nuisance for the pet. As your pet ages and loses his muscle mass, these sores start appearing. They appear because of lack of cushion between bone and surfaces. It might appear to be harmless at first but may take the form of a Hygroma. Hygromas occur at the elbow region and can become huge and painful. Hair growth on the inside can worsen the situation and make it infected. Hip joints and knees also get a lot of pressure sores. Buy your dog some padded surfaces from an online dog supplies store. Make sure they are comfortable and make up for the lack of their protective muscle.
• Nails – Pets hate nail trimmings but with age, this becomes pretty important. This is because if the nails are not taken care of, they can lead to ingrowths and infections in the nail bed. Walking may become difficult and some pets even develop pads which becomes very uncomfortable and painful for the pet. So, you must trim nails of your pets every few weeks.
• Other grooming aids – It is very important to get the right grooming things. Wide toothed brushes with plastic teeth are comfortable to the pet. Wire brushes get the excess dander off the pet and keep him clean. There are a variety of waterless shampoos for pets who don’t like bathing. Remember to keep the hair clipped around the rear, for pets that have long hair.

A handy little checklist I think you’ll agree. Thanks go out to Brenda for sharing them.

Photo by Lee J Haywood

Something else that I hadn’t realised is that not only do you need a means of ridding yuour pet of the dreaded itchy fiends, but you also need some kind of plan of action for home flea treatment to remove them from your carpets, furniture, your dog’s bedding and so on. This is something that many people miss and then wonder why, just a short time later, Rover has yet another dose of the fleas. The all too common answer is that they’ve just been hiding out in the nooks and crannies of their home waiting for a chance to re-infest the family pet. A home flea control strategy can help to avoid that problem.

One of the best options in my view for flea treatment for home use is a spot on like frontline for dogs (or frontline plus for dogs, which has an extra active ingredient for killing flea eggs and larvae, thereby interruping the life cycle of the flea).

I did quite a lot of research into the problem of dogs and fleas at the time of all the itching and scratching. I know a couple of people in the veterinary industry and some of the facts that I discovered are worth sharing with you here.

Before we dive into the nitty gritty, I’d like to share a video with you that illustrates the importance of a good, preventative flea control regimen and what can happen if you allow fleas to go untreated. Please be warned that the video may be upsetting to some of you so if you think you might get too upset, then please don’t watch it. For those of you prepared to watch, you will never forget to give your pet its regular preventative flea treatment again. I for one could not live with myself if I knew I’d allowed any pet of mine to get to such an advanced stage of flea infestation. Here’s the video (you’ve been warned).

If you watched the video in full, those images of the blood being washed out of the dog’s coat and the fleas jumping up onto its head in a vein attempt to escape the flea dip will give you nightmares. The poor little guy was really suffering. Don’t let that happen to your pooch.

Dogs and Fleas

Fleas come under the heading of ectoparasites, which simply means pests that live on the surface of the host. They are the most common dog parasite and range in length from 1mm to 3mm depending on the type. The adult fleas lay hundreds of eggs and these will fall from the animal and remain viable and can go on to develop in carpets and even between gaps in floorboards. In this way, the eggs remain a constant source of reinfection.

There are several different species of flea that primarily stick with the same host. Some fleas specialise in birds, others in cats or humans, but all of them can (unfortunately) affect dogs, which means that poor poochy is at multiple risk from infestation.

Fleas and ticks can cause other problems in your pet, too. These could include flea bite allergies, tapeworm, Lyme’s Disease (which is particularly nasty and often incorrectly diagnosed), and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. With a list of potential complications that long, I’m sure you’ll agree that preventiion is far better than cure.

Given that tapeworms can be carried by fleas, if your dog gets them, in addition to giving your dog flea treatment, make sure that his worming is up to date. Puppies can be wormed as well as treated for fleas from as early as 2 to 4 weeks so there’s no excuse for skiping this treatment even in young dogs.

How to Tell If Your Dog Has Fleas

Photo by visctrix

They are visible to the naked eye, as you will have seen in the above video.

You can see them crawling and jumping, particularly at bath time when the dog’s hair is wet and they are scrambling to the head to escape drowning.

Fleas are also more obvious on a dog’s belly because the hair is thinner there. You might be able to make out the three fleas lurking in the picture on the left.

Dog Flea Treatment

There are a number of options for dog flea protection and treatment ranging from the mild and herbal to the full-strength scientific, chemical based approach.

A very cheap flea treatment that I’ve seen some people advocate is simply to hold the dog underwater (with its head above the water so it can still breath, obviously) for 15 minutes. I don’t know whether these people have particularly patient and placid dogs but my own dog would get bored of that treatment method after a few short seconds, never mind 15 long minutes.

