Keeping your dog clean is an important responsibility for every dog owner. Fido depends on you for general hygiene. Spotless ears, teeth and a coat free from fleas and ticks are all the conditions your entire family check for a wholesome pet. Bath time can be a wonderful time to bond with your dog as well as check his well – being.
A healthy dog actually doesn’t need washing all that often, but people like to bathe them so that they smell fresh and clean and not like… well…a dog. Even though many canines don’t enjoy to be washed, they will value the contact and attention that they obtain from their owners during a bath. It is also a excellent time to perform several other needed “dog maintenance” such as cleaning the ears, checking for ticks and fleas, and brushing the teeth. Because many dogs do not prefer to sit still for any of these activities, it can be a good idea to do these all at once.
Brushing your Dogs’ Teeth
Brushing your dogs’ teeth is just good dental hygiene. Many vets advocate that it be performed at least two times a week to ensure your pet maintains healthy teeth and gums. If you’ve have been doing this, it’s never too late to begin. The dog ought to have its own toothbrush and exclusive toothpaste designed for dogs. You pick up everything you require at your favorite pet supply store. Make sure you brush the back teeth in tiny circles, the same way you should your own, and brush up and down the length of the “pointy” canine teeth. Dog toothpaste is made to possess a pleasing taste, to dogs that is, and this ought to help make your dog willing to let you carry out this action. If you cannot brush his teeth, the next best thing would be to offer him teeth cleaning canine biscuits but brushing is certainly preferred.
Checking for Ticks & Fleas
Ticks are nasty little arachnids (they’re eight-legged creatures like spiders, and therefore are not insects) that will latch onto your dog’s skin and feed on his blood supply. They are most common in wooded areas, but your dog should be checked for them regularly because they can carry a number of diseases. The best place to look for these bugs in under the collar or on the dog’s underbelly, buried in the fur. If you find a tick, be sure to use tweezers and remove the tick by its head.
Fleas can be found in the same places, under the fur. The presence of fleas can be betrayed by the sight of their droppings on the dog’s coat. They look like flecks of pepper. The fleas themselves can vary in size, from tiny infants to larger adults, which are about an eighth of an inch long. They can’t simply be picked off the dog like ticks can, they will jump before you can catch them. If you do find a flea or their droppings, you know it’s time to start the dog on a program to control and eliminate these pests.
Cleaning his Ears
Pet supply stores sell special solutions for cleansing a dog’s ears. Dogs can easily get ear mites. These small insects live in the ears and feed of the waxy secretions there. Over time, the bodies of these short-lived creatures build up and form a black, dirty substance. Using a cotton swab dipped in a bit of this solution, gently clean the inner ear. It may be difficult to hold the dog still for this procedure, but it doesn’t take long. The result will be clean ears and the avoidance of potential infection and earaches for your dog.
So you see, the quality time you spend bathing your dog will not only make him smell great to you but it will make him FEEL great.
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