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Dog grooming serves more than one important purpose. It gives dogs a good appearance, prevents many parasites from infesting them and provides a chance to examine their body parts like eyes, ears, skin and teeth. The frequency of grooming varies for various dogs according to their rate of growing hair and getting dirty, but it also depends on the groomers’ own choice. Ideally a dog should be groomed at least once a week.

What You Do in Dog Grooming

Dog grooming is about taking care of nearly the whole of a dog’s outer body, making it clean and giving it a better look. Thus dog grooming includes giving the dog a bath, clipping his hair and nails and cleaning his eyes, ears and teeth. These can be done easily at home using a comb, brush, nail-clipper, scissors and dog clippers. Alternatively, the dog may be groomed by hiring professional grooming services.

Hair Trimming

Dog hair is best trimmed by means of dog clippers that are available at pet specialty stores. Dog breeds with longer hair need a more thorough trimming. Many dogs need to be leashed in order to make sure they let you do the grooming. Before and after trimming, the hair needs to be brushed. Brushing removes dead hair and stimulates the skin. Gently combing the matted hair is important in dog grooming, as matted hair resistant to brushing should be cut off with scissors.

Bathing

Bathing a dog usually precedes hair grooming so as to make hair trimming easy. It is important to dry the dog’s hair well after bathing and before starting the hair trimming. Bathtubs are better to use in winter and autumn for giving the dog a warm water bath while in summer hose water can be used for bathing.

Nail Clipping

To make the dog accustomed to nail clipping, one should start clipping the dog’s nails regularly during the puppy stage. Clipping the nails needs a good deal of care, especially in avoiding the quick from being cut. If the quick gets cut and bleeds, press the wound for a while to stop the bleeding. It is advisable to clip the nails quietly so as not to arouse the dog.

Cleaning Eyes, Ears and Teeth

Cleaning the dog’s eyes, ears and teeth is an important part of dog grooming. Ears need to be checked for any parasites, dirt or scratches etc. After restraining the dog, a few drops of mineral oil should be put in its ear. Then the inside of the ear should be gently stroked with a cotton swab. Remember not to use the swab inside the ear canal.

Dogs usually don’t need any special eye care. The groomer can remove any dirt or foreign matter from the eyes, or from around its corners, with a soft clean cloth. Ointment may be applied if the eyes appear reddish and/or irritated. Teeth of the dog can be cleaned with dog biscuits or by brushing, though many dogs rarely allow the latter.

Most Shih Tzu puppies present themselves normally at birth. There are times, very few times, of which I have experienced with the Shih Tzu, that required assistance. Usually the most difficult Shih Tzu puppy birth is the first one. Delivery of a dry Shih Tzu puppy or overly large Shih Tzu puppy can take longer than normal and may affect the next Shih Tzu puppy birth. This next Shih Tzu puppy may be stillborn or have more fluid in the trachea and lungs. Oftentimes, subsequent Shih Tzu siblings are born normally.

Not every stillborn Shih Tzu puppy or difficult delivery is the result of a Shih Tzu matron suffering inertia. The problem of inertia, however, will cause a higher percentage of stillborn Shih Tzu puppies. Shih Tzu puppies are normally vigorous while attached to the uterine wall. Once freed from the uterine wall, a Shih Tzu puppy has limited time in which to arrive.

Once the Shih Tzu puppy has arrived, time is crucial. If the matron does not immediately tear the sac from around the puppy. You must quickly tear the sac from the Shih Tzu puppy’s face, nose and mouth and then proceed to remove the sac from the rest of the Shih Tzu puppy’s body. Rub the Shih Tzu puppy briskly while it is in a head-down position. Use a pediatric bulb syringe to suction the Shih Tzu puppy’s oral cavity. Clear the trachea and lungs by shaking the Shih Tzu puppy down. Each direction of the arc’s swing should take about 3 seconds. Repeat the procedures several times until the Shih Tzu puppy’s oral and tracheal passages are cleared as much as possible.

Dry Delivery: A dry delivery is when the Shih Tzu puppy’s protective sac breaks inside the birth canal. A dry Shih Tzu puppy delivery can either a head-first or breech (rear quarters first). A Shih Tzu puppy breech birth is a normal canine birth position, however, a dry breech delivery can be dangerous to a Shih Tzu puppy. The Shih Tzu puppy is presented entirely or partially free of a sac. If the Shih Tzu puppy’s legs get stuck delivery progress is impeded. The Shih Tzu puppy’s head may turn back blocking passage or even its body turned sideways in the birth canal. Under these circumstances the Shih Tzu dam cannot deliver without assistance. Cooking oil may be substituted in an emergency to use as a lubricant.

While it is most important to get a Shih Tzu puppy breathing on its own as quickly as possible, the shih tzu puppy must never be pulled indiscriminately. You need to work with the Shih Tzu dam’s contractions. Place one hand in the dam’s inguinal area directly behind the Shih Tzu puppy’s position in the birth canal and exert a slight pressure to help prevent backward slipping. Grip the Shih Tzu puppy firmly with a towel in the other hand to prevent the Shih Tzu puppy from being withdrawn. Wait for the next contraction and exert a slight, steady pulling pressure downward toward the Shih Tzu dam’s feet. One or two contractions are usually enough to deliver the Shih Tzu puppy.

Your hands must be scrubbed, your nails trimmed and filed smooth in case adjusting the Shih Tzu puppy’s position is necessary. Use sterile surgical gloves or dip your hands in surgical antiseptic. Using a small amount of lubricant, gently insert one or two fingers into the Shih Tzu matron’s vagina. The Shih Tzu puppy should be palpable presenting facing the dam’s feet. You can feel if the Shih Tzu puppy is still confined or if the sac has been broken. If the Shih Tzu puppy is still in the sac, additional lubricant will not be needed.