I’ve also heard people talking about food supplements as treatment options. These could include brewer’s yeast and vitamin B but I remain extremely sceptical about whether they work or not.

In order to completely get rid of fleas, you must pay attention to the three areas that pose the greatest risk of reinfestation. These can be summarised as follows:

1. Getting rid of fleas in the house
2. Get rid of fleas on dogs
3. Outdoor flea control

Lets Take each one in turn.

Getting Rid of Fleas in the House

The key to getting rid of fleas in the house (and ensuring they don’t come back) is regular, consistent treatment.

Initially, to treat the infestation you might want to use a spray or fogger containing a quick kill component that will kill the adult fleas. For best results, this should be combined with an insect growth regulator to prevent juvenile fleas developing.

It is also an option to use borate powder, which will kill the fleas by dehydrating them.

An area that is particularly prone to harbouring fleas is your pet’s bedding, which must be washed at the same time as you treat the animal itself. Thereafter, I’d recommend weekly washing of your pet’s bedding and daily vacuuming of the area where your pet sleeps.

I mentioned earlier that the treatment needs to be consistent, and this is a very important point. If you do a bit and then leave it for a while, you’ll be asking for trouble because the fleas that jumped out of the way when they saw the vacuum cleaner coming will re-emerge from all the little cracks in the flooring and other sneaky hiding places to leap on your dog as he wonders past. Before you know it you’ll have a flea infested dog on your hands again.

So, stick to a regular routine of cleaning and you should ensure the fleas are kept at bay.

Fleas on Dogs

There is a good range of flea protection for dogs available over the counter or on the internet. Which one you choose depends on your personal preference, how severe the infestation is and whether your dog has sensitive skin or is susceptible to allergic reactions to chemicals.

• Chemical Flea Killer for Dogs – These come in the form of spot ons, which usually include pesticides to kill the fleas, or flea shampoo, which I don’t believe is as effective as spot ons because it washes away the skin oils that would otherwise distribute the active ingredient over the animal.
• Natural Oils – These are less effective than the chemical treatments but there is some evidence that citrus oil kills bugs. Certain herbal flea shampoos contain oils of orange, cedar wood, citronella, eucalytpus and neem oil. These are safer for you and for your dog, but it’s worth remembering that any animal can have an allegic reaction to any sort of chemical.
• Drown the fleas underwater – I wouldn’t recommend this option unless you dog is quite happy to remain submerged to the neck in a dog bath full of water for 15 minutes. This is a complete non-starter for many of us because it would be far too stressful for both dog and owner if we attempted it. Still, if you think you might manage, it could be worth a shot – rather you than me though!

In my opinion, the most effective treatment option is a preventative regime of monthly spot on application approved by your vet. Combine this with treatment of animal bedding, carpets etc and a cleaning regime as mentioned above and you stand a good chance of remaining flea free.

Outdoor Flea Control

The best dog flea treatment option for eliminating the fleas from your yard will be a product that is specifically formulated for outdoor use. There are sprays available that can be used outside and which will remain effective even after exposure to the sun’s UV rays and water.

So, to summarise, I recommend that the best treatment for fleas on dogs consists of a three pronged attack:

1. Treat the fleas on your dog, preferably with a good spot on like frontline for dogs, or frontline plus for dogs.
2. Treat your home through a combination of washing bedding, cleaning carpets and some chemical treatment.
3. Treat any outdoor areas that your pet frequents, such as your back yard. This is often overlooked but can be an important step to avoid reinfestation.

I hope these tips help you out and allow you to bring quick relief to your pet when fleas strike.

If you’re looking for somewhere to buy flea treatments for your dog, Amazon.com is a good place to start where you can take a look at the various products they’ve got on offer at great prices.

Click on the button below for INSTANT ACCESS to great deals on Amazon!

Click on that link and stop your dog scratching today!

Leather Dog Collars

I like to use a leather collar for my dog’s “normal” collar that he wears every day. I’ve chosen this type after trying out a few different ones because I think he finds it the most comfortable. There are various types of dog collar – rolled or flat, nylon web or leather, even metal slip-collars.

The one I bought him is a strong, flat version with a sturdy buckle fastening and looks really smart on him. It also does a great job of carrying his tags, which is essential because we live in the countryside and he sometimes goes for long walks by himself across the farm fields. Once or twice he’s been picked up by hikers and delivered back to my door. He’s such a loveable (and loving) chap that I fear if he wasn’t wearing his collar, he’d have been mistaken for a stray and could easily have been claimed by someone passing through.

