Dogs are extremely popular pets all over the world, and with so many different breeds to choose from, it can be difficult to select the right one for your lifestyle. Although it may not be an immediate consideration, the type of coat your dog has can be an important factor. The various coat types - short haired, long haired, curly coated, and even hairless - will contribute differently to the time required to groom and care for your pet.

Choosing the right dog coat for you

The amount of time that you are able to dedicate to grooming your pet should determine the type of coat that you opt for. If, for instance, you are unable to really commit much time to grooming, you should choose a dog that has a short, close coat which doesn’t need much in the way of maintenance and doesn’t really shed significantly. If you are able to commit to regular grooming sessions, then you have more choice, as you can also go for dogs with longer coats that may need regular brushing and clipping to keep them in good condition.

It’s important to keep up with your dog’s grooming needs, whichever length of coat you choose. Regular grooming not only keeps the coat from becoming lackluster and matted, it minimizes the dog hair that may otherwise accumulate around your house. Whilst there will always be a little bit, even with low-shedding dogs, having a dog that sheds a lot, who isn’t brushed regularly, is a recipe for a lot of dog hair on furniture and your clothes.

Another important issue when considering dog grooming and breed choice, is that a coat that is not properly cared for could potentially lead to skin conditions for your dog. His skin may become dry and itchy, and parasites and ticks may go unnoticed.

If you really want a dog with a high maintenance coat, but don’t have the time or inclination to groom it regularly yourself, you might want to consider using one of the many local dog grooming services. A lot of them are mobile, and will come straight to your house. Just factor in the ongoing costs associated with using their services when you choose your pet. An advantage of using a professional is that they will generally use a flea shampoo, which saves you the trouble of applying flea powder.

What type of grooming is required for dogs?

Generally, there are two types every dog needs. The first is basic maintenance. This usually involves cleaning his teeth, brushing and combing his coat, clipping his toenails, checking his coat for any fleas, checking his skin for any lumps, rashes, or sores, and looking over his eyes and ears. How often this needs to be done varies with the breed, but you should aim for at least once a week.

Then, every couple of months for a short hair dog, or every 4 to 6 weeks for medium, long, curly, and wire coat dogs, more in depth grooming needs to be done. As well as checking for any fleas and parasites, you should apply flea treatments. Brush out the coat and remove any parts of it that are matted. Cutting these off is best, though more regular coat brushing can usually prevent the hair becoming matted.

Check his ears, eyes, teeth, and paws, as well as the skin. Bath him. Clip his nails. If you’re styling his coat, give him this season’s new look. And importantly, administer any eye drops, ear powder, and complete any dental work such as tooth scaling.

Although your dog’s coat may not sound like an important factor in selecting a dog as a pet, it can play a big part in your decision. For instance, people that suffer from allergies will not fare well with a long haired dog that is a heavy shedder, as this can exacerbate the allergies. Instead, allergy sufferers can opt for a short haired dog that shed little hair over the course of the year, or even a hairless dog such as the Chinese Crested.

And people that live more extreme climates, either hot or cold, need to consider this when selecting a dog. A Siberian husky in the tropics is not a good match!

All dogs require a certain level of basic care and grooming. If you can’t do this yourself, you’ll need to be able to afford to hire someone else to do it for you. They type of coat your breed has will simply determine the frequency with which you need to do these tasks; but it will not eliminate them entirely.

For more thedogsbone.com dog care articles, such as this one on thedogsbone.com/articles/29/1/Guide-To-Dog-Vaccinations/Guide-To-Dog-Vaccinations.html dog vaccinations, click here.

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Dog grooming in the summer does not necessarily mean getting the “buzz-cut.” Dog owners may think that they are providing their dogs relief, but may actually may be increasing their dog’s discomfort.

For some dogs their coat provides insulation and protection against ultraviolet rays. Dogs don’t sweat like us. Dogs pant and sweat through their paws. Plus the sun is hard on dogs’ skin especially if they have a long coat. Although dogs do not tan, they do burn.

So what should dog owners do? According to Erica Richter, owner of Salon Poochini in Bal Harbor, FL the best thing you can do for your dog’s skin and coat is to keep your dog well-groomed. A healthy coat, no matter what the length, is always better than a shorter one that is tangled and matted. Tangles and mats can actually lead to dry skin and hot spots.

Even well-groomed dogs can face other summer skin irritants. Fleas and ticks are always unwelcome summer guests. So it’s important to have a good reliable flea/tick control product.

And finally consider switching to a good dog shampoo that has a built in conditioner. Dogs tend to get more baths in the summer as they are outdoors more and getting dirtier. Frequent shampooing can actually dry your dog’s skin adding to his discomfort. So its good to supplement bathing with deodorizing spritzes and waterless foam shampoos to keep your dog looking and smelling great.

