May 24th, 2009 by admin

BRUSHING

A natural bristle brush or a hound glove can be used for regular routine brushing. Daily brushing is effective for

Removing dead hair and stimulating the dog’s natural oils to add shine and a healthy look to the coat. Although the smooth St. Bernard’s coat is short and close and only requires a five-minute once-over, the rough variety demands more frequent and thorough brushing to keep it mat-free and looking its shiny best. Regular grooming sessions are also a good way to spend time with your dog. Many dogs grow to like the feel of being brushed and will enjoy the daily routine.

DO DOG’S HAVE TASTE BUDS?

Watching a dog ‘wolf’ or gobble his food, seemingly without chewing, leads an owner to wonder whether their dogs can taste anything. Yes, dogs have taste buds, with sensory perception of sweet, salty and sour. Puppies are born with fully mature taste buds.

‘DOES THIS COLLAR MAKE ME LOOK FAT?

While humans may obsess about how they look and how trim their bidies are, many people believe that extra weight on their dogs is a good thing. The truth is, pets should not be over-or under-weight as both can lead to or signal sickness. In order to tell how fit your pet is, run your hands over his ribs. Are his ribs buried under a layer of fat or are they sticking out consider- ably? If your pet is within his normal weight range, you should be able to feel the ribs easily. If you stand above him. The outline of his body should resemble an hourglass. Some breeds do tend to be leaner; while some are a bit stockier, but making sure your dog is the right weight for his breed will certainly contribute to his good health.

BATHING

Doges do not need to be bathed as often as humans, but regular bathing is essential for healthy skin and a healthy, shiny coat. Again, like most anything, if you accustom your pup to being bathed as a puppy, it will be second nature by the time he grows up. You want your dog to be at ease in the bath or else it could end up a wet, soapy, messy ordeal for both of you! Brush your St. Bernard thoroughly before wetting his coat. This will get rid of most mats and tangles, which are harder to remove when the coat is wet. Make certain that your dog has a good non-slip surface to stand on. Begin by wetting the dog’s coat. a shower or hose Is necessary for thoroughly wetting and rinsing the coat. check the water temperature to make sure that it is neither too hot nor too cold.

How much grooming equipment you purchase will depend on how much grooming you are going to do. Here are some basics:

• Natural bristle brush
• Slicker brush
• Metal comb
• Scissors
• Blaster
• Rubber mat
• Dog shampoo
• Spray hose attachment
• Ear cleaner
• Cotton wipes
• Towels
• Nail lappers

Next, apply shampoo to the dog’s coat and work it into a good lather. You should purchase a shampoo that is made for dogs. Do not use a product made for human hair. Wash the head last; you do not want shampoo to drip into the dog’s eyes while you are washing the rest of his body. Work the shampoo all the way down to the skin. You can use this opportunity to check the skin for any bumps, bites or other abnormalities. Do not neglect any area of the body-get all of the hard- to –reach places.

Once the dog has been thoroughly shampoo, he Requires an equally thorough rinsing. Shampoo left in the coat can be irritating to the skin. Protect his eyes from the shampoo by shielding them with your hand and directing the flow of water in the opposite direction. You should also avoid getting water in the ear canal. Be prepared for your dog to shake out his coat—you might want to stand back, but make sure you have a hold on the dog to keep him from running away.

SOAP IT UP

The use of human soap products like shampoo, bubble bath and hand soap can be damaging to a dog’s coat and skin. Human products are too strong and remove the protective oils coating the dog’s hair and skin (making him water-resistant). Use only shampoo made especially for dogs and you may like to use a medicated shampoo, which will always help to keep external parasites at bay.

BATHING BEAUTY

Once you are sure that the dog is thoroughly rinsed, squeeze the excess water out of the coat with your hand and dry him with a heavy towel. You may choose to use a blaster on his coat or just let it dry naturally. In cold weather. Never allow your dog outside with a wet coat.

There are dry bath’ products on the market, which are sprays and powders intended for spot cleaning. That can be used between regular baths, if necessary. they are not substitute for regular baths, but they are easy to use for touch-ups as they do not require rinsing.

EAR CLEANING

The ears should be kept clean with a cotton wipe and ear powder made especially for dogs. Be on the lookout for any signs of infection or ear mile infestation. If your St. Bernard has been shaking his ears frequently, this usually indicates a problem. If his ears have an unusual odour, this is a sure sign of mite infestation or infection, and a signal to have his ears checked by the veterinary surgeon.

NAIL CLIPPING

Your St. Bernard should be accustomed to having his nails trimmed at an early age, since it will be part of your maintenance routine throughout his life. Not only does it look nicer, but long nails can scratch someone unintentionally. Also, a long nail has a better chance of ripping and bleeding, or causing the feet to spread. A good rule of thumb is that if you can hear your dog’s nails clicking on the floor when he walks, he nails are too long.

Before you start cutting, make sure you can identify the ‘quck’ in each nail. The quick is a blood vessel that runs through the centre of each nail and grows rather close to the end. It will bleed if accidentally cut, which will be quite painful for the dog as it contains nerve endings. Keep some type of clotting agent on hand, such as a stuptic pencil or styptic

Powder (the type used for shaving). This will stop the bleeding quickly when applied to the end of the cut nail. Do not panic if you cut the quick, just stop the
Bleeding and talk soothingly to your dog. Once he has calmed down, move on to the next nail. It is better to clip a little at a time, particularly with black-nailed dogs.

PEDICURE TIP

A dog that spends a lot of time outside ona hard surface, such as cement or pavement, will have his nails naturally worn down and may not need to have them trimmed as often, except maybe in the colder months when he is not outside as much. Regardless, it is best to get your dog age so that he is used to it. Some dogs are especially sensitive about having their feet touched, but if a dog has experienced it sine he was young, he should not be bothered by it.

Hold your pup steady as you begin trimming his nails; you do not want him to make and sudden movements or run away. Talk to him soothingly and stroke him as you clip. Holding his foot in your hand, simply take off the end of each nail in one quick clip. You can purchase nail clippers that are specially made for dogs; you can probably find them wherever you buy pet or grooming supplies.