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Tips from Monica:Ahhhh Spring! The smell of wet, muddy dogs immediately comes to mind! Time to get out that rake and clean up the yard, free it of winter doggie debris! Short-haired dogs will soon begin shedding, and you can be prepared with the proper brush! Ask a professional which kind will work best on your dog, or if you have an assortment of dog brushes, just start experimenting. In order to keep your dogs cool and comfortable, the goal is to get out as much of the undercoat as possible- that's the (usually white), fuzzy stuff down near the skin. You may need special tools for dematting if you've left this job go too long. When your dog is seriously "blowing coat", you may want to consider a trip to a professional petstylist. If they have the proper equipment, they should be able to rake and blow out the majority of that stuff and save you alot of time and mess. If your dog's shedding drives you crazy, schedule a regular appointment every 2 - 6 weeks, and you should notice a big difference in the amount of doghair blowing around your house. Long hair around the feet can be trimmed short to keep the mud tracking to a minimum. Long-haired dogs that haven't had a haircut all winter will be in serious need of a spring buzz by now. For the record, it is best to avoid this phenomenon by getting your dog's hair cut sometime over the winter. Otherwise, the matted mess in the spring could be hiding a multitude of problems. Burrs and other irritations near the skin can cause infections. Sometimes the matts get so tight in sensitive areas, that the hair pulling on the skin is painful. This makes the petstylist's job difficult, because the dog is likely to be uncooperative when the clipping procedure makes them uncomfortable. Usually, the ticks are already out before most folks start thinking it's time for the spring buzz, and all that hair makes it impossible to find them. So, the earlier you get that hair off, probably the better. Cats with long hair need help taking care of their coats- it's simply not fair to leave that huge job to them. They rarely need a bath if they're kept well-combed. What works best for most cats is what's called a "greyhound comb" with medium teeth on one half, fine teeth on the other. You can start by going through the cat's hair with the medium comb, to straighten it and loosen mats. Then use the fine tooth side on everything, especially the fine hair behind the ears, in the armpits, and on the back of the hind legs. These are the areas most prone to matting. You may have to do this in short sessions, and try offering kitty his favorite treats to make the whole process more appealing. If kitty is prone to be grumpy about his grooming session, be sure and keep toenails trimmed short. Always try to end on a good note, not because he's acting up- you don't want him to get the idea that you'll quit as soon as he becomes naughty. If you can't manage on your own, a professional petstylist is a good option. You may have to accept a short shave to start over the first time, but if the coat is maintained after that, longer haircuts are attractive and possible, and make it easier to keep kitty combed out. |