Question from Julia
Hello,
I just adopted a dog. I would like to know if there is a particular routine that I must respect for his hygiene and his grooming (washing teeth, washing ears, grooming, claws, etc.).
Also, how often should I wash it and go have it mowed / shaved? Can I do it myself or do I have to go to a grooming center?
Expert response
Congratulations on your new companion! Here are my tips for hygiene.
Grooming
If you have a long-haired dog (like Shih tzu, Lhasa apso, Poodle, Schnauzer, etc.), you should have it clipped at the change of season (so 4 times a year). If you do not have experience in the field, I suggest that you find a specialist in a grooming salon near you. Ask for references and go visit the place: you must have full confidence in this person.
Why not do it yourself? Because I have seen many times patients injured by their owners full of goodwill, but inexperienced in grooming.
The bath
You should never (unless otherwise advised by your veterinarian if your pet has special needs) give your dog more than one bath per month. If your puppy gets dirty and needs to be cleaned more often, simply rinse it thoroughly with clean water.
Never put water in your dog's ears. To wash your dog's head, use a wet towel. Always dry doggie properly after bathing, especially the legs, armpits and groins, places that keep moisture.
Ears
Clean your dog's ears once a week. I advise you to do it also after each bath, each swim and when your dog returns from the groomer. This will help prevent ear infections.
Use a good quality cleaner (some products will irritate the ear and cause more harm than good). Fill the ear with cleaning fluid, massage the base of the ear to hear suction noises, allow the animal to shake its head, then thoroughly dry the ear with a tissue. Never use an ear pick in your dog's ears.
The eyes
The eyes of long-haired dogs (and cats) should be cleaned daily. The hair that falls back in front of the doggie's eyes should be cut regularly to keep the eyes clear and to facilitate maintenance.
There are different products to reduce discoloration of the coat of pale dogs by their tears. Some are effective, but all require daily use, otherwise the effectiveness is unsatisfactory.
If your dog is dark in color or does not mind the tears, you can also use warm water to wash his eyes.
Claws
The claws should be trimmed at least once a month. If you don't do it often enough, the vein in the claw will lengthen and it will then be impossible to shorten the claws to the right length without causing your dog to bleed and hurt.
When you have a puppy, cut a small piece of claw each week, it will desensitize it and you will get used to this manipulation. Besides, take advantage of the moments of calm and cuddling to play with your toes! This will help you later.
The teeth
Finally, you must also take care of his teeth. After 24 hours, the food that settles on the teeth, with the participation of bacteria from the mouth, form plaque, then tartar. Brushing your teeth must be done daily to be fully effective. Obviously, it is still better to do it 2 times a week than not at all!
You can use toothpaste for animals (fluoride is toxic to them…) which has an enzymatic activity to destroy tartar (depending on the quality). Use water if you don't want to buy toothpaste.