No Bow Thank You

I watched some of the Westminster dog show a couple of weeks ago.  I liked watching the dogs run around the arena with their humans.  That looked like fun but why would any dog put up with the other stuff?  I mean hair dryers and nail buffing and smelly baths.  Not for me!

I know grooming is important and not just cuz it makes us look pretty.  Things like brushings are good for all dogs, not only the ones with super long coats.  Brushing helps keep us clean buy getting rid of dirt and dandruff and hair we shed.  Brushing also helps make oils spread over our fur making it look silky.

I don’t mind a little brushing but I’m sure glad I’m not an Afghan or Poodle.  They have to get brushed lots so they don’t get their fur matted.

Brushing also lets Mom check us for little hurts.  DixieLee and I play hard and sometimes we get little hurts so when Mom brushes us she can check us for scrapes, cuts, lumps, bumps and even fleas and ticks.

Brushing is a nice way for dogs and their humans to spend time together. I know lots of dogs like to get groomed but me, not so much and DixieLee hates it.   She thinks she is a tough dog.  She loves to roll in the dirt and grass and get muddy.  She thinks grooming is for sissies.  The groomers at the day care really earn their pay when she shows up.  Especially when she needs her nails clipped.

Before she came to live with us she spent most of her time outside running free.  She ran on rocks and roads and sidewalks so her nails stayed pretty short.  Now that she has a house to live in with carpets, nice grass in the yard and woodland trails to walk on her nails get pretty long.

Long nails are not good.  If they are too long they can make walking and running difficult.  They can split or break which hurts.  If a dog’s nails are too long they start to walk funny and that can cause their joints to hurt or even get arthritis.  Long nails can accidentally scratch too.  I know DixiLee scratched Dad’s hand one time and he needed a Band-Aid.

Lots of dogs get their teeth and ears checked when they get groomed.  You need good strong teeth for eating cookies so keeping them clean is important.  Ears need to be clean and working well too or else you can’t hear the potato chip bag open.

Even though I don’t like getting brushed and washed and clipped I admit I do look extra pretty when we are all done.  I always get a nice colorful kerchief to wear after a grooming but no hair dryers please and no one puts one of those little bows in my hair.

Your well groomed friend,

Zeva

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Pamper Your Paws

Mom believes that “a home is not complete without the pitter patter of doggy feet”.  She loves to hear the click click of our nails on the floor but she also knows that when she can hear the click click of our nails on the floor, it’s time to get them trimmed.

I am good at keeping my nails trimmed but DixieLee, not so much.  She lets her nails get too long.  She says long nails help her dig holes better.  Her hole d
igging is something else that gets in trouble but that’s a story for another time.

She doesn’t like to have her nails trimmed so rather than fight with her, Mom has her get her pedicure from the professional groomer at doggy day care.  I manage to keep my nails short by walking on pavement but sometimes I have a hard time walking across the kitchen floor because the hair between my pads gets long and make me be slippery.  I don’t like it much but I let Mom give me a trim with her littlest scissors. It is a traumatic experience so I make sure I get lots of treats for sitting still.

Keeping our paws healthy is important.   After all, we don’t wear shoes like humans so our paws walk on hot pavement in the summer and freezing snow and ice in the winter.  Our feet get coated with chemicals from lawn care and salt from deicers.  We love to go hikes with our family but we don’t go where it is super rocky or where there can be broken glass because rocks and glass can cut our pads.

As I said, one of the ways I keep my nails trimmed is by walking on pavement.  We love to go for walks with our humans but during the summer we make sure we walk early in the day before the sun makes the pavement too hot or we only walk on grass or dirt paths.

In the winter we get our feet washed after our walks. Warm water washes away any salt we may have picked up from the sidewalk.  Mom checks our feet when we come inside from our pen too.  We don’t use salt in our pen but sometimes we get clumps of ice and snow stuck between our toes.  I’m not thrilled about having my feet checked and washed but it’s better than having cracked and bleeding paws.

I’ve never had cracked and bleeding paws but I know that Dr. Nancy has moisturizer just for dogs because people moisturizer would make our pads too soft.  We need our pads to be tough to keep our feet protected.

I know some dogs who even get their nails painted pretty colors when they get groomed.  I guess that’s okay if you are a city dog but if you live in the North Country, you want to look tough.  You never know when a bear will cross your yard.

Keep your feet dry and nails clipped because going for walks with your human can be the funest part of your day.

Love,

Zeva

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