Health Care and Grooming

Health Care

You are responsible for the health and well being of your dog and the first thing you should do when you get a dog is register him with a vet.  If you have never used a vet before you should ask around your friends and family to see if they can recommend a good one.  A good vet is worth his weight in gold and definitely worth travelling for, although not too far, just in case you have to get to him in an emergency. 

You should check your dogs skin and general condition daily, this is important so you can spot things before they become a problem.  The best time to do this is when you groom him as you will be touching him all over anyway.  In particular, check his ears, teeth and gums, eyes, paws and his private regions and look for anything that looks unusual, that shouldn't be there or could be sore, have a good sniff too, if he smells bad this could also be an indicator that something is wrong.

As well as daily health checks, your dog will also need to be wormed regularly - usually every three months but that depends on the product you use, he will need to be treated for fleas too and this is usually done every three months, again, depending on the product used so check the information that comes with your product.  Your vet will be able to supply these medications to you, you can also buy these types of products from pet shops, they may be cheaper but they are not as effective as the ones your vet will supply.

You will also need to vaccinate your dog against diseases such as Distemper and Parvo, this vaccination will come in two parts if it is the first time your dog has been vaccinated or if it has been more than a year since his last vaccination and he will have to wait a period of time, usually 1-2 weeks, before he is fully protected by the vaccination.  Every year he will need a booster vaccination to ensure he is still fully protected.  These diseases can kill dogs so think very carefully if you are in doubt about whether to have them, you should also ask your vet for further advice before you make your mind up.  If you have pet insurance, these diseases will not be covered if you have elected not to vaccinate your dog.  If you are planning to leave your dog in boarding kennels, you will have to have your dog fully vaccinated otherwise they will not accept him, he will also need to vaccinated against kennel cough.

You should also take your dog to the vet once a year for a general health check, this is normally done when he gets his yearly booster vaccination, the vet will check his general condition, his weight, his heart, temperature and his teeth amongst other things, they may also ask you for a urine sample. 

Grooming your dog

Whatever type of coat your dog has, he should be groomed daily.  This may take anything from one minute for a short coated Labrador, to an hour for a Hungarian Puli.  Grooming is not just about making your dog look good, it also makes him feel good too, a good brush will remove dead and loose hair that is trapped in his fur which could make him feel uncomfortable, it is also a good chance for you to check him all over and make sure he is in good condition and it is a good way for you to bond with your dog in a really positive way.

Did you know that dogs don't actually need a bath, I know that you will disagree with me - especially when they start to smell but bathing does nothing for a dogs skin or coat, if anything it strips away natural oils that protect his skin and coat.  Of course, we want our dogs to look and smell clean, just don't do it too often. 

For some dogs a bath and a brush is never going to be enough, some dogs will need to be clipped, if you don't know what you are doing, this is better done by a professional dog groomer, they will be properly trained and have the right equipment so your dog will look great and they will do it in half the time.  Most dogs look forward to going to the groomer; they just love to be pampered.

Choosing a groomer

If you have never used a groomer before, your best bet is to ask for a recommendation from your friends, family or your vet, failing that, visit your local groomers and talk to them, this will give you an idea of whether you like them and their premises and you might be lucky and see them at work too.  If you get a bad feeling about them, then don't book your dog in, and keep searching.  If you have a puppy that is likely to need to visit the groomers when he is older, don't wait, book him in now and get him used to the experience while he is still young.