Margaret Svete, best-selling author, television and radio personality, and dog rescuer helps dog owners discover easy dog care tips. Subscribe to the premiere dog care ezine, The Dog Enquirer, at allaboutdogcare.com allaboutdogcare.com.

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With the right crate, constant supervision and patience, you can housebreak your puppy in a week. It’s important to make sure someone is at home with him during this week. Puppies are creatures of habit, and keeping to a schedule is important. Enlist the entire family if possible.

Young puppies cannot physically control their bodily functions as well as a grown dog. It’s important to remember that even after your housebreaking appears to be a success. Not many four-month-old puppies can go eight to 10 hours a day without having an accident. Allowing your puppy to not get a “potty break” for more than a few hours is nothing but poor dog owner training.

To effectively housetrain your dog you must have a crate, if you didn’t purchase one when you brought your puppy home. The reason crate-training works is that a dog will avoid urinating and defecating in his den. If his crate is too big, then your puppy won’t associate it with his nest. That’s why it’s important to partition part of a larger crate if you bought one to accommodate your puppy’s full adult size. Your assignment, if you choose to accept it, is to teach your puppy that your entire home is his den.

Here are some housebreaking tips.

1. Feed your puppy in the morning and in the evening - do not leave food out for him all day. Dogs will normally need to relieve themselves within minutes of eating. After he eats, take the dog outside. When he relieves himself, praise him. Then put him in his crate with some chew toys.

2. The first and second day, take him out to do his business after every meal and every hour. The third day, increase the time to 90 minutes; the fourth day to two hours, the fifth day to two-and-a-half hours, the sixth day to three hours, and the seventh day to four hours. Praise him when he goes outside. Keep him outside for at least 10 minutes during each “potty break.” Distract him if he wants to go in before the 10 minutes are up. If he doesn’t relieve himself during the “potty break,” put him back into his crate until the next break.

3. If you catch your dog in the act of urinating or defecating, say “No!” and take him outside. Keep your puppy, or grown dog, tethered to you while you are housebreaking him if possible. This allows you to see what he’s up to and helps you bond.

4. If you find an “accident,” don’t correct your dog - only correct him if you catch him in the act. Clean it up with a pet deodorizer. It is important to use this product rather than household cleaners because your dog will smell his waste despite the household cleaner, and smelling his waste stimulates him to urinate and defecate - right where he isn’t supposed to.

5. If you have to miss a scheduled “potty break,” put your dog in a bathroom or small room that can be closed off from him until his housebreaking is complete. Put down newspaper or puppy pads so you can easily remove any waste and minimize the odor that your dog will be able to smell later.

6. Take puppies that are under 16 weeks old out when they wake up at night. A young puppy can’t go all night without relieving himself. Keep both puppies and dogs being housebroken in their crates overnight.

Marilyn Burnham

Author: ‘Dog Owners Boot Camp’

The How To Guide, Dog Training Secrets Professional Dog Trainers Don’t Want You To Know!

For More Information On accelerated-dog-training-health-grooming.com/ Dog House Training.

Marilyn Burnham was the owner operator of 4 successful dog grooming stores in British Columbia, Canada for more than a decade. To spend more time with her children Marilyn made the decision to sell her business in the mid 90’s. Get a copy of her book: ‘Dog Owners Boot Camp’ The How To Guide, Dog Training Secrets Professional Dog Trainers Don’t Want You To Know!

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The Terrier Group includes those small but lively terrier breeds that were developed (mainly in Great Britain) to hunt small burrowing animals such as badgers, foxes, otters, rabbits and rats. The terrier often had to follow the prey underground and therefore, except for the Bull and Airedale Terriers, most terriers are small and stocky with short legs. These are feisty and energetic dogs that have little tolerance for other animals including other dogs. Of course these small dog breeds have been domesticated and make good pets but they are still fairly active and require firm handling. Many breeds like the Airedale, Bull, Fox and the Parson (Jack) Russell Terriers do best with experienced owners. The top 10 most popular terrier breeds in the US according to the American Kennel Club 2005 registrations are discussed below and their registration rank is included in brackets. It is interesting to note that the top six most popular terriers are all low-shedding dog breeds that are said to be hypoallergenic when properly groomed.

1. Miniature Schnauzer

Minis (#10) are lively, pleasant and playful with expressive personalities. These loyal and devoted small dogs want to be totally involved in all family activities and love to go for walks. Most Minis are good with children but are a little too small to be a toddler’s pet. They will generally get along fine with other family pets although they are terriers and can be feisty toward other dogs. Early socialization and obedience training will help with controlling excessive barking and a reluctance to walk on leash. This breed can be taught fairly easily and can even excel at advanced obedience competitions.

