Wednesday, July 13, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Paw
Prints
Jodi Schneider McNamee
Columnist
The importance of
grooming your pet
You’ve been busier than
normal and haven’t had
time to groom or brush your
long-haired Shetland sheep-
dog in quite a while. You’ve
started to notice that he’s
been scratching a lot, even
though he’s already been
treated for fleas and ticks.
So you decide to bring him
for a visit to the groomer,
and what she discovers after
bathing your furry friend is
an underlying skin condi-
tion causing him to feel very
uncomfortable and itchy.
Grooming isn’t a canine
luxury, it’s a necessity — and
you don’t have to break the
bank to keep Fido groomed.
Grooming is essential to
the health and comfort of
your pet; it allows you as a
responsible pet parent to spot
health problems before they
become serious, or even life-
threatening. Grooming on
a regular basis allows you
to look and feel for lumps,
bumps and injuries.
Brushing helps to remove
dirt and loose, dead hair
and helps prevent mats and
tangles.
Dirt and oils can accu-
mulate under mats and cause
painful skin infections. And
the mats themselves can be
painful as they pull the skin
underneath. Severe matting
can even affect your furry
friend’s ability to see, walk
and eat normally.
If you find a mat in your
pooch’s hair, do not pull on
it. Pulling can be painful.
There are special brushes
and combs available to help
split the mat up.
With some dog breeds,
grooming is a little more
involved. Breeds such as
collies, Alaskan malamutes,
etc. are “double-coated,”
which means they have a
downy undercoat underneath
a harsher layer of long hair
and the down can mat like a
layer of felt against the skin
if left untended.
Each breed is different,
and some dogs — like a
short-haired terrier — will
be easy compared to a curly
haired poodle. Some folks
prefer to hire a professional
groomer because they
don’t have the time to do it
themselves.
Many dogs benefit from
an occasional bath that
goes along with brushing
to remove dirt and excess
skin oils that can sometimes
cause skin conditions and
unpleasant odors.
Another part of groom-
ing that is important for
your furry friend is nail-
trimming. Keeping Fido’s
nails trimmed can help avoid
some painful conditions
such as torn or overgrown
nails. Just like with brush-
ing, trimming his nails gives
you an opportunity to exam-
ine the area for problems
like cracked pads, swelling
or injuries.
Most dogs benefit from
having their ears cleaned on
a regular basis, but that takes
practice for the pet parent,
so talk to your veterinarian
if you suspect any ear prob-
lems such as ear mites, cheat
grass or possible infection.
Brushing your pet’s teeth
is also a part of grooming.
Although many pet parents
don’t realize it, brushing
your dog’s teeth regularly
can go a long way in pre-
venting periodontal disease.
According to the ASPCA,
periodontal disease is being
recognized as a widespread
problem in pets.
Some dogs seem to
25
photo by Jodi schneider mcnamee
ollie and Mia, two well-adjusted shelter dogs.
naturally enjoy the feeling
of being brushed. Others
however, find it uncomfort-
able. You can usually tell the
dog that doesn’t like being
groomed, because when
your furry friend sees the
brush coming, his ears will
go back and he may try to
hide from you.
The easiest way to train
your dog to endure the
grooming process is to start
when he is still a puppy,
although that is not always
possible because you may
adopt an adult dog.
Grooming should be a
relaxing time for both you
and your dog. It can become
a special time that you both
share together.
If your furry friend
doesn’t like being brushed,
you may need to help change
the way he feels about
grooming so that he can tol-
erate it better and even begin
to enjoy it.
Start by going to a quiet
area with him, a place where
he enjoys being, such as out-
doors on the porch. Bring a
handful of extra tasty treats
along with his brush. Try
speaking softly to your dog;
slowly and gently stroke him
with the brush in a non-sen-
sitive area.
Cats usually groom them-
selves, but a weekly brush-
ing for a short-haired cat or
daily grooming for a long-
haired cat is also important.
Quilt Drawing
for
FURRY FRIEND S
501 ( c )( 3 )
FOUNDATION
100% of the proceeds go to Furry Friends Foundation.
“Friends of Furry Friends” quilt was pieced by
Valerie Fercho-Tillery. The bold colors and
incredible detail make this a spectacular quilt.
The quilt is currently on display at
The Nugget offi ce, 442 E. Main Ave.
Bring your pup by for a dog cookie and have a look!
Tickets may be purchased at The Nugget offi ce
or online at our website
www.furryfriendsfoundation.org.
Tickets are $1 each, six for $5 or
go for it, 25 for $20.
Info: 541-549-9941
“Friends of Furry Friends” - by Valerie Fercho-Tillery (46"w x 59"h)