Another reason I plumped for the leather type is that the nylon collars just seemed to irritate the heck out of him. I don’t know why, maybe he didn’t like the color, but whatever the reason, he was always scratching at it and trying to chew the thing off. Leather suits him so much better.

Dog Training Collars

There are a number of different types of training collar on the market, each of which serves a particular niche. Each of the various kinds available has its own strengths and weaknesses. Depending on your needs, and those of your pet, you can choose from a slip collar, a partial slip collar, pinch (or prong) collars, head halters or electric dog collars.

Used correctly, these collars can be a great help with training and controlling your dog. The most common type is probably the slip collar, which some people refer to as a “choke collar” or “choke chain”. This is a terrible misnomer because you should never choke your dog with such collars. The correct way to use the collars is with a short, sharp tug, or “snap” on the leash. This gives your dog instant feedback on his (bad) behaviour, but if you’re choking your dog, you’re using the collar incorrectly and are likely inflicting some level of cruelty on the poor fellow.

Shock Collars for Dogs

A quick word on electric shock collars. Don’t use them unless you are under the guidance of an expert dog trainer. Unless these collars are used in a very precise way, with a good understanding of dog training theory and very good sense of timing, they are actually quite cruel and will not give good results. I know they are sold in just about every pet shop, but I would encourage you to avoid them until you’ve exhausted all other options. And if you must use one, get some proper help from an experienced dog trainer first.

So that’s my 2 cents worth on dog collars, take a look at what’s available yourself. Browse the colors that are out there and see what your dog is happy wearing.

There’s no reason why you can’t get a selection of different collars to suit any occasion – just don’t go too mad with the bling!

There are lots of different options to choose from when it comes to this dog-grooming business. Some will suit your needs in certain ways and some in other ways, but it is very rare that you will find the perfect solution. An element of compromise is usually required when deciding which piece of kit to go for. For the purposes of this article, I have decided to ignore that fact, pretend I live in an ideal world, and dream up the specifications of my ideal piece of dog grooming equipment in the hope that someone reading this article will go out and make it (and then sell it to me at a reasonable price).

I’ll get the boring stuff out of the way first.

All the top of the range tubs can take the weight of a very large dog, with safe working loads of up to 200lbs or more. As you would expect, these baths are pretty big themselves and usually measure somewhere in the region of four feet long and two to three feet wide, which is more than big enough for even the largest of dogs.

Many of the best dog grooming baths also have ramps that can be fitted to allow your dog to walk right into the bath, thereby avoiding any need for lifting in and out – a real boon if your dog is on the hefty side or somewhat wriggly. If your dog is wriggly, you’ll need to make use of the hooks or animal restraint eyelets that are provided on most high quality dog baths.

And, of course, any dog grooming bath tub worth the name will have a non-slip base and floor levellers because safety and comfort demand it. The last thing you need is an unstable, slippery bath causing problems for you and your dog as he slides around, unable to stand up properly.

Built-in hair traps and a back splash wall are other features that help to make bathing your dog less of a chore. Most of the time you’ll have to buy these separately, so I would want these to be included as part of the package in my range of ideal dog grooming bath tubs.

Other things that I would like to see included are a built-in hair dryer (for obvious reasons), a candle holder for my “aromatherapy for dogs” lavender-scented candle, a radio constantly tuned to my favourite station and a coffee maker to provide refreshment for the weary dog groomer.

OK, I might have gone a little too far with the radio and coffee maker, but if you are in the dog grooming supplies business and think I have a winning specification for the best dog grooming bath in the world, I’d love to hear from you. I would be prepared to pay a considerable premium for a piece of dog grooming equipment that incorporates all of the above features and I’m sure many others would too.

One of the most important benefits of purpose-designed dog grooming bath tubs is that they raise your pet up to a more comfortable height from which you can give him a thorough wash without bending double and putting your back out. This is especially important if you already have a bad back because stooping down low can exacerbate your problem and is best avoided.

If your dog is high spirited or nervous of taking a bath, most good quality dog baths come fitted with leash restraints and even a special collar so that you don’t need to worry about your dog holding still while you’re washing him. In fact, many dogs will leap right out of the bath given half the chance, which can get tiresome if they do it repeatedly, or if they run away to the living room where they proceed to shake themselves dry all over your new widescreen TV. So proper restraints are very important to a trouble free bathing experience.

Often when bathing your dog you’ll find that they slip and slide all over the place, which makes bathtime difficult for you and unsettling for your dog. Dogs do not like slippery surfaces because they like to be able to stand up straight and, quite understandably, can’t abide falling over. It is important to ensure your dog can stand still when bathing him and you’ll find that most purpose-built dog grooming tubs come with a specially designed, non-slip, base.

