How To Remove Matted Hair From Your Dog

Your little dogie is  matted…don’t panic! It’s not as bad as it seems. The very first thing that you DON’T do, is use scissors to try to cut it out.  When you pull a dog's hair you will noticed that the skin will move with the hair. For this reason you should not try and cut your dog’s mats off with scissors.  There is a good possibility that you will cut through the skin, which will need to be sutured closed by a Veterinarian

Having two Shih-Tzu’s, I have experienced this first hand. If you have a long-haired dog you can’t wait for their hair to get long like the ones in the dog shows. I quickly found out that the dogs in the dog shows were being groomed every day and several times a day at dog shows.

I tried to keep my Sugar’s hair up in the topknot, but Domino wasn’t having it!  I would brush both of them and they would look cute…for about 10 minutes! Domino would pull her topknot down and I would find her bow in the floor.

After working everyday, coming home and trying to tackle them to brush their hair, I gave up. I started seeing matting on Sugar. I took them to the groomers and they suggested that I get them the puppy cut. I kept them with the puppy cut. I no longer felt the need to see them with the long flowing hair like the show dogs. They liked it, especially in the summer!

If your dog is matted you have a couple choices:

1. If your dog will let you comb their hair, start combing as a regular habit while watching tv and sitting on the floor with your dog. A little at a time. Don’t rush and no pulling. Just slow, methodical combing a little at a time, and before you know it, the mats will be gone. It’s good to start the combing method on puppies. This way as they grow they will get used to the grooming. Never attempt to cut mats around their private areas. Matting in this area should always be removed by a professional groomer.
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2. Finally, depending on the type, and location of the mat, your dog may require shaving.



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The Most Common Dog Grooming Mistakes That Pet Owners Make

These are 5 of the most common dog grooming mistakes that pet owners make when grooming their pet at home.

1. Lack of training

Grooming is simply another aspect of training -- and improper training can create unhappy grooming sessions for everyone involved.

If you have a new puppy, it’s important to get them used to brushing, bathing and having their feet, faces and ears handled from day one.

Early, grooming is especially important for breeds who will need haircuts throughout their lifetime.

For rescues or dogs acquired later in their life, it’s important to approach grooming with a calm manner and lots of praise, making every experience positive, even dogs who are predisposed to having a bad reaction to grooming can be turned around with the right encouragement.

Approach a new dog’s grooming in a calm, firm and patient manner, and include lots of positive reinforcement like praise and treats for the dog’s calm cooperative behavior.

If you aren't able to be calm and anxiety-free when teaching your pet about grooming, you should continue to use a professional groomer until you get used to it.

2. Long hair + water = mats

A common problem that groomers deal frequently is matted fur in longer-haired dogs, but the cause of the mats isn’t always obvious to owners.

Most pet owners don’t know that when a dog with long or thick fur gets wet, they have a higher likelihood of getting painfully tight tangles and mats. Brushing as much dead or tangled hair out of the coat before a bath, swim or walk in the rain or snow is recommended.

A quick brush to check for tangles before getting wet can prevent a lot of uncomfortable brushing or a shave later on.

Always do a quick brush after the dog has dried off, just to make sure any dead hair loosened up by the water comes out. If mats are discovered during a bath, use a  conditioner and a comb to loosen them as much as possible, and blow drying will help break the tangles apart.

3. Incomplete grooming

Be thorough, many owners concentrate their brushing efforts on their dog’s back, missing other areas that need grooming just as much.

It’s important not to forget about those trickier areas like faces, ears, tails, bellies, bums and legs when grooming at home. For shorter-haired dogs, it’s still important to brush all areas to promote healthy skin, oil production and fur growth.

Your groomer can tell you which at-home tools are best for your pet, as different coats need different brushes and tools.

A part of a thorough groom includes checking the inside of ears and mouths. Ask your vet or groomer what the most appropriate cleaning schedule is for your dog.

Expensive and painful dental and ear issues can be easily prevented with regular maintenance.

4. Creating bad grooming habits through improper play

It seems cute when your pet snaps frantically at the garden hose, shakes her head when you blow on her ears or plays chase with the hair dryer or vacuum, but this type of teasing can make grooming really difficult for you, or your groomer, and scary for your pet.

