I have a Rat Terrier, which is a medium sized dog (about 17 lbs). When I give him a bath, I give him a bath in our laundry tub. While he is in the laundry tub, I heat up a bath sheet in my dryer. I have sewn the top and one side so that it looks a little like a pillow case.
When the dog's bath is finished, I take the bath sheet out of the dryer and wrap the dog in it. I snuggle him and hug him, while I'm drying him. This helps from him shaking and getting water all over, it works. Wouldn't you like a nice warm towel when you come out of the shower? Just imagine how he likes it? Not sure who enjoys this warm towel more, the dog or myself.
By Cathy from Plainfield, IL
This page contains the following solutions.
It's that time of year when you take your dog out and it's muddy outside. They usually get pretty muddy, so have a box of baby wipes handy. They make quick clean up of the muddy dog's feet, legs, and whatever else is muddy.
Grooming your dog can actually be a great bonding experience, if you decide to do it yourself rather than taking your pup to a professional. And unless you've got a show dog on your hands, you don't really need to use a groomer; grooming your dog at home is easy!
Go to your local Dollar Store and pick up a silicone basting brush. This brush is excellent. I have 2 dogs, a Shepherd Lab and Jack Russel, that both shed quite a bit of hair.
I have two German Shepherds. I call them "German Shedders". I get literally a shopping bag of fur when I brush them out.
If you have a small dog or puppy with very fine soft fur, you know how hard it is to groom them with a big noisy (and expensive) electric corded pet groomer.
I have a Border Collier mix dog - Danny. He is an indoor/outdoor farm dog. I need to brush him a lot in the spring while he sheds and then throughout the year for pleasure.
Usually I use an eraser on his coat, the square kind, but this time I went and tried a latex glove. It worked really well on his coat and he wasn't afraid of it or anything.
I am waiting on getting my hound glove for Bruno's coat. I remembered that pencil erasers, the square kind, tend to pick up hair. I was hoping that it might help some of his hair come out.
You can make life easier for you and your new puppy if you start early with basic care giving and grooming. When you first get your puppy, begin slowly introducing it to the various grooming procedures it can expect to experience regularly throughout its life.
When trying to brush you medium to long haired dog to remove loose hair, try using a flea comb. They are great. They are inexpensive and work as well if not better than most "As Seen On TV" pet grooming tools. . .
If your clippers become too hot and stop clipping, for example: when shaving your dog - just dip them in alcohol while they are still running, and this will cool them off enough so that they continue to clip!
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
Tips to help you groom you dog. Post your ideas.
To groom my dog easily without making an indoor mess or hurting my back, I stand on the ground, and put the dog on the porch. Our porch is just the right height, so I can reach him easily. I tie his leash around a porch post for extra security. All the fur stays outside, and we both get some fresh air!
By zballoongirl
If you are going to clip your dog yourself, do not buy the pet clippers from Walmart. I have gone through 3 or 4 sets in the past 10 years and it has taken too long to clip her because of the poor quality of the clippers. Rather, go to your local vet and have them order one of the kind of clippers that they use. It now takes me about 40 minutes to totally clip my Cocker spaniel and it works amazingly well, so much better.
I sit on a kitchen chair and have the dog on the table (a table from the kids table and chairs set that they got when they were little). Lady does not jump off the little table because it is too "high". The garbage can goes between me and the table and almost all the fur makes it into the garbage instead of on the floor. Lady is an American Cocker and so I have to clip all of her because "all" of her fur grows.
If you wash your dog before clipping you will have clippers that last longer. The dirt in the fur will quickly dull your clippers.
Clip their nails after each "fur" cut (hair cut) or when the clicking of their nails on the floor in your house bothers your ears too much. Lady has black toe nails and so it is really hard to know where her quick is. The quick is the blood supply to your pet's toenail, just like you have a blood supply (a nerve) in your teeth (and have it taken out when you have a root canal done at the dentist.) I usually just cut about 1/4 inch off the end of each toenail.
If it is your idea to get a high maintenance dog like a Cocker or any other dog that needs regular clipping, invest into some good clippers that may run you over $200 to buy in the first place. Clipping the dog yourself will save you a pile of money over the years. 5 clippings and you have broken even already. Remember, if you make a mistake in clipping, maybe it's too short; it will grow back and you can try again in a month or two.
Grooming your dog can also be a great time for you to "bond" with your dog. My dog seemingly can't wait to get off the table, but she follows me around immediately after we're done, after she has been let outside to "shake" off all the loose fur that isn't on me or the floor or in the garbage.
What is the best way to keep my dog Xena's (Shih tzu/Bichon) hair from knotting? I brush her, but she still gets knots which I'm sure are not comfortable for her. There has to be an easier way than constantly brushing. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks.
By Nancy H
There really isn't much else you can do besides getting it professionally groomed. Usually with longer haired dogs you have to.
What can I use on my male dog to clean him after he pees. His skin has got black dried up pee on it.
By Michelle from Blue Springs, MO
Dried up pee wouldn't be black. Dogs generally don't "clean" themselves after they pee. Your dog may have a skin condition that you can see on areas of his body that don't have much hair. You would need to see a Vet to determine if this is the case. skin conditions can come from mange, food allergies and other conditions. It really requires a Vet to determine what is going on. Allergies or mange can become serious and life threatening if not treated. Good luck.
My dog has never yet cleaned itself after a pee. Where do you get one of those dogs from? - I wash my dogs bottom area regularly with a little shampoo or conditioner - maybe just a water wash daily is all that is needed.
My dog-daughter rolls in the grass and dirt. I can brush some grass off, but dirt embeds deep into her thick fur. The dirt cannot be brushed out.
My vacuum cleaner pulls the dirt out, but is too loud. Is there a vacuum cleaner made to use on pets? Are there any other solutions?
I think there is a pet vacuum, but I hear it's expensive.
Try getting your pet used to your vacuum. Run the vacuum in one place and give your pet a treat or belly rubs while it is on. If you associate the sound with a good thing the sound will probably stop bothering your pet.
I would like advice for grooming dogs with long hair. Please we need help with out white Shepherd, his hair is everywhere. We have too many vet bills for our 6 animals want to avoid groomers, yet have him look decent and not cause razor burns. Any tips would help. He is brushed, combed, and vacuumed.
By nj bartolini