For convenience, many of the dog grooming baths on the market are collapsible, which means they can easily be folded away and don’t take up too much room in your house.

Another great feature, particularly for those with large or heavy dogs, that often comes as an extra is a ramp that allows you to walk your dog up to the bath and avoids the need for heavy lifting of awkward animals who’d much rather not be in the bath at all.

In my opinion, dog grooming bath tubs are a must-have item for anyone who regularly bathes their pet. It is very easy to put this task off for another week or two if it is a major operation because you don’t have the right dog grooming tools to make bathtime go more smoothly. The question of how often should you bathe a dog must not be governed by the dread you feel whenever you think about it. Rather it should be based upon the needs of your pet, and this will be much easier if you have the right tools for the job.

So, if you still can’t see the benefits of proper dog grooming bath tubs over the alternative of making do with a standard (human) bath, you either have a very well-behaved dog or you like making things hard for yourself. If you are convinced that you need one (and you should be), get yourself down to your local dog grooming supplies store – or search online for mail order dog grooming equipment specialists – and order one today. You’ll be glad you did.

You will know that your dog takes a keen interest in how his doggy acquaintances smell, often sticking his nose onto the rear end of another dog he’s met in the park in the age old dog-equivalent of the handshake.

Although dogs find this practice perfectly fine and enjoy being somewhat smelly, we humans would rather they didn’t smell each others’ behinds or stink the house out when they come in after downpour. Nothing smells worse than a wet dog that’s overdue for a bath.

The solution to tackling these rotten odours is to bathe your dog regularly. So, follow these simple steps and your pooch will smell and look great.

How Often Should You Bathe a Dog?

There is a lot of nonsense talked about how often to bathe a dog and I’ve heard people mention numbers as large as once or twice a year. I don’t know about you, but my dog gets dirty much more quickly than that. If I left it a year between bathtimes, we’d be able to smell him coming from several blocks away. The ideal frequency depends on how much of a mucky pup your animal is. Does he go digging in the garden at every opportunity? Does he like to roll around in cow-pats, or even worse, does he pick fights with skunks? If the answer is, “yes”, then you’ll want to wash your dog more often than the average, but if he’s an obsessive-compulsive who avoids dirt at any costs then you will be able to get away with less frequent cleaning of your dog’s fur. On average, I’d recommend once a month to keep him smelling nice.

Brush Your Dog to Remove Knots and Tangles Before Bathing

This might sound like common sense to you, but it’s actullay a step that many people miss out. Brushing before shampooing your dog helps to avoid the tangles becoming impossible to smooth out. If these knots get wet, they tighten and stick together so that the only way to fully remove them is by cutting them out. Do yourself a favour and brush them out before your dog gets anywhere near the water. All you need is a proper brush, which can be obtained from any dog grooming supplies store.

Use a Bath Mat

This is very important because the last thing that you or your dog wants is for him to be slipping and sliding all over the bottom of the bath while you’re trying to wash him. Nothing stresses a dog out more than not being able to stand up properly because his four legs are all moving in different directions. It’s easily fixed, too. Just make sure you’ve got a bath mat on the bottom of the bath. If you can’t stretch to a proper bath mat, a towel on the bottom of the bath will usually do the job well enough to get by.

Use a Shower Attachment

There’s no point rinsing your pet off with dirty water fom the bath. This is self-defeating and more difficult than using a spray nozzle. If you have a shower head attached to the taps, use this to rinse the shampoo off your dog. If you don’t already have such a shower attachment, you can pick up a plastic or rubber shower attachment very cheaply from your local DIY or home store.

Preparations for Your Dog’s Bath

This is a great tip. Many dogs get nervous as soon as they hear the sound of the bath being run. Close the door when you’re running the bath so he can’t hear what you’re up to, he’ll only get himself into a panic before you’ve even started. You can also place a little cotton wool into the ears and a couple of drops of mineral oil into the eyes in order to protect them from soap.

Encouragement Helps

Always encourage your dog with a few kind words. Show him you love him and mantain a positive demeanour, even if on the inside you’re dreading what comes next, you mustn’t allow him to see that. How can you expect him to take a positive view of the bathtime experience if you can’t even demonstrate willing?

Give Fleas no Hiding Place

Start shampooing at the neck to cut off any escape route to the ears for fleas. Even if your dog doesn’t have flease, this is good practice and a habit that’s worth getting into. Work your way upwards and downwards away from the neck and pay close attention to washing between the toes, which is another sneaky hiding place sometimes used by fleas trying to avoid being washed away.

