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Community Corner

Spring Cleaning for Your Pet: Spring Grooming

This is the time of year that many dog breeds shed their heavy winter coats for a lighter summer wardrobe.

Springtime is the season for many dog breeds to shed their winter coat. Our couches and black pants can attest to the problems that brings to our homes. Let us look at what we can do as pet owners and what we should leave up to the professionals.

Some breeds do not lose a winter coat, yet they still need regular grooming. What you go to a professional groomer for, and what you do at home, depends on your experience and your dog.

Some dogs are not used to clippers or brushes, so they are uncomfortable and become jumpy when you try to clip or brush them. Starting when they are young, use a soft brush on their coats, including praise for proper behavior and a few treats help too.

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For nail clipping, start with just touching your dog's paws. Work with them daily, so that you can not just clip their nails, but also wipe their paws after a muddy walk. Whether you go to a groomer or do it yourself, your dog's coat and skin will be healthier if you brush them every day or a few times a week, depending on the breed.

What's your favorite coat?

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There are several kinds of coats. One is a stripping coat, the outer hairs are meant to be pulled, or stripped off the dog to attain a sleak looking dog. Such dogs as border terriers and Irish wolfhounds have these coats.

It is not very hard to do, and most dogs enjoy the attention, but it is best to go to a professional groomer first to see how it is properly done.

Some dogs have short fur, such as a labrador retriever or a beagle. This fur is best brushed a few times a week and washed every 10-12 weeks, according to Nicole Ruiz at Canine Corral in Norwood Park.

Of course it all depends on what kind of mess your dog get into. If you are washing any dog at home remember to use a natural dog shampoo. The shampoo we use for human hair may dry out a dog's coat and skin.

There are dogs such as Lhasa Apso or poodles that need grooming every six to eight weeks. They need help keeping the hair around their eyes properly trimmed along with around their paws, belly, ears and tail.

You can learn how to do this at home, but beware that there is a possibility of cutting too close. Take your time and do this when your dog has had a moderate walk before hand. Remember to also clip any mats out of your dog's fur before giving him a bath.

Lastly there are dogs with a double coat. These are meant to protect the dog from cold and heat. The undercoat keeps the dog warm in the winter and the long, outer hairs protect the dog from the sun's damaging rays. Breeds such as golden retrievers, collies and German shepherds fall into this catagory.

Although many owners get these dogs shaved, it is best to have a procedure called "carding" done, where the old winter coat is brushed out by a professional groomer so that the summer coat can grow in and allows the skin proper circulation.

You can also spend long hours getting to know your dog and brush out the winter coat yourself, and for this,  Groomer Kathy Hortis recommends the Furminator.

Got skunked?

Spring also means skunks in our neighborhood. If you dog gets skunked, Nicole Ruiz recommends Skunk Off. It is on sale now for $9.20, for an 8 ounce bottle at http://www.amazon.com and that is the kind of thing that is handy to have on-hand before you need it. If you get caught without any skunk shampoo you can easily make a bottle at home with things in your kitchen.

Here is a common recipe for de-skunking your dog:

1 quart 3 percent hydrogen peroxide

1/4 cup baking soda

1 tablespoon liquid dish soap

Pour on the affected animal or area (works on couches, rugs and more), then rinse off. This might need to be repeated. The smell may even take a few months to completely leave your dog's fur.

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