Once your dog is wet to the skin, apply dog shampoo in small amounts. Begin at the back of the neck and work down toward the tail. Work up as much lather as you can. Wash short-haired dogs with a vigorous circular motion to pull out the dirt. Use a back-and-forth motion on dogs with medium-length hair. For longer-haired dogs, rub in the direction the hair grows. Make sure you lather up the belly, legs, and tail. Clean between the toes, behind the ears, and under the chin. Be careful not to get any soap or water in the eyes or ears, though. If your dog is hating this experience, feed it a treat with a non-soapy hand or have someone else feed the treat for you.

If you need to wash your dog's face, use a warm, damp washcloth and as little soap as possible, or no soap. When finished cleaning, wipe any soap off the face with a rinsed washcloth. Again, be careful not to get any soap or water in the dog's eyes or ears.

Use fresh, lukewarm water to rinse your dog. Once again, test the water temperature first. If your dog has a heavy coat, try scraping the lather off before rinsing. You can do this with the back of a comb or brush, or with your hand.
Holding the hose and nozzle or water container with one hand, pour fresh water over the dog while kneading the soap out with the other hand. Check for soap residue by looking for bubbles when squeezing the hair. If there are any bubbles, keep rinsing. A thorough rinsing is necessary to properly clean your dog and to prevent soap residue from dulling the coat or causing potential skin problems. Also, if your dog senses residue, he or she will probably try to lick it off. Shampoo, especially flea shampoo, isn't meant to be ingested.

Adding a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice to the rinse water will help wash away strong odours. You can also use baking soda, which will leave your pet's coat softer and shinier.

Another alternative is to use a dog-specific rinse. This is a cleansing rinse which is left on the dog to help maintain & protect a dog skin & coat. This is used as a REPLACEMENT of the shampoo. No shampoo is used at all. In many cases this can be a better choice than using shampoo.

Towel dry your dog thoroughly. Do this in a draft-free place so your dog doesn't catch any chills. If your dog has long hair, you can squeeze a lot of the water out of the fur with your hands before towel drying.
If your dog has particularly long hair or you need to dry him or her quickly, a portable blow dryer will help. Set the dryer on medium and lay the nozzle parallel to the skin so it blows water off the hair from the skin outward. This will also help prevent tangling. Don't actually press the blow dryer against the skin, as it can grow hot and burn your dog. Note: Use your blow dryer away from the washing area to reduce the risk of electric shock.

Most dogs really enjoy the drying process. The extra attention of being rubbed with a towel or the pleasant, warm air of a blow dryer. Some dogs may not like the blow dryer at all. If this is the case rather than upset your dog, just give him or her a really good towel dry. All dogs love a good towel dry. Give your dog a treat & make sure you give him or her lots of praise, love & attention so they feel loved & that they've succeeded in pleasing you. The next time you wash them they'll remember the treat & how pleased you were with them last time, they'll only be to willing to please again.
Now your finished & you can enjoy your clean canine companion again.

How long does/should it take?
Anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, depending upon the dog breed, size, hair & condition.

Can I wash my puppy?
You can wash a puppy as young as eight weeks old. Dry the puppy well and keep it warm after the washing.

Should I keep the water out of my dogs ears?
Yes, you keep water from directly following into your dogs ears. Water in your dogs ears can encourage the growth of fungus. If it's just splash of water, it's fine.

Can I bathe my dog if they have an open wound, cut or stitches?
Never bathe a dog if it has an open wound or cut. You can cause an infection. If the wound or cut has healed it's fine to bathe your dog. You can bathe your dog with stitches, but only as long as they're not fresh and the wound has healed.

What if my dog hates water?
Most of the time you can coax a dog into the tub, if that fails just pick them up. If your dog really hates water and you can't get him or her into the tub, you can try a dry dog wash by rubbing baking soda into the hair and brushing it out. Baking soda both cleans and deodorizes. If the dog doesn't seem to enjoy the first bath, persevere with it as some dogs can take around three to four bathes before they start to relax & enjoy it. Don't just give up, unless it is really stressing your dog, although this is highly unlikely. Most dogs will begin to look forward to their bath.

Do I have to use a special dog shampoo?
Yes, dog shampoo is formulated to work with a dog's hair and not cause skin irritations. Using anything other than dog specific shampoo or conditioner can strip the dogs coat of it's natural oils which protect both the skin & coat. Shampooing a dog with products designed for humans should defiantly never be used. Never use laundry products either, such as wool wash etc. They can affect the dog’s skin & coat, causing damage.
If you're using flea shampoo, carefully follow the directions on how long to leave the shampoo in. When you're finished bathing your dog, make sure you clean the tub of any residue, then wash your hands.

Should I use a conditioner?
It is not necessary to use a conditioner but if your dog's hair tends to tangle, add conditioner. After rinsing out the shampoo, put in the conditioner and let it stand for a few minutes (according to the label's directions). Then rinse out the conditioner the same way you did the shampoo.

What if my dog is really smelly?
If your dog has a very bad odour, most pet shops or vets sell products specifically designed to combat the smell (deodorant). If you can't get to a pet shop right away, before you wash your dog, massage tomato juice, watered down tomato paste, vinegar or lemon into your dogs coat to thoroughly wet it to the skin. Rinse, then shampoo the dog.

It's fairly warm, do I need to dry my dog?
In the warmer months, you can let your dog dry in the sun after an initial towel dry.