Clean and Rinse Well

This is an obvious one but it’s so important to ensure that you rinse your dog properly. If you leave soapy residues on the coat you can end up causing irritation and itchyness of the skin.

While you’ve got rover all in a lather, it’s the ideal time to empty the anal sacs. The anal sacs contain the scent that dogs use to identify each other and can sometimes become impacted or infected, which requires a trip to the veterinarian. You basically put your fingers either side of the anus and squeeze them together gently. Not much more to it than that. It’s not a very pleasant job but it might save your dog a trip to the vet’s. Shampoo the area well after empyting the sacs then rinse with clean water.

You can repeat the shampooing step if necessary and follow with conditioner to help replace some of the oils that will be washed out of the coat.

How to Dry a Dog

The dog’s own method of drying is the most effective. Nature has perfected this over millions of years so there is little point pouncing on him as soon as you’ve lifted him out of the bath in order to towel him down. Simply place a towel loosely over the top of him and allow him to get to work shaking his coat dry. You can finish off with gentle towelling if you like.

Once he’s got the worst of the water out of his coat, you should keep him indoors until he’s completely dry. Not only will this keep him warm if the weather is cold outside but it will help him to stay cleaner for longer.

And there you have it. If you follow these simple steps, using only minimal special dog grooming equipment, you will find yourself with a happy and clean dog. You will no longer find bath time such a trial and you never know, you and your dog might even come to enjoy it.

Photo by dchrisoh

Well I have, and I’m not talking about a dog training school either. No, I’m talking about an actual school where children learn how to read, write and do arithmetic. Nothing too unusual about that you may think, perhaps one of the kids brought their pet in to show to the class. Or maybe it belonged to one of the teachers.

But what if I told you that the dog in question was sitting at the front of the class, talking to the pupils? I bet you’d find that a little out of the ordinary, wouldn’t you?

But hold on a minute, “dogs can’t talk”, I hear you cry. Well, I beg to differ. You might have heard about a dog called Prince who rose to prominence in the early eighties in the UK. He was able to say a few words such as the name “Anthony”, “ajar”, “Gladys” and, most famously, “sausages”. If you don’t believe me watch the video below for the proof.

Pretty amazng I think you’ll agree.

Imagine if Prince the dog could learn to move his jaw without any help from his owner. He’d be able to talk all by himself and hold a discussion with humans. He could share his view of the world with us. Maybe he’d have something interesting to say, and maybe, just maybe he’d even have some wisdom to share. If that were true, he could perhaps educate us and his fellow doggies.

Heck, he could even set up his own dog school, or even a whole chain of dog training schools, I mean who better to understand how to train a dog than a dog himself, right? It’s easy to think of the human race as being the most intelligent species on the planet, and it’s true that most of us are more intelligent than dogs. Or at least we like to think so.

However, we have allowed ourselves to believe that the beasts who inhabit the earth alongside us are unable to express themselves to any greater extent than merely announcing their presence to warn others of an approaching predator, attract a mate or establish their territory.

However, our arrogance is unfounded. Studies of prairie dogs and diana monkeys have shown that these creatures have an extensive vocabulary capable of describing colours, shapes and sizes. Amazing I know, but nothing compared to the dog in the next video. He actually talks. The kids and teacher are right there in the room with him and they are amazed. Well, I’d be amazed too, wouldn’t you?

So next time you’re at your local dog school training your pooch, just pause for a moment to imagine what you dog is thinking and how different things would be if he could talk. Perhaps he’d be training you!

Photo by Claudiaroma2010

bay: hair tonic, stimulant, anti-flaking, antiseptic 

bergamot: deodorant, insect repellent, antidepressant

cinnamon: tonic, antimicrobial, deodorizer

clove: deodorant, repellent, antioxidant, stimulant

geranium: repellent, deodorant, anti-depressant, antiseptic

ginger: helps with motion sickness, deodorant, soothes arthritis

grapefruit: antiseptic, toner, detoxant, uplifting, hair tonic

lavender: deodorant, insect repellent, cleansing, soothing

lemongrass: antiseptic, deodorant, insect repellent, antioxidant

peru balsam: good for dry irritated skin, soothing aroma

rose: antidepressant, hydrating, soothing, tonic

rosewood: deodorant, cellular stimulant, antidepressant

sweet orange: anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, sedative

tangerine: antiseptic, sedative, tonic, toner

tea-tree: nature’s heal all oil, great for all irritations & bites

vanilla: soothing, calming, comfort fragrance

ylang ylang: anti-infectious, good for bites, hair tonic