GROOMING
All dogs benefit from regular grooming, whether they are a short haired breed or one with a long or fluffy coat. The Boston Terrier has a short clean coat and casts little hair, however
Getting started
Care of ears, nails and eyes
External parasites
All dogs benefit from regular grooming, whether they are a short haired breed or one with a long or fluffy coat. The Boston Terrier has a short clean coat and casts little hair, however
- Keeping your dog’s coat clean by removing dirt and dead hair helps encourage new hair growth, and reduces the amount of hair deposited on household furniture
- Regular grooming is also a great way to check for parasites, or any suspicious lumps and bumps
- Grooming is part of dog’s socialisation activities. Regular grooming helps create a bond between you and your puppy, and accustoms your puppy to being handled.
Getting started
- It is important to groom your puppy at a height which is comfortable for both you and your dog. For many dogs it may be advisable to groom them on a table. There are custom made grooming tables available, but any sturdy table or work bench with a non-slip surface will suffice. Remember: never leave your puppy unattended on the table for even a short moment.
- Start the grooming experience at an early age as part of your puppy’s socialisation programme and routines. Keep the sessions short to start off with – just a couple of minutes, gradually increasing the time spent on the table. Always make the experience positive, rewarding with praise and suitable treats. Any struggling should be dealt with firmly but kindly, as your puppy may be frustrated, mischievous or even afraid.
- Build up the experience and your puppy will come to accept the grooming routine and also being handled on the table. This will help with other activities such as veterinary visits.
- Finish the grooming if your puppy shows signs of getting bored or tired, so that each session ends on a positive note.
Care of ears, nails and eyes
- Check your
puppy’s ears to see if they are clean.
You can remove excess dirt from the inside of the ear with damp
cotton wool. Never probe inside the ear as you may perforate the ear drum.
- If nails are
excessively long remove the tip of the claw, taking care not to cut the quick
or blood vessel.
- If needed clean the eyes with clean, damp cotton wool using a separate piece for each eye.
External parasites
- A parasite is something that lives on another animal (the host) and gets its nourishment from the host. The most common external parasites found on dogs are fleas and ticks.
- Fleas are very small, brownish black, extremely agile creatures. Excessive scratching and self-biting can be symptoms of flea infestation. Even if no fleas are to be seen the presence of shiny black specks like coal dust (flea excreta) is a sure indication of the presence of fleas (dab the specks with a damp piece of cotton wool and if it goes pink it confirms the presence of fleas; these are the remains of a digested blood meal from the host).
- There is now a wide range of proprietary powders,
sprays, ‘spot-on’ treatments and anti-flea and tick collars available. A
dedicated pet care professional will be happy to advise on suitable
products.
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