Resolve to Take Better Care of Your Dog: Beyond "Grooming"
A fresh start to the year, everyone has a health resolution in mind. Don't leave out your pup! It's really tricky for them to do it themselves! Everyone knows annual visits to the vet and regular exercise is important, but there is also routine "grooming" care that is critical. But you say your dog doesn't need a haircut? That doesn't mean your pup doesn't need routine care to stay clean, and more importantly, healthy. Here are the biggies…
CLEANING YOUR DOG'S TEETH
The importance of doggie dental care is much more important than most people know! Sure, we all know a deep cleaning once a year is a good measure, but other than stinky breath, what's the big deal? Read on…
- By age three, up to 80% of dogs have some stage of periodontal disease.
- When dogs have dental disease, bacteria can creep into a dog's blood stream and cause serious, systemic problems — and, even life threatening complications.
- Ramping up routine dental care could potentially add three or four years to your dog's life!
Time to visit your local dog care center or pet store, grab a doggie toothbrush and some tasty chicken flavored toothpaste and start brushing daily! Your dog will think it's a treat. His breath will be better and his health! Don't think you can swing that? There are oral solutions that can be added to your dog's water bowl to help fight bacteria too. Your local dog care professionals should be more than happy to show you some tips and point you toward the best products. Resolve to keep those choppers tip top and enjoy all the benefits that come with it!
TRIMMING YOUR DOG'S NAILS
The importance of keeping your dog's nails short goes far beyond aesthetics. There are few things that can easily happen when dogs' nails are left to grow. The nail can actually grow back into the paw — OW! This obviously is a huge bummer for your dog and can be a painful and expensive situation. Long nails can also start twisting and bending which can actually change the way a dog walks and even cause skeletal damage! Who Knew!? Lastly, the longer you wait to cut them, the more often you have to trim them to get them back on track. The inside "quick" grows and you don't want to cut into that if you can avoid it. It can be bloody and even painful. Keep those nails short!
- Find a good set of clippers (like Miller's Forge) and get some hand on tips by watching some videos and/or asking your local dog care professional
- Go a little at a time and reward your pup for a job well done!
- Trimming dog's nails can be stressful! There are local dog care centers that offer nail trimming services — so you can leave it to the pros and not sweat it!
Nails need to be cut on average every 2-4 weeks depending on the breed and how often they walk and run outdoors. Put it on your calendar and resolve to stay on top of it. You're little pal relies on you!