How did you select the pet groomer that you take your pet to? I’ll bet if you answer this honestly, you called and made an appointment with someone close or you scheduled an appointment with the cheapest shop available. If you did either of these, don’t feel bad. You’re not alone. Here’s what you need to ask before scheduling Fido’s next appointment.

1. Where did you go to school??

   This is an extremely important question, since there are zero regulations in the pet grooming industry. That’s right. No one checks to make sure shops are clean and staff are properly trained. A good groomer should have at least 600 hours of hands-on training from a teacher that runs a licensed program. There are several of these programs nationwide and they normally cost a lot of money.

2. What are your cleaning procedures?

   This sounds silly but you’d be surprised how many grooming shops will give you the “deer in the headlights” look when you ask this. Why is this so important? Well for one, your pet’s well being depends on how clean the grooming shop is. All grooming shops should use a water to bleach ratio of 30:1. This will kill all viruses, parasites and other bugs that your pet can contract. This will also kill parvo. Everyday, a clean shop must use this bleach solution to clean the tubs, grooming tables and cages. Anything less is unsanitary and not a safe place for your pet.

3. How come I drop my pet off at 8 AM and I can’t pick him/her up until 5 PM??

   This is a great question to ask and I guarantee that you won’t get a straight answer. Pet grooming shops are businesses (like any other) and are trying to make money. Your pet happens to be the means that this happens. This is a normal part of our economy but, to make a lot of money poorly managed shops will pack pets into the shop at 8 AM and not get to them until much later. Meanwhile, your pet is sitting in a cage (that many times hasn’t been cleaned) all day long. A better managed grooming shop should schedule one appointment, per pet, per hour. If there are three groomers there should only be three appointments at 8 AM, three at 9 AM and so forth. This guarantees that your pet won’t sit in a dirty cage all day long.

Wes Murph is the owner of The Studly Pooch in Hermosa Beach. You can contact Mr. Murph at 310-376-7033 or email Wes(at)TheStudlyPooch(dot)com. He also offers a free on-line course titled “How To Reduce Shedding in 3-5 Days” at www.thestudlypooch.com.

After helping thousands of new puppy owners, I have put together a list of 7 steps that can greatly help with your new puppy.

1. Good management skills:

   Puppies can get into trouble very quickly. A new puppy owner needs to watch the puppy all of the time. When you can not keep an eye on the pup, it is a good idea to use some type of confinement. I like to use crates. A crate is a great way to manage your pup’s behavior when you are not home. I have seen many young dogs that have been injured when left on their own and a crate can prevent this.

2. Start training early:

   For many years, dog owners have been told that they can not start training their puppies until they were 6 months old. A good reward based puppy class, starting as early as 8 weeks old, is the most important thing that you can do for a young puppy. Your puppy will become well socialized, and many behavior problems can be prevented.

3. Socialization:

   You can never over-socialize a puppy. The first four months of the pup’s life are the most impressionable. To become a confident and stable dog, a young pup needs to be exposed to many different people, dogs, places, sounds and scents.

4. Puppy proof the house:

   Anything that you value should be put away until after the puppy stage. Also, keep a close eye on your puppy around electrical wires. Puppies love to chew on wires.

5. Going to the vet’s office:Drop by the vet’s office when you don’t have an appointment. Most veterinarians will allow this, but give them a quick call before you come by. When you get to the vet’s, give your puppy some treats and have the office staff give some treats also. For the rest of your puppy’s life, going to the vet will not be a chore.
6. Consistency:Have a game plan for everyone in the house to follow. Many puppies become confused when half the family allows the pup onto the furniture and the other half scolds the pup for being on the furniture.
7. Take lots of pictures:You will be amazed at how fast your pup grows and changes. You will also be thankful that you did take the pictures.

Wes Murph is the owner of The Studly Pooch in Hermosa Beach. You can contact Mr. Murph at 310-376-7033 or email Wes(at)TheStudlyPooch(do9t)com. He also offers a free on-line course titled “How To Reduce Shedding in 3-5 Days” at www.thestudlypooch.com.

Brush your pet thoroughly every day. This helps keep his or her hair in good condition by removing dirt, spreading the natural oils throughout the coat, preventing tangles from forming and keeping the skin clean and free from irritation.

It is best to start brushing your pet at an early age. Proceed slowly and gently, and be sure to use treats and plenty of praise to make the experience fun!

EARS

Ear care is an important part of grooming. Ear infections can not only be painful, but lead to permanent hearing loss. The signs of a problem with a companion animal’s ears include redness, constant scratching, head shaking and odor. If the problem persists, talk to your vet.

Chronic ear problems are often times the result of a food allergy. Check the ingredients on the label of your dog’s food and try feeding a food with a different grain or protein source. Foods made with fish and sweet potatoes are sometimes a good alternative.

