Puppy Care–How to Give Your Dog a Bath

How to Give Your Dog a Bath
Even if you have a dog that is so easy to care for you still need to do some grooming every so often. Because of that you should spend a little time to earn the best way to make it less stressful and much easier.

Most dogs spend more time in the house than ever before because they’re considered to be family members so why not go all out and give them a little pampering and some common sense care. You wouldn’t go without washing your hair for very long and you probably don’t roll around in the yard like dogs enjoy doing every so often.
Grooming can reduce some skin problems because the grooming process can distribute the natural skin oils very evenly throughout the dog’s coat. By taking the time to groom and inspect the dog you can determine if there may be other problems that were not evident before the grooming. You can feel the skin better this way to see if there’s any unusual lumps or skin growths. An important part of the whole process is getting your dog to accept and, maybe, even enjoy the activity.

Most dog owners lack experience in how to bathe their dogs. General brushing and grooming usually don’t pose a big problem. When you add water to the process things tend to be different. Many dogs aren’t too fond of having a bath and might become a panic-filled maniac when the tub comes out or the water is turned on..
It is very important to accustom your dog to the whole bathing and grooming process. It’s best to start when they are a puppy, of course. It doesn’t always work that way however. We may get a dog when it’s a little older. With an older dog you may have to be more cautious and start slowly but they still need that hands-on interaction to get used to the “ordeal”.

As your dog gets used to the being bathed, rubbed and brushed, she’ll come to enjoy it as long as you’re sensitive to their needs and maybe anticipate problems. Anxiety on your part will be sensed by the dog and can make the whole time a tense situation. Do your best to relax and enjoy this as well. Dogs are very social animals by and affection along with the physical contact are an important part of their daily life. If you’re gentle and positive it won’t take long before you’re trusted and the dog welcomes your touch.
Begin rubbing the dog slowly all over. Fondle the ears, touch the cheeks and neck, rub the back and belly, pick up the paws individually and, if they will let you, give each paw a gentle squeeze while talking to them and praising whenever you do this. Paw touching is often a big thing for most dogs. If the dog has a tail, rub it gently between your fingers. Get the dog to roll over on their back so you can rub and stroke the belly and legs. This might not seem like such a big deal, but it’s actually an important part of the grooming process: the more your dog enjoys it, the less stressful the whole event will be for both of you, and so the more often you’re likely to groom them – which increases the health benefits for the dog and the mental health benefits to you—interacting with animals has positive effects on the human psyche.

Simple tools are needed: a tub, a non-slip mat, a plastic jug, some warm water, a small sponge, and some canine shampoo. Do not use shampoo for humans because the pH is wrong for dogs and will result in dry and flaky skin.
If the dog is cooperative enough to get into the family bathtub then go for it. Stand the dog in the tub, on the non-slip mat. If it’s a large or rowdy dog, you may want to wash them outside to reduce mess. Another option in the tub is to tie one end of a leash to the dog’s collar and the other end to the faucet.

Fill the jug with warm water and pour it all over the dog until they’re good and wet. This breaks down the grease in their fur, and ensures a thorough shampooing. Or, if the dog is agreeable and you have a flexible spray nozzle with a long hose on your shower you can spray the dog with that.

One method is to mix a little shampoo with another jug of warm water, and rub it thoroughly into your dog’s fur. Start off with their back and rub it into a good lather but don’t be too rough.

Next are the head and face. Be very careful here because a dog’s eyes are sensitive too, and if you get any water in their ears, they may get an ear infection. You can try and plug the ears with a small ball of cotton to help stop this from happening. Also, remember to clean under her tail before you wash the dog off – dip the sponge into the shampoo mixture to do this properly.

The next thing to do is rinse. While using the jug and some clean, warm, shampoo-free water, carefully tip it all over their and use your fingers to help eliminate the lather from the coat. Rinse the dog off thoroughly at least twice, since any residue that remains can irritate the skin.

Then, you’ll need to dry the dog off. If the fur is short you can use a towel or two. For dogs with longer and thicker fur, give them a gentle toweling-off first, and then use a hair dryer to get rid of as much of the remaining wetness as possible. Make sure the dryer is set on low heat, and hold it far away from your dog’s fur to prevent burning either the skin or the fur.
Again, many dogs have this inherent aversion to being bathed. That can lead to some anxious moments or even panic so it’s important that you be as calm as you can. Dogs will take a lot of their emotional cues from humans, so make sure you are in a good frame of mind and stay that way regardless of the dogs reactions. Constantly talk to the dog in a calm voice to help reassure them. Your voice should be calm and soothing as if you were putting a baby to sleep. Try to keep your movements slow and easy. Praise the dog for all good behavior and give them a couple of treats throughout the process to make it more enjoyable for both of you. The more they enjoy the whole “ordeal” the easier it’ll be for the both of you.

