Perfect Puppy Care Book – Chapter 6 – Grooming Your Puppy (Part 2)

Chapter 6 – Grooming Your Puppy (Part 2)

Ear Care

Check your puppy’s ears regularly to make sure that they are not dirty and that no infection is present, especially if you have a drop-eared puppy. A small amount of brown, waxy substance is normal. If you see excessive wax in the ear canals or the ears have a discharge or smell bad, contact your veterinarian. Your puppy may have a bacterial or yeast infection, and she may need medication.

To clean your puppy’s ears, get an ear cleanser from your veterinarian or pet supply store. Do not use alcohol because it is too harsh and could be painful. Dampen a cotton ball or cloth with ear cleanser, and gently wipe the inside of the ear flaps. Don’t insert cotton-tipped swabs into the ear canal, or you could push bacteria and debris farther down into the ear canal. This can cause an infection.

Eye Care

Tear stains are a common grooming issue, especially with little breeds and light-colored puppies. You may notice a brown or pinkish stain under your puppy’s eyes. If it is excessive, talk to your veterinarian because there may be a problem with your puppy’s tear ducts.

An accumulation of stains can lead to irritation and infection, so keep the eye area clean. You can purchase tear stain removal products from your veterinarian or pet supply store, but be careful not to get them in your puppy’s eyes. Dampen a cotton ball or cloth with the solution and gently apply. If you’ve let the stains accumulate, it may take several cleanings to clear them up.

Nail and Paw Care

Unless your puppy walks often on hard, abrasive surfaces, she will need her nails trimmed on a regular basis. Does the thought make you cringe? There’s no need to be afraid. You can do it! You can even teach your puppy to enjoy the experience. It just takes some training for the both of you.

First, choose your equipment. If you’re really nervous, it may help you to see the process in action (you can ask your veterinarian, professional groomer, or a dog trainer to show you how to do this). In general, you first want to see if you can locate the “quick,” which is the blood vessel. If your puppy has white nails, the quick is easy to find—it’s the dark pink area. If your puppy has black nails, you won’t be able to see the quick, so you’ll just have to be more careful. As painful as it may sound, trial and error is the only way to get better at this process.

If you use a nail clipper, cut from below the paw, with the cutting edge of the clipper toward the end of the nail. Cut below the quick at a 45-degree angle. For puppies with black nails, the quick is the black dot that appears near the center of the nail where you trimmed it.

If you use a nail grinder, follow the directions that came with your tool. Be sure to hold the grinder to the nail for just a few seconds or the heat from the sander could be painful for your puppy.

If your puppy is too agitated throughout the process, trying exercising or playing with her before you attempt a nail-trimming. The more tired she is, the less she will move.

If your puppy has furry paws, trim the fur between her paw pads. Otherwise, she will have difficulty getting traction to walk properly, and the fur could attract dirt and debris that could cause injury or infections. The fur also could force her paw pads to spread apart, which could eventually cause hip or knee problems. Use blunt-tipped scissors or a small electric fur trimmer to gently trim the fur close to the paw pad.

Now it’s time to teach your puppy to enjoy her pedicure.

Step 1:

• Get a large spoon and a jar of peanut butter. Put a big glop of peanut butter on the spoon and give it to your puppy so that it coats the roof of her mouth.
• While she’s licking the peanut butter, show her the clippers. If you’re using a grinding tool, turn it on for a few seconds and then shut it off.
• Quit for the day.
• Repeat for one week until your puppy is happy at the sight of the clippers or grinder. If you skip this step, your puppy may become scared of the tools and it will be a nightmare trying to do this in the future.

Step 2:

• After one week of introducing the tools, it’s time to give the real thing a shot. Give your puppy the peanut butter.
• While she’s licking it, gently touch the clippers or grinder to one nail.
• Quit for the day.
• The next night, attempt to perform a full nail clipping. If she is still scared, quit for the night and try again.
• Continue to attempt nail clippings until the puppy is comfortable around the tools. Remember, the first few times are always the hardest. If necessary, do one nail a night.
• Repeat these steps for trimming paw hair using your scissors or electric fur trimmer. Gradually work up to where your puppy is comfortable having her paws trimmed.

There’s no law that says you have to cut all nails or trim all paws at once. Puppies learn best in gradual doses. If you make the process pleasant for your dog throughout, she’ll learn that there’s nothing to be afraid of—and you will, too.