How to Clean Your Pet’s Ears

• Check your dog’s ears twice per month. The skin inside and on the flaps should be pale pink. If there is a foul odor and/or any red, brown or black skin, have a veterinarian examine your pet’s ears.
• Moisten a cotton ball with warm water or a little mineral oil and use it to clean the opening into the canal and the flaps. Do not probe too deeply into the canal.

TEETH

Dogs and cats can get cavities and develop periodontal disease, so their teeth should be cleaned with a pet toothpaste at least twice per week. It is best to use a small toothbrush that has soft bristles. Cleanings performed by a veterinarian may also be required.

NAILS

Many people prefer to leave this to the groomer, but if you choose to trim your dog’s nails at home, the pliers style is the best kind of nail clipper to use. Trim just a small amount at a time being careful not to cut the quick.

It is a good idea to have styptic powder on hand to stop any bleeding should you cut into the quick.

JUMPING

• Dogs, being social animals, will greet with enthusiasm. A good thing to do is ignore the dog when they jump. Fold your arms, look away and do not talk to the dog. Become a statue.
  
• Reward the dog when all four paws are on the ground. Give a treat as soon as the dog relaxes and does not attempt to jump.
  
• Do not back up when your dog jumps. Walk into the dog. Do a quick “cha cha” step into the dog, knocking them slightly off balance.
  
• Make sure you have a NO JUMP policy. Do not invite the dog to jump on you, and do not allow friends and relatives to permit the dog to jump.
  
• Teach young puppies to keep all four paws on the ground. Most jumping problems start when our dogs are small puppies.
  
• Put a leash on the dog when guests come over. Step on the leash as your guests come toward the dog. This forces the dog to stay on the ground.

COMING WHEN CALLED

• The dog needs to develop a sense of freedom. Without that, the dog will never come.
  
• Developing a sense of freedom can be done by bringing the dog to a fenced in ballpark or tennis court.
  
• Use a long line. Attach a 50 to 60 foot long line to the dog’s collar. If the dog does not respond to your “come” command, use the line to guide the dog back to you.
  
• Every time you command, “come”, make sure you reward the dog for coming. Use treats, praise, toys, etc.
  
• Never call the dog and then punish him. If your dog comes to you and then gets scolded, chances are that he will remember that the next time you call him.
  
• Make coming when called a game. The more exciting you make the command “come”, the better the results.
  
• You can make it exciting for your dog by getting his attention and running away from him. Dogs love chase games.
  
• A fun game to play is the spring loaded recall exercise. Have a friend hold your dog’s collar. Get the dog excited and run away while your friend holds the dog. Face the dog and call “come”, at which point your friend lets go of the collar. Reward when the dog gets to you.

• A bad diet affects all aspect’s of your dog’s life including his skin, coat, and even his behavior. Make sure you feed your dog a quality, premium food.
  
• When choosing a food, read the label. Familiarize yourself with ingredients.
  
• Choose a food that uses chicken or lamb meal as opposed to chicken or lamb by-products.
  
• Foods are usually made with a corn or rice grain source. Corn can be difficult for some dogs to digest. Try a food with rice or even oatmeal as the grain source.
  
• Foods preserved with ethoxyquin, BHA or BHT have been linked to cancer.
  
• A food preserved naturally with Vitamin E or tocopherols is a better choice.
  
• Garlic is a great herb to add to your dog’s diet. It is a natural antibiotic and flea and tick repellant.
  
• Cod liver oil is also great to add to your dog’s diet. It provides essential Omega fatty acids.
  
• Supplement your dog’s food with a vitamin and mineral mix.

Good Management Skills

The first thing you have to understand is that the dog is probably confused about where to relieve himself. You need to help him clear up that confusion by only allowing him to urinate outside. Your dog should be put in a crate when you cannot physically be right in the room with him. When he is out of the crate, keep a very close eye on him. A good rule of thumb is to let the dog outside as soon as you get home. If the dog does not urinate when you let him out, bring him inside and put him back in the crate. Wait ten minutes and bring him back outside. If he does not go, repeat the process. If he does urinate, bring him inside and do not put him in the crate. Still keep a close eye on him.

It is strongly recommend to leave a leash on your dog in the house while you are still house training. If you are busy doing something you can attach the leash to a doorknob or a sturdy table. This way the dog is still in the room with you and if he starts to go, you can quickly catch him.

REMEMBER: THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH HOUSETRAINING IS ALLOWING THE DOG TOO MUCH FREEDOM. LET HIM EARN HIS FREEDOM.

My dogs have total freedom in the house. The only reason they have that freedom is because they earned it. They don’t chew, destroy or urinate in the house. If they did they would be in a crate until they learned.