Grooming the dog is a small part of maintaining overall good health and temperament. For a complete, encyclopedic survival guide to all aspects of dog health, from preventative care to choosing a vet to doggie First Aid (even the canine Heimlich maneuver!), you should take a look at
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Product Review–The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health

Product Review – The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health -

Knowing when to take your dog to the vet and when to let him “self-regulate? is a pretty tricky business – how do you tell when he needs to see a professional? After all, it’s not as if you can rely on your dog to let you know.
Nobody likes forking out $80 for a needless visit to the vet, but then again no conscientious dog-owner can bear to contemplate their dog’s suffering, either! Frankly, it’s a bit of a quandary.

I’ve owned dogs on and off my whole life, and this is still something that I’ve never been 100% comfortable with: of course, I’d always rather be safe than sorry (a viewpoint which has resulted in many, many unnecessary trips to the vet over the years, just to set my mind at rest) … but I’ve also always wished for the kind of solid grounding in canine medical basics which would enable me to confidently decide for myself when my dog needs to see the vet – and when I can save both him and myself the hassle!
Stress-Free Dog Care

You can imagine the relief I felt when I happened across The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health (by Malcolm Fields – dog-care professional) on the Internet. It was uncanny: this guide is exactly what I was looking for. It’s complete and detailed, covering all the common health problems (both serious and not) that dogs suffer from; the overall focus is on being prepared and taking preventative action; it teaches you how to accurately self-diagnose (with the assistance of step-by-step flowcharts which tell you whether he’ll be fine by himself, whether he needs to see the vet, and how urgently the vet should be seen); and, while it’s packed with knowledge and advice from veterinarians and trained dog-care specialists, it’s easy on the eye and reader-friendly … you can actually understand what they’re trying to say!

In a nutshell, it’s detailed (but not dauntingly so), comprehensive (covering all the common ailments and illnesses), knowledgeable (while retaining a conversational, easy-to-understand tone) and it gives you the kind of introduction to canine healthcare that’ll allow you to take good care of your dog – without spending unnecessary time and effort trying to absorb the jargon of a veterinary textbook!

What’s Actually Covered?

The book deals with all the common problems and ailments suffered by dogs. It covers issues like toothache and dental trouble, ear infections, skin rashes and chafing, eye irritations, worming issues, and lameness; chronic problems like vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, asthma, breathing trouble, and liver problems; more severe issues like arthritis and cancer; and symptomatic “alerts? like hair loss, lethargy, and behavioral changes.
On top of that, you also learn how to pick up early warning signs by identifying and accurately interpreting your dog’s body language; how to groom your dog quickly and effectively; how to take good care of his teeth and gums; how to administer medicine safely and easily; and how to recognize the early warning signs of health trouble through behavioral and physical changes.
All this information is fully supplemented by full-color diagrams, photographs, and illustrations.

My Favorite Part

While it’s great to learn about canine anatomy and medical problems, the thing that I wanted to know more than anything else was: How can I tell how serious the problem is, and when do I need to take my dog to the vet?
So I was particularly happy to note the presence of the many and detailed symptom charts, which were designed especially to help owners make solid decisions about their dog’s health-care. Each chart starts from the specific symptoms of a particular ailment (you just follow the “branches? of the flowchart, depending on the symptoms that your dog has) and tells you the recommended path of treatment for each one, as well as advising whether veterinary care should be sought – and if so, how urgently. Pure genius!
Something for Nothing

In addition to the fully-illustrated, 240-page guide itself, you also get a handful of tempting freebies: specifically, four bonus books.

There’s “The Ultimate Guide to Dog First Aid?, which is an incredibly useful resource for those situations requiring an immediate response (including how to perform the canine Heimlich maneuver and doggie CPR); “180

Gourmet Recipes for Your Dog?, which really teaches you how to indulge your pooch’s taste buds; “101 Ways to Spoil Your Dog for Under $10?, detailing all kinds of luxuries-on-a-budget and activities for you and your dog to enjoy together; and “20 Super-Healthy Recipes for Your Dog? – which proves that doggie health-food is as delicious as anything else! These books have a combined value of over $80 – not a bad freebie!

The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health: Summed Up

All in all, I couldn’t be happier with this product. It’s exactly what I was looking for – and even if I hadn’t spent the last decade or so wishing for a book just like it, I think I’d still snap it up in a second: it’s that useful.

This is an information resource that every responsible dog owner should have access to. Not only does it enable you to make good decisions about the more serious health issues commonly suffered by dogs, but you learn a lot about the minor, day-to-day ailments and afflictions that almost every dog will encounter from time to time, as well as a host of useful facts on preventative care.

