Dog Grooming Q&A Session

Do you groom your dog personally? If so you might have come across certain grooming problems for which you would like to get an answer for grooming your dog in a proper manner. It is quite likely that you find an answer for your questions in the following.

Question 1: The coat of my Australian Shepherd is full of foxtails and burrs before the summer ends thereby making it necessary for me to clip off all his hairs. Is there a way by which I can avoid him getting the burrs while he runs through the countryside?

Answer 1: The only solution to your problem is to brush him every day in a thorough manner; however this is quite a difficult task. If you have not been doing this so far you might not be interested in doing this. There is no point in making him suffer throughout summer with painful sticker and clip his hair off which is essentially required at the beginning of cold season.

It is advisable to clip his hair short during the late spring season or early summer by which time the weeds would dry up. This will make him happy during summer and some hair would have grown by the start of winter.

Question 2: I regularly brush and bathe my shaggy mixed-breed; however I find that his stools are caught in his long hair and get stuck to his skin. I could solve this problem by cutting the hair in that area but I am afraid that it will look funny. Can you please advice?

Answer 2: One method you could try is to regulate his diet in order to prevent his stools being soft; at the same time it is advisable to trim the hair in that area even though it will look funny. While doing this you should take sufficient care since the dog might move towards scissors once you touch its hair.

Question 3: My Beagle is given bath once in a month; however I find that he scratches too much. Do you think that giving monthly bath is too much for this dog?

Answer 3: Some dogs might find this frequency of bathing is too much. You must ensure that all the shampoo is completely rinsed out from its body. The best way to get the soap out of the body is to use a spray hose that is normally used in pet grooming shops. You must purchase from a hardware store one such hose that pushes onto the faucet. It is also necessary to ensure that your dog is given a proper balanced diet that keeps its coat and skin healthy; also ensure that the dog does not have fleas.

Question 4: I recently learnt that the Cocker Spaniels can be clipped. I would like to know whether it is necessary or it is a matter of individual's choice.

Answer 4: Any dog looks good and healthy if it is brushed and cleaned regularly. You can clip your furry and loving Cocker Spaniels which will make him gorgeous and elegant blueblood. You should try this at least once to know what you are missing. One benefit you get by regular clipping is that the toenails and ears of the dog will be looked after well; this is necessary because this breed of dog always has trouble with ears and toenails.