Home Grooming Made Easy

For a happier, healthier pooch try this routine once every week to ten days. First, let's get that fur taken care of. Stand your dog on a table outside, or if you have a big dog just kneel in front of him on the floor. Have the dog facing you and reach toward the base of his tail with both hands. Start working his fur with your fingers as if you were scratching him gently against the lie of the hairs. Work along the sides and up the spine until you get to the head. This loosens the fur for brushing.

Now use a standard grooming pin brush like the one pictured to groom him from head to toe. You can also use a metal grooming comb for the fine fur around his face. Be careful not to tug on knots around his ears as this can be pretty painful. If he has matted fur there, try to pick it apart with your fingers and use the comb to smooth it out. If you can't do that, use a small pair of scissors to cut the matte out.

The final step is the use of the "shed blade". It's easier on a medium-sized dog to keep the loop in it, and with a bigger dog you can open it up. Even after all the brushing you've already done you'll see quite a bit of fur come off.

Now you're ready for the fine work. Start with the ears. Lift each one up and give a sniff in the ear canal. Does it smell "doggy" or sour? If it's smells sour, you may need a quick trip to the vet for some ear drops. If it's just "doggy"-smelling, use some cotton swabs and give the ears a quick wipe. Now check the eyes. Here's what we are looking for: red eye, painful eye(squinting, pawing, rubbing, tearing, decreased appetite), tearing, cloudy eye, blood in or around eye, suddenly blind eye,dilated pupil, or swollen eye. Any one of these may be cause for concern and a trip to the vet.

Look into his nose. If you have weeds in your yard or like to hike with him, he may have gotten a foxtail up there. A pair of tweezers can take care of that.

Look at Rover's teeth. Are there brown deposits on the molars and around the front, "canine" teeth? If so, you should have them cleaned. Prices for teeth cleaning go from $100 up to several hundred. Shop around! If your pup has clean teeth you should get a doggie toothbrush and toothpaste. It will take some getting used to for both of you but it's a darn sight cheaper than having the vet do it!

If your dog spends a lot of time in the yard you may need to have his nails clipped. Most vets do this cheaply, but you can give it a try. Toenail clippers are available at pet supply stores like Pet Food Express, and the TV recommends the new rotary clipper/sander. I have never tried it, so if you have some experience with one feel free to email me.

Finally, remember that here in California tick and flea season is year-round. It doesn't get cold enough to kill the little buggers, so use a topical medication to keep them off your pooch and out of your house. My buddy Bill the Dog recommends Frontline Plus. Get the dose that is right for your dog's weight.

The whole process only takes less than an hour and it's a great way to bond with Rover as well.

Training Tip: Bar the Door!

If you ever want to know just how bad an experience it is to watch your dog run out the door, Google "dog ran out door" and read the horror stories. With proper training, your dog will think twice before heading for the wide open spaces (or out into the path of a semi).

This exercise only takes a few minutes to do and depending on the dog it may only take a few lessons to get the message. As with any behavior training, it's best to identify the problem and then practice the desired behavior in a controlled environment. Rex doesn't know the difference between training and "live action", so practice, practice, practice!

The front door is the best place to start because it represents both the biggest temptation and the greatest danger. Pick a time when you can set aside about 30 minutes for a session. Remember, patience is your most important tool in training. Do not start a session exactly 30 minutes before you have to dash out the door to be on time for lunch with your hot date! Clip the leash on your dog without getting him all worked up about going "walkies". This session is about doors only.

Approach the front door as you normally do, and have Rex "sit" just far enough from the door so you can open it without bumping him. Praise the sit. Reach for the doorknob slowly and turn it, click it, whatever begins the opening process. If your pup stands up, withdraw your hand and tell him to sit again. Use the same voice you used the first time. Be patient. Repeat this part until you can turn the knob and open the door fully with Rex staying in the sit. Do not repeat "sit, sit, sit." It dilutes the command. Use it once for each time he stands and praise the sit.

Now that the door is open, we move to step two. If you have been using the "left foot first" Heel method, begin a step out the door with your right foot and stand just outside. If your pup stands at any time before you can do this, step back and close the door. Ask him to sit and praise the action. Repeat until you can open the door, step out and stand on the front step or porch with Rex in a sit the whole time. Pause. Take a breath. Keep the leash slack. You don't want to send any messages that it's OK to come out yet.

Now call your dog with a gentle "Come" command. He should come out the door and immediately respond to a "Sit" command. You should be able to check for your keys, close the door and arrange the leash before stepping out into the world. Walk him to about the next door neighbor's house then turn around and go back. Repeat the entire door exercise going back into the house. Have him sit while you remove the leash until you give the release command, then praise generously.

This exercise can be expanded for car trips as well! After going through the front door routine, do the same thing at the car. Have your dog sit, then put everything in the car. As long as he sits, all is well. Any time he stands, the doors are shut and he must sit again before any further action. Stay patient. Eventually Rex will learn that nothing good happens until he recognizes your priorities come first.