If the Shih Tzu puppy’s head is foremost, gently ease the legs into the correct birth position. Gently push the Shih Tzu puppy a few millimeters back into the birth canal. Reposition the Shih Tzu puppy with the forelegs extended first. The Shih Tzu dam should then have little difficulty expressing the Shih Tzu puppy with one or two more contractions. Firmly hold the Shih Tzu puppy as it is presented and withdrawn back inside the birth canal at the end of contractions. If the Shih Tzu puppy present itself head-first, keep the puppy’s face down toward the dam’s feet. If it is a breech delivery, hold the Shih Tzu puppy’s hind feet “facing” the dam’s paws.

First detected in the United States in 1984 the Tracheal mite has caused the loss of tens of thousands of colonies and millions of dollars. The tracheal mite will infest the tracheal system of the adult honey bee, they prefer adult bees less than four days old. Levels seem to be at the highest during the winter and spring. Once they are on the bee, the mites are attracted to the carbon dioxide exhaled and enter the spiracles located on the thorax, which lead to the tracheal system. They will puncture the wall of the trachea and suck the blood of the bee.  Once in the tracheal system the mites live, breed and la eggs. The adult and the eggs plug the tubes of the trachea, which impairs oxygen intact of the bee. Since they puncture the trachea in order to feed, they will spread secondary diseases and pathogens. The bee dies from the disruption to respiration damage to the trachea, and from the loss of blood. Once over 30 percent of the population are infected with tracheal mites, honey production may be reduced. The likelihood of winter survival decreases with increasing infestation of the mite. Mites are transmitted from bee to bee within a colony by robbing or drifting bees.

Infested bees will be seen leaving the colony and crawling on the grass just outside the hive. They will crawl up the blades of grass or the hive, fall back down and try again. The wings will be disjointed and the bees will be unable to fly. If you are unsure about a tracheal mite infestation, send sample bees in alcohol to your local county extension agent for verification.

One method of preventing tracheal mites is an oil extender patty. It consists of two parts sugar to one part vegetable shortening. Make a small patty about four inches in diameter. Sandwich it between was paper. Cut the wax paper around the edges so the bees have access to the patty. Place the patty on top of the frames in the center within the hive body. The bees will be attracted to the sugar and get oil on their body. The oil makes it difficult for the mites to identify suitable bee hosts. The oil patties will not contaminate the honey supply so they can be used for prolonged periods.

There is one other method for controlling tracheal mite infestations. Menthol can be used and is available in most bee supply stores. The temperature must be above 60?F in order for the menthol to work. The bees breathe the vapor, which dehydrates the mites. Menthol must be removed during a nectar flow so that the honey is not contaminated.

 If you are concerned about the quality of the food you feed your dogs, you may consider making homemade food for them.

Each of my dogs has lived over 15 years and I attribute their long lives to daily exercise and the quality of the food they had been fed. I am not a cook but for over 20 years, I’ve been cooking for my dogs making homemade food for them and this recipe was developed through trial and error over the years. This recipe is by a regular person – not a veterinarian or nutritionist – but by someone who wants to feed their dogs as well as they feed themselves and their family.

I make a large batch of food and then freeze what I do not need immediately. Each dog receives a good-sized portion of this food along with a bit of commercial kibble. A good multi-vitamin is also supplemented every day. Below is the recipe I use for their homemade food.

5 lb. chicken

1 lb. ground beef

1 can chicken broth

1 package frozen peas and carrots

2 c brown rice, uncooked

1/2 c barley, uncooked

1/2 c lentils, uncooked

1/4 c oatmeal, uncooked

1/4 c Cream of Wheat, uncooked

1/2 t oregano

1/2 c parsley, dried

4 eggs

1/4 c oil (flax or fish)

1. Place chicken and beef in an ovenproof dish.

2. Cook chicken and ground beef in oven for about 1 hour at 350 degrees or until the meat is cooked through.

3. Drain the fat off the meat, remove the skin and bones, and break up the meat into bite size pieces.

4. Place all ingredients into a large crock-pot and add enough water to cover.

5. Cook 4 hours on high.

6. Place the food in freezer type containers and freeze what you do not need immediately.

7. Serve with a little commercial kibble if desired.

(copyright) © 2007, Pampered Pets". This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.

Homemade dog food is definitely an important part of the dog diet. This is because many of the commercial branded dog food products actually contains food ingredients that are harmful to the pet health such as artificial food colors and even synthetic flavoring. Such ingredients can be a cause of sickness or even death to our beloved pets.

Unlike the preservatives found in the commercial pet food products and usually unsuitable to dog health, homemade dog food is healthier and even tastier if done properly by the pet owner. Likewise, if we know that our dogs are sick, we can control the type of food that they receive by giving them the nutritious stuff that need to eat such as limited protein consumption for those dogs with renal condition.

Especially if our pets suffer from certain types of diseases, homemade dog food are a great way of help the health condition of the animals improve by giving them only the food diet that is best for them. To go with this food is lots of water in order to ensure correct and normal metabolism.

There are instances when homemade dog are prepared with freezing or cold methods in use in order to protect the food from germs and other harmful elements. Natural vinegar can be added to meat items in order to maintain freshness.  Likewise, you can also add vitamin and mineral supplements that can be obtained from fish oils and fruits.

Remember, when it comes to the overall health and welfare of our pet dogs, we must try to provide with the best, pet vitamins, regular grooming and nutritious homemade good food. Our love, care and pampering will certainly make our dogs lively, happy and amiable pet companions that we want them to be.

For more articles and discussions about homemade dog food and everything else about our beloved pets, do visit our Pinoy Pet Blog.