1. Grooming

2. Definition:  Grooming is the washing, combing, trimming, and brushing the external part of the dog.

3. Hair  Daily brushing is recommended to remove dead hair, distribute the skin’s oils, and remove dandruff.  Longhaired dogs may have matted hair. Tease out mats with a comb or cut out if teasing will not work. Longhaired dogs also need burrs cut out of their hair coat. To avoid injury to the dog’s skin, a comb should be place between the matted hair or burr and the skin prior to cutting with scissors.

4.  Terriers and wirehaired breeds accumulate dead hair which must be plucked. A stripping knife is used to remove dead hair and trim live hair. In plucking, a section of dead hair is grasped between the thumb and stripping knife and then pulled away with a twisting motion.  Bath only when extremely dirty. Some good products to use are baby shampoo, mild soap, and coconut oil shampoo. Do not use detergent soaps, which can lead to skin reactions. Keep shampoo out of the dog’s eyes and use medicated shampoo to help prevent parasites. Use an ophthalmic ointment to soothe eye irritation.

5. Ears  Clean once a month and check for ticks and mites on a regular basis.  To remove ear wax and/or mites use a cotton swab or soft cloth soaked in mineral oil, hydrogen peroxide, or alcohol, lukewarm water, or approved ear cleaners.  Only ear parts that can be seen should be cleaned.  One may use a finger, but never a sharp or pointed object to clean the dog’s ears.

6. Eyes  Use approved boric acid or other eyewash solutions to remove any irritating substance.  Check for any redness or puffiness.

7. Teeth  Clean once or twice a week to remove tartar and plaque, which may cause painful periodontal disease.  When cleaning, use a small toothbrush with soft bristles or a gauze pad.  Use a mix of salt water and baking soda solution or toothpaste.  Clean from the gum line to the tips of teeth.  Hard dog biscuits, dibbled food, rawhide, synthetic bones, etc. help maintain healthy teeth and remove tartar.

8. Nails  Dogs that are kept inside need their nails trimmed with sharp clippers that do not crush nail the when cutting.  Avoid cutting into the nail bed, which will cause bleeding. Black nails present the most problems since the nail bed is harder to see. The nail bed is easily seen on white or clear nails.  Have styptic powder on hand to stop any bleeding.  The dew claw should always be checked because it does not wear down.  Never use sharp, pointed scissors to trim nails. Injury may result should the animal move in an unexpected manner.