2. West Highland White Terrier

The West Highland White (#32) is cheerful, bold, assertive, courageous, inquisitive and has a great deal of personality. This small white dog needs to get involved in everything that is happening in the home. The Westie is easier to handle and friendlier than many other terriers but still needs his daily walks and play sessions. Westies will try and dominate dogs of the same sex but otherwise get along better with other dogs and cats than most terriers. The Westie still has its hunting prey drive and shouldn’t be let off leash except in a fenced enclosed area. The Westie is very possessive of its toys and food and doesn’t like to be handled by young children.

3. Scottish Terrier

The Scottie (#40) is a small dog breed with a jaunty and distinctive appearance. The Scottie is brave, alert, proud, confident, loyal and dignified. While friendly and playful as puppies, the mature Scottish Terrier can be stubborn at times. Therefore it is important to start socializing and obedience training < dog-breed-facts.com/articles/training-your-puppy.html> the Scottie while it is a puppy and continue through adolescence. Scotties love to play, so make sure you add play and rewards to your training. The Scottish Terrier does best with older children.

4. Cairn Terrier

The Cairn Terrier (#41) is one of the smallest of the working terrier dog breeds. These terriers are bold, spirited and inquisitive but are also somewhat independent-minded. The Cairn is intelligent, affectionate and eager to please its master. This breed is easily trained and likes to do tricks although they may be the tricks that he - not you - wants to do. Cairns do well with older children and love to play games. These Terriers demand lots of attention but will provide you with hours of entertainment in return.

5. Airedale Terrier

The medium-sized Airedale Terrier (#52) is larger than most Terriers and has an even temperament and sweet disposition, although some Airedales can get into fights with other dogs. This terrier is dignified, patient, loyal and intelligent and makes a great companion dog that loves to play with children. The Airedale should be supervised with young children as it may be too boisterous for them. Airedales can be trained to a high level as anything from a guard dog or watchdog to a seeing-eye dog. Airedale puppies are playful and exuberant and obedience training should be started early and re-enforced through adulthood by a knowledgeable owner.

6. Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

The Wheaten Terrier (#59) is cheerful, active, busy, playful and affectionate. The Wheaten is independent and self confident but also fairly intelligent and eager to learn. Wheaten puppies should be socialized early with children, other dogs and strangers. The breed is fairly easy to train if you can get their attention. Wheatens get along fine with older children but can be too playful and assertive with young children. Wheatens are much more sociable than most terriers but will still need obedience training to control their active and assertive nature.

7. Bull Terrier

The Bull Terrier (#62) or ‘Bullie’ is a lively and powerful dog. Bull Terriers are fearless, assertive, comical and mischievous. This large breed is loyal, affectionate and loving and can make a good family pet. Bullies are probably too exuberant for small children but will do fine with considerate older children. Bull Terriers need lots of attention and may not be the best choice for the city unless they are involved in lots of family activities. These dogs can be quite strong willed and are difficult to train. The breed needs early socialization when they are puppies and on-going obedience training. Male Bullies, especially those which haven’t been neutered, can be extremely aggressive with other male dogs and even other pets.

8. American Staffordshire Terrier

The American Staffordshire (#63) is usually calm and friendly with an air of self confidence; this powerful medium-sized breed is active, playful, affectionate and relatively easy to train. The Am Staff loves playing with older children but is too boisterous for young children. However this dog is fearless and is not to be trusted around cats or other dogs. The Am Staff has powerful jaws and will destroy any toys you give it to chew. This breed needs early socialization to other dogs and strangers and on-going obedience training. The Am Staff is the largest of the three breeds generally referred to as Pit Bulls. The other two are the American Pit Bull Terrier which is not registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier which is registered with the AKC. In the past, these breeds were all bred to be fighting dogs. Now that this activity is illegal, these pit bull breeds have an undeserved reputation for fighting. This is a dog for an experienced owner and prospective buyers should also check their local area bylaws and also their household insurance to see if there is any restriction on this breed of dog.

9. Parson Russell Terrier

The small-sized Jack Russell Terrier (#72) is known as the Parson Russell Terrier in the U.S. The Parson (Jack) Russell is the most energetic, fearless and athletic of all the terrier dog breeds. The Parson Russell demands full participation in the family activities with lots of physical and mental challenges. If the Jack Russell gets too little exercise and companionship, then this cheerful little dog will get bored and become destructive. The Parson Russell can be very aggressive towards strange dogs and even other family dogs. The Parson (Jack) Russell needs a lot of early socialization while a puppy and adolescent to curb aggressive behavior. These strong-willed Terriers need lots of early and on-going obedience training to ensure the owner and not the dog is in charge. The Parson Russell gets along well with older children - especially those that will play ball or Frisbee with him.