A professional groom involves equipment that vibrates, shakes, sprays, and blows air at the dog. You need to make sure that they’re not teaching the dog to bite or run when a groomer turns a tool on.

According to the professional groomer, “playing shake a paw, or gently grabbing their tails, jowls or ears while giving lots of praise,” makes grooming safer, as the dog won’t overreact to being touched in those areas.

5. Make grooming a year-round priority

When the weather starts to get colder, owners understandably want to make sure that their dog has enough fur to keep them warm, but neglecting grooming actually does more harm than good when it comes to protecting that insulating coat.

When grooming is neglected for cooler months, matting often occurs before the weather warms up in springtime.

The only cure for that kind of severe matting is a short shave, the exact opposite of what dogs and owners want in the middle of winter. Regular maintenance throughout cold wet, months can prevent a bald dog in February.

Regular maintenance and appropriate training seem to be the keys to grooming success.


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Golden Retriever Enjoying His Spa Bath (Video)

It’s common knowledge that dogs will do anything and everything, from puppy dog eyes to literally running away, just to evade bath time. But there’s one dog who savors the moment, and treats bath time like a relaxing trip to the spa.

In the video below, a golden retriever chills on its back, eyes closed, mind in complete state of zen as its owner gives it a good scrubbing.




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Tips on Keeping Your Dog’s Coat Healthy

Anyone with a furry friend can tell you that keeping up with a dog’s shedding is a full-time job.  Some dogs can grow 100 feet of fur per day...that’s adding up all the new strands covering the entire animal end-to-end, including the fluff between your dog’s toes. So it’s easy to see why taking care of your dog’s coat can sometimes seem overwhelming. But all that fluff’s got real substance! You may not know it, but your dog’s fur:

• Is eight times warmer than wool 
• Is fire-resistant
• Wards off dirt
• Repels static
• Protects from parasites

So how do you keep your dog’s coat healthy and handsome? Use these tips and tricks from the experts! 

A Healthy Diet
Like humans, dogs are only as healthy as what they eat, says Michael Weiss, a veterinarian at All Creatures Veterinary Care Center in Sewell, N.J. Two things to look for in your dog’s food:

Protein
If your dog lacks this vital nutrient, its body will dedicate protein to muscle first, leaving its fur and skin dry and dull. Make sure your dog’s food is rich in protein. Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. These essential building blocks keep your dog’s coat healthy, thick and lustrous. They may also help reduce itching, dandruff and allergy-related skin problems. On the ingredients panel, look for fish oil, fish meal or flax, all excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Exercise
Exercise not only keeps your dog slim, it may also help keep her fur in top condition. Weiss says regular exercise benefits your dog’s overall health -- and a healthy dog is more likely to have a healthy, shiny coat.

Grooming
The fact is you can’t keep your dog from shedding. But with a few key products and techniques, you can easily take great care of your dog’s coat at home to keep it looking its best:

Brush at least once a week. In order to keep your dog’s mane manageable, give the fur one good brush each week with a de-shedding brush to get out the undercoat, says New York City-based groomer Lisa Caputo from the dog service company Biscuits and Bath. Part the hair and brush from the skin out to avoid matting, moisture and heat build-up, which can cause yeast and bacteria. For an even slicker look, give your dog a quick brush every day. Bathe with gentle shampoos and conditioners. If your dog has sensitive skin, try a hypoallergenic or oatmeal shampoo. It is recommended that you wash your pooch every four weeks.

Medical Checkups
If you notice your dog has consistently itchy, uncomfortable skin or is shedding more than usual, your best bet is to take him to a veterinarian. It could be something as small as a food allergy to a more serious problem, like ringworm.

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Meet Mark The Dog Guy: He Gives Shelter Dogs Free Haircuts So They’ll Get Adopted

Mark The Dog Guy has dedicated his life to helping out shelter dogs in need of homes.

He offers his services to local dog shelters, giving dogs with matted, dirty fur free haircuts to improve their chances of getting adopted.

Almost all of the dogs he works on quickly move on to a new home.

“I come home uplifted every day,’” Mark told metro.co.uk. “I develop a bond with the animals which is just amazing.”

It all began when Mark ended his job as a consultant.

