Tuesday, October 28, 2014

How to Wash your Dog


      Hey do you have a dog?
      Does your dog love to get dirty?
      Want some easy hands on instructions for washing your pooch,       well look no further                                                       

                          HOW TO WASH YOUR DOG

Even if have the most easy-care dog in the world, He or she will still need some attention to be paid to his/her appearance every once in a while – so it’s worth spending  some time learning the best techniques for easy, stress-free grooming.
WHY SHOULD I BOTHER GROOMING MY DOG?
Not so long ago, Dogs were seen as something that lived in the yard (usually in a dusty, hard-floored kennel) They were mostly considered "just animals".They ate whatever was put in their bowls, and existed as a sometime-playmate for the household’s children.
Today, we tend to care for our dogs a lot more, and view them more as members of the household than the Thing in the Yard.
Ever since this rise in the estimation of our beloved pooches became widespread, grooming has been increasingly recognized as an important part of your dog’s regular health-care. It ensures that any skin-care problems are minimized (because grooming distributes the natural skin-oils evenly throughout the coat), and assists you in monitoring your dog’s overall condition – if you groom on a regular basis, you can’t help but notice the presence of any unusual lumps or bumps.
This preventative action has saved many a canine life. Our dogs can’t tell us where it hurts, but taking just a little bit of time every so often to check them over ourselves can save a lot of grief in the long run.
The trick is getting your dog to tolerate (and even enjoy!) the process …
THE FIRST STEP IN THE GROOMING PROCESS
Something that many owners lack experience in is how to wash their dogs. Dry-grooming (brushing and ‘buffing’ the coat) seems to present little problem for most people; the problems seem to set in when water is introduced to the mix.
Most dogs have a strong dislike of being bathed, and in many cases will become utterly panic-stricken when the tub comes out.
This article is going to deal with the basics of how to wash your dog in a way that’ll keep both of you relaxed and happy.
PREPARING YOUR DOG FOR GROOMING
First of all, the absolute most important thing you can do is to accustom your dog to the grooming process. starting this when he/she is a puppy is the ideal way to handle the situation, but of course not all of us have this luxury; if you have an adult dog, you’ll probably need to move a little slower, but you should still start getting him/ her used to being touched and handled all over as soon as you can.
As your puppy or dog gets used to the sensation of being rubbed and handled,He/ she will slowly come to enjoy it. Dogs are social creatures by instinct, and physical affection and contact is a big part of their lives – it should not take too long before he/she begins to trust you, and allows himself/ herself to get some pleasure out of your touch.
All you have to do is start rubbing him/ her slowly all over. Fondle his/ her ears, touch his/ her cheeks and neck, rub his/ her back and belly, pick up his/ her paws and – if he/she will let you – give each one a gentle squeeze (treating and praising him/ her whenever he/ she lets you do this, since paw touching is generally a pretty big deal for most dogs). If your dog has a tail, rub it between your fingers; get him/ her to roll over on their back so you can rub and stroke his/her belly and hocks.
This might not seem like such a big deal, but it is actually a really 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 are likely to groom him/ her – which increases the health benefits for your pooch
HOW TO WASH YOUR DOG
Bathing always comes before dry-grooming, since it makes brushing and trimming a lot easier as well as a lot more effective (there’s not much point in brushing a tangled, dirty coat!)
You will need some basic tools: a tub, a non-slip mat, a plastic jug, some warm water, a small sponge, and some canine shampoo (not human shampoo: the pH is all wrong for dogs, and will give your dog dry and flaky skin.)
Stand him/ her in the tub, on the non-slip mat. If you have a large or unruly dog, you may want to wash  him/her outside to minimize mess – either that, or you can restrain your dog by tying one end of a light nylon leash to his/ her collar, and the other end to the faucet.
Pour jugs of warm water all over him/ her until  he/she is good and wet. This breaks down the grease in their fur, and ensures a thorough shampooing.
Mix a little shampoo with another jug of warm water, and rub it thoroughly into your dog’s fur. Start off with the back and rub it into a good lather (but don’t be too harsh!)
Now you can move on to his/ her head and face. Be very careful here – dogs’ eyes are sensitive too, and if you get any water in their ears, your dog will probably get an ear infection. (You can plug his/her ears with a small twist of cotton wool to help stop this from happening, if you like.)
Remember to clean under his/her tail before you wash him/her off – dip the sponge into the shampoo mixture to do this properly.
Now it’s time to rinse: using the jug and some clean, warm, shampoo-free water, carefully tip it all over him/her and use your fingers to help disperse the lather from his/her coat. Rinse  off thoroughly at least twice, since any residue that remains will irritate her skin.
Now you’ll need to dry your dog  off: if your dogs got short fur, you can use a towel (an old one will do just fine, although big dogs generally need two); for dogs with longer fur, give him/her a gentle toweling-off first, and then use a hair dryer to get rid of the last dampness. Be certain that it’s set on low heat, and hold it far away from your dog’s fur to prevent burning either the skin or the fur.
KEEP YOURSELF CALM
Remember that most dogs have an inherent dislike of being bathed, which can cause anxiety and even outright panic.
Your dog takes a lot of their emotional cues from you, so make sure you act like a good role model for the occasion. Reassure your dog frequently, keeping your voice well-modulated, low, and even; keep your movements slow and deliberate; praise your dog lavishly for good behavior, and give him/ her a couple of treats throughout the process to make it more enjoyable for him/ her.
The more your dog enjoys the process, the easier it’ll be for you!
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Grooming your dog is just one tiny aspect of maintaining overall health and happiness. 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 The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health.
A survival guide for knowledgeable, effective, and life-saving dog care, this manual keeps your dog’s health and well being firmly within your control – which is exactly where you want it to be.
To be the best and most responsible owner you can be, take a look at The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health.
You can visit the website by clicking on the link below:
http://goo.gl/GgxNps

stay tuned for more training and health tips coming soon

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