Wednesday, October 28, 2009

What Are Dog Grooming Tools

Why do you prefer to go to professional dog groomers and pay high fees for your dog grooming. You can even groom your dog at home , yes really You can do much of the grooming yourself at home and save money at the same time.

This article will let you know all necessary tools that you need for your dog grooming at home.

Dog grooming Hair scissors

Thinning scissors

Dog clippers

Dog/cat toe nail clippers

Dog Nose scissors

Dental scaler

Dog hair pulling forceps

Dog Tweezers

Brush and Comb

Dog grooming scissors:

Most important tools for dog grooming. Dog grooming scissors are usually long blade scissors having 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5" sizes. Scissors are both straight as well as curved. Common size is 8.5". Available in mirror polished, satin and titanium coated finish. These days titanium coated shears are very common because these are not only beautiful, but these shears have long lasting sharpness. Curved shears let you cut corners - literally. They are real time-savers. And, considering that most scissoring is supposed to achieve round or curved surfaces, it seems only natural to use curved shears on dogs ranging from Bichons to Bouviers. Gain experience with these shears by rounding off feet, topknots and tails. Experiment with them in reverse to create angulation above the hock joint. You might even use them to create the arch on some Terriers' eyebrows. Many groomers who have had difficulty shaping round and curved edges seem to have more success when they are using curved shears. Now come to Filipino shears ,these scissors have wider blade than other grooming scissors. These are excellent for cutting bulk hairs. These scissors feature superb smoothness and sharpness.

Thinning scissors:

If your dog has very thick coat of hairs we recommend you to use thinning scissors. Thinning scissors are choice of groomers in hot weather because thinning scissors thin out the heavy coats of hairs giving dogs a cool feel. Thinning shears, in various lengths and styles, constitute "the shears of the '90s" - and they are a necessary part of any groomer's collection. Thinning shears with a 28-teeth blade (or finer) are excellent for finish work and blending. They give coats a soft-edged appearance and produce Schnauzer and Terrier furnishings that look natural. Used to thin over scissored Lhasas and similar breeds with silky, flowing coats, these shears blend in and remove blunt ends. Thinning shears give breeds such as Scotties and Westies a hand-stripped look. They also give trimmed ears and bangs a natural, smooth appearance. They even thin out heavy coats and help to prevent matting in breeds such as Cockers, Afghans, etc,

Nose scissors:

Yes nose is also very important to be cleaned while grooming your dog. Use good pair of nose scissors to remove longer hairs from nose of dogs. These scissors has blunt end , so they won't disturb your dogs. Don't use pointed scissors for removing nose hairs.

Brush and Comb

You need to brush and comb away the dead hairs before bathing your pet as water creates tight matts in the loose hairs. Pets with long coat require brushing almost daily, depending on the condition of its coat. If you exercise your dog in the garden, it is likely to get tangles in its hair. You need to comb out its tangles immediately after exercise to avoid the tangles becoming mats. Brush your pet from top to bottom. Use the right brush for your pet's coat. Get advice from the pet shop if you,re unsure.

Dog clippers

purchase a set of professional dog clippers. Hair clippers for humans will not stand up to the rigors of dog grooming and should not be used. A good set of clippers can cost up to $200.00. Although the initial expense is large, the clippers will pay for themselves quickly. Make sure the animal is completely dry before using the clippers. If you wish to give your dogs specialty cuts like a poodle or a cocker cut, you should follow the directions that come with the clippers. You can also get books that have diagrams on giving special cuts. The clippers come with attachments that cut hair to the desired length for whatever effect you are trying to achieve.

Dog toe nail clippers

Dog nail clippers have 3 shapes. Guillontoin style used for removing and trimming toe nails of medium size and larger breeds. Scissors style clipper is usually used for cat nails. Plier style dog nail clippers are used to trim nails of smaller dogs. Plier style is more common among professional groomers. Care should be exercised with the toe nail clippers as if you cut the nails too short you will nick the vein that runs part way down the nail.

Dog hair pulling forceps and tweezers:

Hair pullers are fundamental tools for good grooming. Allow groomers to remove excess hair from the ear canal and reduce the risk of infections. Also used for removing ticks from pet hairs. Forceps come in curved and straight blades, having locked and unlocked handles. Forceps with polyethylene dipping handles are more commonly used these days because of firm grip and easy working.

Dental scaler

Yes dogs have also plaque problems. You can use Dental scaler, for removing plaque and cleaning teeth of pets.If you are unable to see plaque, then can use dental mirror as well.

You can touch up the grooming every two or three weeks. That way, the general grooming will not be as time consuming as it could be. Depending on how quickly your dog's hair grows, you will need to groom him every month and a half to two months, or more frequently.

Groom your pet well and enjoy its good looks and companionship !

To see complete range of Dog grooming products, visit http://www.venusworldwide.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Armughan_Riaz

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Dog Nail Polish

Polishing your dog's nails enhances your dog's physique and gives an all around neatly groomed appearance. This may seem necessary but if you want your dog to have that extra all around spruced up look then this can be a viable solution. You might want your dog to celebrate holidays too with nice polished nails.

The most important thing to do before polishing your dog's nails are to take a blunt tipped scissor and cut away as best as you can all the hair surrounding the nails. If you leave the hair it will be to difficult to polish your dog's nails because the hair gets in the way and more polish will be on its hair than on the nails.

The next step is to clean the dog's nails if mud or other matter is on them, it's easier to polish when the dog's nails are clean. To make it easier on yourself put the dog up on a grooming table or similar table where you can easily reach its paws. This will help to keep the dog secured and not running away from you as you polish its nails.

The nail polish should last about a week or so it depends on what terrain your dog will be walking on. To have the polish last longer use a base coat over the polish and this should help it to last longer. If the dog's nails are cut make sure that no ragged edges remain use a file for dog's and smooth out any rough areas.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Dog Nail Fungus

Nail fungus in dog is sometime hard to diagnose, it is often mistaken for ringworm though. The usual causes are being exposed to moist areas. Male dogs are more susceptible to nail fungus than females. Dos that are prone to lick their paws are more prone to nail fungus also.

Another main cause is the diet of the dog. A high quality natural food is recommended, as there may be something in the dog food that you are using that is causing it.

Do not buy food in a grocery store (although a select few grocery stores are starting to carry a smidgen of good food) or from Walmart - only from a high quality pet food store. Do not feed foods that have any of the following ingredients: by-products (most important to avoid), corn, soy, wheat, gluten, most grains although a few of them are okay, or artificial flavors or colors.

Have they tried a medication that is also for ringworm? This helps to eliminate microorganisms from the fungus that may cause ringworm.

Some natural remedies include tea tree oil, colloidal silver, and oregano oil. These are recommended for humans, but should be safe for dogs also. They are helpful in strengthening the immune support system. Another alternative is vinegar, either apple cider vinegar or plain white vinegar. Since the apple cider vinegar may taste good to the dog, then try the white vinegar. Apply 3 times a day.