This comprehensive guide to dog health will help you to spot little problems before they become big ones: truly indispensable.
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Puppy Care–How to Choose a Vet

How To Choose A Vet
Your vet is a very important person in your dog’s life and yours. You hope that you’ll only need them for routine checkups and preventative actions but, just in case, it’s worth taking the time to develop a good relationship with a suitable vet way before you need their services.
So, where do you start? You could just take a walk through the Yellow Pages or do an Internet search but having the right vet is very important to your dog’s health and happiness and for your peace of mind. If you were trying to choose a doctor for yourself, you probably wouldn’t take the first name on the list. You’d want somebody who comes highly recommended – somebody you feel like you can trust. Your vet isn’t just your dog’s doctor; he or she is also the dentist, manicurist, psychologist, and – hopefully! – a friend. You want the best possible person to fill all those important roles in your dog’s life.
The best place to start looking for a vet is by asking around. If you have any friends or relatives who take good care of their dogs, then that’s a great place to start. Ask them who they would recommend, and why. This last one is particularly important, because everyone has different priorities: for example, perhaps they like their own vet because he/she is a specialist in their own particular breed; or they don’t charge very much; or the clinic is only five minute’s away. Their priorities are not necessarily yours, so it’s a good idea to make sure that your values coincide with the person giving the recommendations.
Another great place to find a vet is through local training clubs and even your local humane society. These organizations are almost guaranteed to place a great deal of importance on high-quality veterinary care, because the health and well-being of their dogs is such a priority.
Once you’ve got a list of vets that you’re interested in checking further, all you have to do is call up the clinic and explain that you’re looking to find a regular vet for your dog(s)and would they let you come in for a quick chat, introduce your dog, and have a look at the premises? You want to talk to look over the quality of the clinic, talk to the vet, and get an idea of their philosophy of dog care. This is really important. If your dog ever really needs vet-care (if there’s an emergency, or if she needs an urgent short-term appointment), you want to be sure that you’ve made the best possible choice as far as her health and comfort levels are concerned. Neither of you should be subjected to any unnecessary extra stress at a time like that – and you can avoid a lot of grief by spending a bit of time in preparation.
While you’re at the clinic, you’ll want to be assessing your potential vet’s overall attitude and approach to health care and animals; and you’ll also probably want answers to some specific questions. Here’s a list of useful questions to help you on your way:
- How many vets are there on staff? If you need to make an urgent appointment, you don’t want to be waiting around while precious minutes tick past. Ideally, there’ll be at least two qualified veterinarians on hand (not just technicians or assistants.)
- What kind of testing and analysis capabilities does the clinic have If they have to send away to a lab for this kind of stuff, it means that the results are going to be delayed. If your dog is very sick, time is an important factor: it’s best if the clinic has at least blood-analysis testing on hand.
- What after-hours services are available? A lot of clinics close the doors in the evenings and on weekends, which means that if there’s an emergency, you’ll have to go somewhere else – and subject your dog (and yourself) to an unfamiliar vet. (If you don’t mind this, then that’s fine; but be aware that in a high-stress situation when emotions are running high, it’s reassuring for your dog and yourself to deal with someone familiar.)
- What’s their price range? How are payments made? Is there a facility for payment plans in case of unexpected vet bills? The payment-plan option is particularly important. Even with pet insurance, vet bills can sometimes be astronomical – and not everyone has the resources to deal with large vet bills straight away. Ask the clinic how they cater for situations like that.
- How up-to-date is the staff with advances in the industry? Do the vet, the technicians, and the assistants attend seminars and workshops regularly? The field of medical care is always moving forward – responsible vets make the effort to keep up with the times, and see that their staff do, too.
When you choose a vet, you’re balancing convenience and quality. There’s no right or wrong vet for you and your dog – which is partly why making the choice can be so confusing. There are lots of vets to choose from, and they’re all different!
Even though it’s tempting to go for the one right around the corner with the rock-bottom prices, it really is worthwhile taking the time to shop around. Your dog is utterly dependent on you for her healthcare – and if you take her seriously as a companion and member of the family, you’ll want to do the best thing by her.
A good vet knows how to take care of you as well as your dog. The relationship that you have with your vet will hopefully be one that’s based around a healthy mutual respect and positive synergy – there should be very little scope for misunderstanding. When the two of you see eye to eye, it makes caring for your dog that much easier.
For a complete survival guide on stress-free dog care, including detailed information on when your dog needs to see the vet, how to respond to pet emergencies, dog First Aid, and all common health problems, check out The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health. It’s a complete handbook on dog health care, and teaches you how to take a proactive and prepared approach to knowledgeable dog ownership.
You can visit The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health by clicking on the link below:
www.kingdomofpets.com/dog-health/