If you stick to this routine for the rest of your dog's life, the possibility that he will run out the door will diminish with time. Try it at the back door as well. Practice it at inside doors. There are two benefits to this training: 1) No more bolting out the door and 2) Your dog will be closer to acknowledging you as the "boss". Wild canines are very threshold-oriented. For proof of this, just watch how dogs at a dog park crowd around the gate when a "new guy" shows up. Once your dog recognizes your right to go first, you will be on the road to a well-behaved pooch.

Training Tip: Leash 101

OK, you've got that sweet, adorable pup home now and set him up with a bed, bowls, toys, everything a contented canine would want. Now it's time for the magical outing known as "walkies". You slip his collar on, clip the leash and out the door you go. Three blocks later you've been dragged into the street, the leash is wrapped around your leg, every bush and tree has been marked and everyone you've passed has been accosted and jumped on. Not as easy as it looks on TV, huh?

The good news is that it doesn't take long to get Fluffy walking properly by your side if you have a plan and always stick to it. I walk dogs for my clients nearly every day and they range in temperament from mild to wild. But each one learns my Rules of the Leash quickly and it leads to a happy walk for both sides of the equation. To wit:

1. Make sure the collar is the proper size for your dog. Most pet stores allow you to bring the pooch into the store for a fitting. If they don't, go somewhere that will. If your dog has a narrow head, like a greyhound, or can pull his head out of the collar by backing up, get a "no-slip" collar.
   
2. Get a comfortable leash. The best ones for you are leather because of the tough, durable nature of the material. It softens as it gets older, making it easier on your hands. Web leashes can feel like a saw on your palms and fingers during training. The leash need be no wider than 1/2".
3. Before going on any serious walks, teach Fluffy to "sit". It's the basic command in the dog world, and if he can do that on command you are off to a great start. The easiest way to teach this is by holding a treat out of "jumping up" range in front of the dog, then moving it over the standing dog's head, saying the word "sit". Don't say it more than twice! It is natural for most dogs to drop their rear when looking overhead at something. As soon as the rear his the ground, give the treat and praise the action: "Good sit!" It won't take long.
   
4. Never go for a training walk with a destination in mind. Carve out at least 10 minutes per session, at least two sessions per day for a dog under 9 months and at least 30 minutes per session at least once a day for an older dog. If you plan to walk to the school, store or anyplace in particular, your patience will be sorely tested and your frustration with the dog will counter any good you are trying to accomplish. In fact, you may cause your pup to become fearful of people, cars, and other dogs if you transmit this anxiety to them.
5. How do you like this? Already down to number five and you haven't even left the house! No matter what you're trying to do, preparation is everything. Got your poop bags? Great. Now let's go walkies!
6. Before you start, always have your dog "sit". He should stay that way until you are ready to go. Keep him on your left. Hold the leash loosely. With an exaggerated step (just short of a Monty Python's Funny Walks Sketch) move forward with your left foot and say "Heel" in your happiest voice. This gives Fluffy both visual and verbal cues what to do.
   
7. The most important thing here is for your dog to know that you control the action from here on. If he surges forward, straining at the leash, take a few extra steps and slow to a stop. Have him sit next to you. Praise him for sitting. Then repeat the Heel sequence. If he surges forward again you can add another action. Let him know in your Happy Voice that you're going to turn and go the opposite way. "Turning, now. Good boy, good walkies." Then do it. No need to yank him back! Just slow down, warn him, and turn around.
   
8. After a few turns you may notice your dog turning his head slightly now and then to check up on you. Good! Praise him with a "Good watch me!" In fact, you should get pretty much sick of your own voice constantly praising your pup for just walking well and keeping slack on the leash.
9. Don't let him mark bushes, trees, etc. along the route! Your dog already has a territory: your yard. If your live in an apartment, pick one particular spot for him to have a pee, but don't let him "spread it all over town." He will be more protective and aggressive with other dogs if he thinks his territory extends for several blocks around your house.
10. Praise, praise, praise. If you need to warn him away from something, develop a "negative" command like "No". Say it quickly and give a quick flick of your wrist to tug the collar slightly. Then praise him for obeying the "No".
    
11. Young pups "burn out" during training sessions. That's why we keep them brief. You may be getting good results during a session and then the puppy starts balking and getting distracted. Stop, take a break for at least 20 minutes, then go home. Always praise the good and ignore the bad. Frustration leads to aggression!
12. When the session is over, have your dog "sit". Take the collar off (or the leash, if you want the flat collar to stay on), keeping the dog seated. Figure out a release word. I use "Break!" Then make the next few moments "Happy Time", with hugs and petting and treats and praise. This lets Fluffy know that at the end of every walk, good things are going to happen.

There are more things you can do to keep your dog on the straight and narrow during walks. After a while you will come to appreciate the freedom afforded your pup through good behavior. People will compliment you and you will feel very at ease as you take him to lots of new places.