In order to properly care for your dog, some attention should be paid to his nails, teeth, eyes, ears and coat. Ideally, you should do this daily or every other day to make sure that there are no new problems or insects that have taken up residence on your dog. To properly care for your dog, do the following:
Brush Your Dog's Teeth - Ideally, a dog's teeth should be brushed daily to prevent tartar buildup on his teeth. To brush a dog's teeth:
- Start by massaging a dog's gums with your fingers to get your dog used to the activity.
- Put a little pet toothpaste on your dog's lips to allow him to get used to the taste.
- Use a dog toothbrush or a piece of gauze wrapped around your finger.
- Use only pet toothpaste designed specifically for dogs. Never use human toothpaste.
- Gently rub the dog toothbrush, or your gauzed finger, and pet toothpaste on each of the dog's teeth.
- If you are outdoors, you can rinse your dog's mouth with a garden hose which will alert the dog that you are finished with tooth brushing for the day.
Trim Your Dog's Nails - Dogs who do not get a great deal of intense daily exercise may need their nails trimmed. To trim a dog's nails:
- Gently massage all four of the dog's paws to get him used to having his feet touched and manipulated.
- With a dog nail clipper start at the tip of the nail and trim just a thin slice of the dog's nail. Gradually trim more slices of the nail working your way toward his foot pad.
- Do not cut the quick of the nail as it will cause pain and bleeding.
- Proceed to trim each of the dog's nails in this same way.
Clean Your Dog's Eyes - A dog's eyes should be cleaned regularly. Some dog's get dark streaks under their eyes from excess moisture leaking from their eyes. Regularly cleaning this off will control the stains and bacteria that gathers there. To clean a dog's eyes:
- Wet a clean cotton ball or piece of gauze with mineral oil or olive oil.
- Gently wipe around the dog's eyes to clear away any dried secretions and moisture stains from the dogs eyes.
- With blunted scissors, trim any dog hairs that grow down in front of your dog's line of vision.
Clean Your Dog's Ears - A dog's ears should also be cleaned regularly. To clean a dog's ears:
- Inspect your dog's ears for any ticks or mites.
- Wet a clean cotton ball or piece of gauze with mineral oil or olive oil.
- Gently wipe the inside of your dog's ears to clean the skin and wipe away any crusted matter or foreign objects. Avoid touching your dog's ear canals.
- With blunted scissors, trim any dog hairs that grow towards the ear canal.
Brush and Trim Your Dog's Coat - After a good walk or workout, take a few minutes to calm your dog by talking gently to him. To brush your dog's coat:
- Massage your dog's back and neck muscles, leg muscles, chest, and face.
- With blunted scissors, trim any long hairs that are growing on your dog's face, mouth, eyes, nose, fetters, neck, back and tail.
- With a dog brush gently brush your dog's coat, starting at his head and neck and proceeding back and down to his feet and tail.
- While brushing, look for any growths or bumps that have recently appeared.
- Continue to brush his coat, discarding excess hair that is brushed out with this activity.
Conscientious daily care for your dog is one of the best ways to find any potential problems before they begin. Routine cleaning, trimming, and brushing is calming and soothing for both you and your dog and an excellent way for you to bond with your dog and reinforce that you are the pack leader. Contact a local vet, like Murrells Inlet Veterinary Hospital, if you have questions.