Treating The Behavior

The second step is to actually teach the dog new skills. You want the dog to learn that urinating inside is unacceptable and urinating outside is acceptable. This is done by catching the dog in the act. The second your dog starts to lift his leg, quickly startle the dog. You would want to make a loud noise (stomp your foot, a loud “No”, clap your hands, etc.) and take the dog outside immediately. Once outside you will start to give the dog a command such as “Get busy” until he starts to go. Do not say anything else until he has finished. If you say “Good boy” while he is going, he may not finish. The second he’s done then you say “Good boy” and give the dog a treat. You want to reward the dog for urinating outside.

REMEMBER: When you are trying to teach the dog to do anything you are trying to communicate with the dog. You have to influence his behavior the second the behavior occurs, whether it is positive or negative behavior. You are influencing the dog by startling him the second he begins to urinate. You also influence the dog when you reward him the second he is finished.

1. Memory retrieve
2. 2 person recalls
3. Treasure hunt
4. Service dog gofer
5. Hide and seek
6. Leg weaves
7. Weaving with ski poles
8. Agility
9. Digging for objects
10. Herding indestructible ball
11. Chase remote control car
12. Chase object on fishing pole
13. Chase light
14. Chase racquetball bounceback
15. Chase remote control airplane
16. Chase hose with water
17. Chase ball
18. Lure coursing
19. Swimming free
20. Swim next to canoe
21. Swimming relay race with bumpers
22. Water Kong retrieve
23. Jumping over picnic benches
24. Skateboarding
25. Flyball
26. Frisbee
27. Mt. Bike
28. Run through powder snow
29. Run through sand dunes
30. Sled dog
31. Treadmill
32. Run a race track
33. Jog with dog
34. Rollerblade
35. Backpacking
36. Carting
37. Skijor
38. Run hills
39. Walk/run stairs
40. Throw ball downstairs
41. Throw ball upstairs

There is a huge benefit to maintaining professional grooming schedule. Removal of the undercoat is extremely important to maintaining good health. In some cases, owner’s of severely matted dogs are charged dematting fees which can be very expensive. Dematting removes the hard knots of hair can result from lack of brushing which is time consuming and unpleasant for the dog.

A matted dog has no insulation from the heat or cold either, because air cannot circulate through his coat. Since we do not use tranquilizers on any pets we groom it can be very uncomfortable for them.

Shaving is not always good for your pet either because a shaved animal has no protection from the heat or cold. Despite the warm weather, a properly maintained coat with the undercoat removed is the best protection from the heat and sun. A shaved coat provides no protection. The same goes for winter weather. In the cold, a matted coat with lots of undercoat retains the water and moisture and provides no protection. A properly maintained coat with the undercoat removed provides warmth and insulation.

The Studly Pooch realizes the importance of proper grooming. Our full grooming service consists of an 8-point skin and coat exam, bathing, fluff drying, removal of undercoat, clipping, styling, ear cleaning as well as nail trimming and filing.

We also offer additional services such as flea dips, skunk baths, teeth brushing and our very popular and effective Shed Reduction Program*.

1. Toys are always a great way to occupy your dog’s time. Unfortunately most dogs lose interest in their toys as soon as we walk out the door. Being social animals they have more interest in toys when we are around. An excellent thing to do is to make the toy more enticing.

   This can be accomplished with a little food. Kong toys are great for this. A Kong toy is a hard rubber toy with a hollow center. They come in different sizes for big and little dogs. A Kong can be stuffed with a little peanut butter or cream cheese, a biscuit or two can also get packed into the center.

   A stuffed Kong toy will keep your dog occupied for long periods of time and it can be stuffed over and over again. Kong toys are available for about $14.95.

2. Another great toy for your dog is a buster cube. A buster cube has a hole on one side of the cube. You can pour some of the dogs kibble or treats into the hole. Once the food goes into the cube you shake it so the food gets trapped in the center.

   Your dog can smell the treats inside the cube. Now they have to figure out how to get it out. You dog will push the cube around the floor. Every once and a while a piece of food will pop out. This will keep your dogs interest in the toy.

3. Don’t forget daycare. Dog daycare is one of the best activities for you dog. At a good dog daycare your dog will run and play with other dog friendly dogs. You want to make sure that the daycare sessions are always supervised and the dogs are provided with plenty of water, treats and special attention.
4. Teach your dog the find it game. Once your dog falls in love with his Kong toy and buster cube start to hide them. Here is how you do this. Have a friend hold your dog’s collar while you place a stuffed Kong toy behind a chair. Before your friend lets go of your pup tell him “FIND IT!” Your friend then lets your pup go and he goes right to the Kong.

   After a few times make it more and more difficult for him. Have your friend hold his collar and go into the other room. Hide the toy and let your pup in after you say “FIND IT!” When he gets real good at the game provide multiple hidden toys in the different rooms. Use his Kong toys, buster cubes etc. When you get ready to leave, hide the toys and tell him to find them as you leave the house.