Tips and tricks on brushing teeth, bath time, blow drying, hair brushing, paw hair trimming, nail care, and hair grooming.

Remember…

• Always praise for new activities and foreign objects

• Tiring out your dog will also make these activities a lot easier - they have less energy to object.

Brushing Teeth

Brush every night if you can. Trust me - you want to take care of their teeth. Otherwise, you could have a huge bill coming your way!

Tips and tricks:

• Use a toothbrush and toothpaste made specially for dogs. Any dog toothbrush online with small bristles will work, and our dog loves the Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Dog & Cat Toothpaste - it is chicken flavored and he goes crazy over it.

• If your dog doesn’t like toothbrushes, you can try the finger brushes.

• Rawhide alternatives (bully sticks, cow ears, lamb ears) and Greenies dental treats are also a great alternative - Check out our Dental Treats section for more information.

Bubbles and Bath Time

Only give bath time when they need it. Did you go in the ocean? Sandy parks? Muddy hikes? Sometimes, wipes are not enough!

Tips and Tricks:

• Start out with just a few inches of water, or have your dog splash around in a baby pool

• Go in the water with your pup - it makes a huge difference. This gains trust if your dog doesn’t like water.

• Water temperature should be warm

• Use only positive reinforcement, and try to make it fun!

• Check critical areas where there might be ticks, fleas, or other crawlers — tail, inside the paws, under the ears

• Brush before and after bathing

• Have towels ready to dry off your dog

Ear Cleaning

Clean your dog’s ears at least once a month, and after any time water may have entered (bath, pool, beach, lake, etc.). Depending on the breed, it may vary - some breeds may require ear cleaning more often!

Signs you should clean your dog’s ears: (1) Mild odor in dog’s ear or (2) shaking head more than usual.

Signs you should contact your vet: (1) Looks red or inflamed, (2) smells like yeast, or (3) is in pain when you touch the ears.

Tips and Tricks (we use Vetoquinol):

• Apply liberally into the ear canal and massage the base of the ear

• Allow pet to shake its head so it gets inside

• Wipe excess liquid with a cotton pad or ball

DO NOT use a q-tip to clean out the water. Most ear cleaning products have drying agents and will dry naturally and safely inside the year.

Blowdrying

It is best to completely dry off your dog after a bath (whether it is a short or long haired dog). However, this is critical if you have a long-haired dog. Our dog got used to the blow dryer after 2-3 baths and now sits still during the process.

Tips and Tricks:

• Get your dog used to the blowdryer - allow them to smell it, and give them treats when they touch and inspect it

• If you don’t have a specialized dog blow dryer, use the warm heat level setting and low

• Use one hand to help separate the fur while the other is holding the dryer - this will make the time go by faster

• Hold the blow dryer at least few inches away so you don’t burn their skin

• Brush after blow drying to make sure the hairs are not tangled

Hair Brushing

Short hair, medium hair, and long hair dogs all need to be brushed. You should try to brush every other day to reduce mats, tangles, and hair on the floor.

Tips and tricks:

• To start, we suggest using a pin and bristle combination brush. Dogs usually do not love being brushed at first, so the bristles can make the experience better. Then, when they are not looking, you can flip it and brush with the pins!

• If you get a wired brush, always make sure the pins are not too spiky

• If your dog hates all brushes, try these gloves

Paw Hair Trimming

Paw hair trimming reduces likelihood of stuck dirt and debris, causing your dog to get tangles and also to slip and slide when they run across the hardwood floors.

Before attempting to trim, massage each of their paws. They should be comfortable with you touching their paws before you proceed! If they don’t like it, don’t cut their nails. Dogs can warm up to getting paws massaged by getting treats.

Tips and tricks:

• Make sure your dog doesn’t mind getting their paws massaged.

• Buy specialized scissors for them - they have rounded tips so it is safer for them, especially if you use these to trim around the eyes

• Take it slow - do one paw at a time

• Use our finger to separate the paw pads and hairs

• Cut the hairs between the nails - easier for nail trimming

Nail Care

This can be terrifying for both the owner and the dog, so please read carefully. If it does intimidate you, groomers usually do not charge a high fee for this!

Before attempting to trim, massage each of their paws. They should be comfortable with you touching their paws before you proceed! If they don’t like it, don’t cut their nails. Dogs can warm up to getting paws massaged by, of course, getting treats.

Most important item to note: Do not cut the quick. What is the quick? It is a blood vessel in the nail, where if you cut too short, their nails will bleed! You can visually see the quick (light pink) when they have white nails. If they have black nails, trim 1mm at a time. If they bleed, use styptic powder to stop the bleeding.

Tips and Tricks:

• Check if a nail trim is needed - if you can hear their nails on hardwood floors, or if their nails touch the ground when standing, it is time for a trim!

• Cut the hair around the nail prior to nail trimming

• Get your dog used to the tool you plan to use (whether it is a clipper or nail buffer)

• Allow your dog to inspect the tool, and praise them when they touch and inspect

• Start slow - do one nail a day, and over time do a few more

• Make the cut a quick cut, and praise after each nail

• Trim at a slight upward angle - you should be able to slide a piece of paper between the nail and the ground at minimum

• Walk on concrete - the sidewalk and roads act as a nail buffer, so they can naturally trim down the nails

Hair Grooming

In our opinion, this is the trickiest of all (we haven’t quite mastered it yet, but we’re getting better - see pics below!). High value treats (peanut butter, cheese, deli meats, or other treats they typically do not get) are suggested.

Tips and tricks:

• Teach your dog to “stand” - this makes it a lot easier to groom the legs, behind, and under body

• Introduce grooming scissors and grooming clippers prior to cutting

• Watch youtube videos of how to get the look you want and any special tools you might need