10. White Fox Terrier

The small-sized Wire Fox Terriers (#76) are one of the liveliest and most energetic of all the terrier breeds. The two varieties, the Wire haired and the Smooth, differ only in coat type. These Terriers are very intelligent, curious, cheerful and love their families. The breed has so much energy that it will play and chase a ball or Frisbee for hours on end. Fox Terriers make great playmates for older children but still retain their hunting instincts and shouldn’t be left alone with small pets. These Terriers should be kept on their leashes when being walked. The breed has a stubborn streak and socialization and training should be started when they are puppies and continued into adulthood.

About the Author - Mike Mathews is a contributing writer and editor for the popular dog breed site: dog-breed-facts.com dog-breed-facts.com He provides informative, real-world advice and tips on dog-breed-facts.com dog breeds, dog-breed-facts.com/dog-health.html dog health, dog grooming and more. As well be sure to check out his free report on Dog Training.

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Brushing and combing out the Shih Tzu coat of hair is the most laborious and time-consuming chore in Shih Tzu dog grooming. A knowledge of some “tricks of the trade” will help cut down on this labor time, especially so in cases of badly matted Shih Tzu coats. The longer the coat of your Shih Tzu, the greater the potential for matting.

If your Shih Tzu’s coat is very badly matted and tangled there is no alternative but to strip the coat of your Shih Tzu. Stripping the coat of your Shih Tzu means to remove the entire coat with clippers fitted with a fine blade, right down to the skin. If the coat of your Shih Tzu requires stripping, obviously, there is no need for brushing and combing.

Coat conditioner:

If your Shih Tzu’s coat is not so bad, does not require stripping and can be saved, but still bad enough to require considerable brushing and combing, you can saturate the Shih Tzu’s coat with an oil-based coat condition to loosen the knots and tangles and ease the brushing chore. Coat conditioners that contain an oil base are beneficial for both the coat and skin. Mink oil is probably about the best Shih Tzu coat conditioner on the market and especially for a matted Shih Tzu coat. There are other methods professional groomers and handlers use for dealing with matted Shih Tzu coats. This becomes a matter of personal preference between you and your Shih Tzu.

Universal brush:

The Universal brush is a German import and is convex-shaped with fairly long, hard, wire bristles. Its shape and density enable it to pull out the dead hairs of your Shih Tzu more efficiently than any other brush. Unfortunately, it will also pull out the live hairs of your Shih Tzu’s coat and therefore should never be used for a show coat of a Shih Tzu.

Oster mat comb:

The “Oster mat comb is a major product that cuts down on grooming time of your Shih Tzu. The comb is specially designed to cut through knots and tangles and much less time is spent in brushing and combing your Shih Tzu.

The Oster mat comb is used in the following manner:

Grasp the mat comb firmly with thumb resting on the thumbrest and the other fingers around the wooden handle. Place the mat comb directly behind the mat with the teeth flat against the skin. Pull the mat comb forward towards you. If the Shih Tzu coat is heavily matted, try pulling the comb through the Shih Tzu coat with short vertical strokes that should result in slicing the big mat into several smaller ones. Continue the process until you can comb through the coat of your Shih Tzu without catching.

Use your soft wire slicker or Universal brush to brush out all the remaining small mats and comb through the Shih Tzu coat once again, until the comb runs through the shih tzu coat smoothly.

Brushes and combs:

The brush you use to brush your Shih Tzu is most important. A soft wire slicker brush is a happy medium between the too-soft brushes used for Shih Tzu show dogs and the too-harsh slicker brushes sold in most pet stores.

The Universal brush or a fairly large slicker brush with hard fibers is used in cases of badly matted Shih Tzu coats. This type of brush is harsher than the normal slicker and may take our more hair than desired.

The comb of choice for general Shih Tzu use consists of half fine and half coarse teeth and does not have a handle. The best of these types of combs were formerly manufactured in Belgium but American companies now make equally fine combs. The comb can be used for roughing out to finishing touches of your Shih Tzu’s coat.

The mat comb is a companion to the Universal brush for coping with badly matted Shih Tzu coats. The mat comb is heavier with wider-spaced teeth and is not to be confused with the Oster mat comb, which is a tool especially for dealing with very badly matted Shih Tzu coats.

Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: stainglassshihtzus.com stainglassshihtzus.com

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