His girlfriend recommended that rather than going back to a ‘soulless’ job, Mark should do something he really loved.

He decided that something would be giving dogs a helping hand. Mark and his girlfriend had recently adopted two pit bulls from a shelter through Susie’s Senior Dogs, and so he was moved to do the jobs that many shelter staff simply don’t have the time for: grooming all the new additions.

Mark went to grooming school at the American Academy of Pet Grooming to learn more and develop his skills, where he was allowed to get to work from day one.

It was there that Mark learned about how much of an impact matted fur can have.

‘The first dog I ever worked on was Ernie,’ Mark told us. ‘My hands turned black from the dirt that was caked on Ernie as I brushed him out.

‘I had to re-apply the shampoo three times to get the dirt off of him, but he came out adorable.

‘It was really then I thought that the shelter dogs could probably use a cut too.’

Towards the end of grooming school, Mark reached out to Animal Care Centers of New York (ACC) to find out if he’d be able to help out.

They offered him the position of groomer on a trial basis.

And soon, Mark became Mark The Dog Guy. Since then he’s given lots of dogs incredible transformations, relieving the discomfort from matted fur and making them ready for adoption.

Mark wants to use his grooming skills to make sure great dogs don’t get overlooked because of their appearance.

“All dogs need homes, whether they are from a pet store, a breeder, or a shelter.

These animals have soooooooooo much love to give and just want to give and receive love.”

One of Mark’s best success stories was little Falko, a black poodle.

“Falko had just come into the shelter and [matted fur] terribly over his body,” Mark told us.

“I didn’t have a lot of time to finish him and I wasn’t happy with the cut, [but] Adoptions at ACC were going to take him to an adoption event that day.

The funny thing was that post-cut, Falko never made it to the adoptions van.

As they were taking him to the adoptions van, someone walking in said “Wow, a poodle. I want that dog!” and Falko was adopted even before his first event.

I think it was then that the ACC really recognized how I could help the dogs get adopted.”

See more of Mark’s dog transformations over on the Mark theDog Guy Facebook. 

Mark The Dog Guy (Picture: Susie’s Senior Dogs)

One of Mark’s clients pre-groom. (Picture: Mark The Dog Guy)

 Mid-groom. (Picture: Mark The Dog Guy)

Post-groom. (Picture: Mark The Dog Guy)

Ernie the dog before and after. (Picture: Mark The Dog Guy)

  

(Picture: Mark The Dog Guy)

(Picture: Mark The Dog Guy)

A brown poodle before. (Picture: Mark The Dog Guy)

That same brown poodle after. (Picture: Mark The Dog Guy)

  

And this dog is blown away by the results. (Picture: Mark the Dog Guy)

This dog looks very happy with his trim. (Picture: Mark The Dog Guy)

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So You've Got Your New Puppy Home…Now What? Tips on Caring for Your New Puppy

Welcoming a new puppy into your family is truly an exciting and rewarding time! However, it can lead to headache and unnecessary stress for you and your new four-legged friend if you aren’t fully prepared. 

Before the Big Day

Once household discussions have established that everyone wants a dog of a certain age and breed, where to get the pup-from a shelter or reputable breeder-is more or less determined. Now, family meetings should cover scheduling:

• Who will take the pup to the papers or backyard and when?
• Who will be in charge of feedings three to four times a day?
• Who will make veterinary appointments for vaccinations and deworming?

Also, take time to create a vocabulary list everyone will use. If Mom says "down" when the puppy climbs on the couch, Dad says "down" when he wants him to lie down, and Junior utters "sit down" when he expects the pup's rear to hit the floor, the result will be one confused dog! Putting the schedule and vocabulary list in writing prevents confusion and will help dog walkers, nannies, and others involved in raising the puppy.

Next, draft a shopping list and purchase supplies: food and water bowls, chew toys, grooming supplies, bedding, collar and leash, identification tag, crate, gate, and odor neutralizer. Pre-puppy shopping allows you to order from wholesale catalogs or visit the pet superstore in the next county without the pressure of the puppy needing it right now.

You'll need to puppy-proof the area where the youngster will spend most of his time the first few months. This may mean taping loose electrical cords to baseboards; storing household chemicals on high shelves; removing plants, rugs, and breakables; setting up the crate; and installing gates. Once you think you've completely puppy-proofed, lie on the floor and look around once more to get a puppy's-eye view.

If you have children, hold one last meeting to lay down the rules: Don't overwhelm Puppy the first day, and don't fight over him.

Getting Off on the Right Paw

When you pick up your puppy, remember to ask what and when he was fed. Replicate that schedule for at least the first few days to avoid gastric distress. If you wish to switch to a different brand, do so over a period of about a week by adding one part new brand to three parts of the old for several days; then switch to equal parts; and then one part old to three parts new.

From the start, consistency is important. On the way home, Puppies should ride in the back seat, in a crate or carrier.

Once home, people who  plop the excited newcomer on the rug, and let the kids chase him will be mopping up in no time-and regretting the lesson they taught their new pup. 

Instead, take him to his toileting area immediately.

From there, carry out your schedule for feeding, toileting, napping, and play/exercise. From Day One, your pup will need family time and brief periods of solitary confinement. Solitude may be new to Puppies, so he may vocalize concern. Don't give in and comfort him or you may create a monster. The puppy thinks, "if making noise brought them running once, maybe more whimpering is needed to get their attention again," reasons the pup. Give him attention for good behavior, such as chewing on a toy or resting quietly.

They may be small, but new puppies can be big work. So much so, that the second you tell someone you’re getting a dog, the advice comes pouring in. “I think you get more advice when you walk down the street with a puppy than you do with a child,” says New York-based pet trainer and author, Andrea Arden. 

Five top tips for welcoming a new puppy into your home:

1. Get lots of toys
“A puppy, no matter what size, age or breed is going to have a lot of energy,” says Arden, who recommends having plenty of toys around the house to keep your pup busy and out of trouble. A toy that can be stuffed with food keeps puppies busy by encouraging them to hunt for their meals, and burns calories at the same time. Arden suggests keeping five to ten toys on hand. Remember, she says, “a nice tired puppy is a wonderful puppy.”

2. Create a confinement area
“There’s a misconception about crating or confining your pet,” says Arden. “It’s not cruel. We use confinement to keep pets safe, like we do with children. If you were a visitor at someone’s home, you wouldn’t want to be set free to explore the home to then be reprimanded for going somewhere or touching something you weren’t supposed to. It’s the same with your new dog.”

Arden advises puppy owners to purchase a crate that’s an appropriate size for your pooch to stand up in, lie down, and turn around comfortably. This is meant to be used as a short-term confinement area. If you need to leave your pup alone for a stretch of time, consider an exercise pen – similar to a baby pen. Such pens give puppies more room while keeping them in one place.

3. Forget the doggy bed, use a towel instead
New dog owners don’t necessarily need to invest in a doggy bed right away, says Arden, who recommends using an easy-to-clean towel during the first few months. “I usually offer a puppy bed when the dog is five or six months old.”

4. Get a (good) collar and leash
“Ideally, you’ll have one of three collars – a plain buckle nylon collar, a Martingale collar that’s fitted to your puppy’s collar (especially good for Italian Greyhounds) or an Easy Walk or SENSE-ation harness,” says Arden. The two harnesses have a front leash attachment design and don’t pull on your dog as much. For leashes, the trainer recommends a 3-to-6-foot nylon style. Retractable leashes are better suited for older dogs who have already been trained.

5. Groom early and often
Start good grooming habits early with your puppy. “Clip a nail a day just so he gets used to the sensation,” says Arden. Buy a toothbrush or rubber tip for your finger and brush your pup’s teeth every day with pet safe toothpaste. Arden also recommends using unscented baby wipes to clean his paws every time you come in from outside. And remember to bathe your new pup in pet-safe shampoo and conditioner every two to three weeks.

Doing things correctly from the start prevents confusion. Through puppy preparedness, you are one step closer to your Dream Dog. FOLLOW US!

Find the Owner: "Reward" to Track Down Britain's Most Wanted Dog Owner

The Daily Echo has today launched a "reward" to track down Britain's most wanted dog owner.

It comes after nine dogs were callously dumped in the countryside in such a state they could not see, walk or stand.

To read more on this story, click here: Find the Owner: "Reward" to Track Down Britian's Most Wanted Dog Owner FOLLOW US!