How do I clean my dogs ears?
If you need to clean your dog's ears, take a cotton ball or small towel and wet it with water or mineral oil. Gently clean the ear, but only as far in as the cotton ball or towel will go easily. Mineral oil helps prevent certain types of parasites in the ear. There are also other specific products made for this from pet shops or vets.

Where can I buy shampoo, rinse, deodorant, pet accessories, etc?
From most pet shops or vets. If you live in Australia we can supply most products for you. Email us & ask us what you require.
order@dogworld.com.au

What if I'm unsure about something?
Email us & ask.
info@dogworld.com.au

STORMS, FIREWORKS & LOUD NOISES

Most dogs are scared of loud noises like fireworks & thunder storms. Some dogs can even sense when a storm is coming & start behaving strangely before you even know it’s coming.

To help your dog in these circumstances you can cover their kennel or create with a thick blanket to help them shelter & hide from it. Many dogs will get out, hurt themselves trying to jump fences or be hit by a car running away. So if possible bring them inside & keep them away from any windows.

Other methods which are very effective are distracting the dog by feeding them treats or playing games to keep their mind off what’s going on outside. Having the TV or music on loud can also distract your dog or drown out the outside noise. If your dog is obedience trained, practice their training with them, as this demands a high level of concentration from your dog & should distract them. If your dog is particularly stressed, most vets can supply you with a relaxant medication to help your dog with their anxiety. Although this generally needs to be done before hand, unless you have someone that can stay with your dog whilst you go out, or send them out. Do not use any human anti stress medicine, always consult your vet on what to use.

It’s important that you don’t react scared yourself or baby your dog. They will learn that if you, the top dog in the family is scared, they should be too. Go about your normal everyday behaviour. If your dog is scared & hides somewhere, ignore the behaviour & don’t make a big deal out of it. If they’re extremely scared try taking their mind off it by using one of the above techniques.

HOT SPOTS

A hot spot is an area of skin surface on the dog that is infected. There are normally a few of them. They are caused by many things, mostly when the skin bacterium grows more than the dogs body can fight them off. They generally look like a circle with red on the outside & yellow in the middle, sometimes the middle can be smelly with puss. The hair around these hot spots is generally loose or has fallen away.

The most common reasons for hot spots are:

Dogs with long hair, dense or heavy coats
Matted or tangled hair
Allergies
Skin condition
Self inflicted
Flea infestation
Ear infection
Irritated anal glands

Most dogs are susceptible to hot spots, so please be aware that any dog can develop these infections and may not be due to anything you’ve done or haven’t done, they can just appear overnight.

These hot spots must be treated as they can be very itchy & will cause the dog to scratch, lick or bite at them causing further damage to the hot spot & themselves.

To treat the infection you need to dry out the infected hot spot/s, the bacteria live in the moist irritated skin, by drying it out you heal the skin. This is done by clearing the hair on & around the hot spot/s. Use dog clippers for this as scissors won’t get close enough & you also run the risk of cutting the dog. If clippers are not available to you, you can ask your vet or groomer to do it for you. Once that’s done, use an antiseptic daily on the hot spot/s. You can also wash the dog in a medicated shampoo weekly to complete the healing process. If the infections persist, consult your vet as your dog may need to be put on antibiotic tablets.

The best form of prevention is:
Keep long haired or dense coated dogs regularly groomed or clipped.
Remove matted or tangled hair immediately.
Check your dog & its surroundings for any allergens like fleas, dust, chemicals, tree or plant pollen.

If your dog doesn’t have fleas, allergies or a skin condition, they may be bored, lonely or stressed. This can lead to constant licking or scratching of themselves, causing hot spots. If this is the case, your dog may need more exercise, playtime & affection.

NAILS (CLAWS)

Dog claws should be trimmed around every 2-3 months depending on growth, although indoor pets may need more frequent attention. Dogs that have access to concrete or hard surfaces will need less as they will naturally wear down on these surfaces or by walking them on foot paths. Dog claws naturally wear down through normal activity, but when kept indoors, often need them trimmed more often as they are not as active and generally walk on softer surfaces. When dog claws are too long you may hear them click as they walk across a hard surfaced floor. This is a sign to pay attention. Long claws are more prone to infection. Overgrown claws can cause painful paw injuries. A claw can be ripped out or could snag something or even crack in some cases, resulting in a painful wound.

It is best to start holding and touching your pets paws so they adjust to having their paws handled, if this can be done from a young age all the better. This will help them become accustomed to having their nails clipped. Some dogs, however, won't adjust. In such cases, try clipping only one nail at a time, so not to stress the dog to much. Go back later and cut another one, and so on until their all done. Make sure you don’t forget to cut the due claw. The due claw is the one up on the side of the front legs (The thumbs). Most dogs don’t have due claws on the back legs, but some can so check the back legs too. Some dogs may have a double due claws, which are just two of them side by side. In difficult situations consider having a groomer or vet do the trimming. Some dogs may need to be muzzled. If you have a particularly unhappy dog, only ever let a vet sedate the dog to clip the nails. Never let a groomer sedate the dog, as sedating a dog can be very dangerous and should only ever be done by a registered vet.

To cut your dogs nails, clip the point where the nail starts to curve down. Make sure not to trim too far back. Trimming too little is much better than trimming too much. With white nails you can see the blood line (The quick) never cut into this also always cut before the quick. You can generally apply a bit of pressure before cutting and the dog will tell you if your near the quick, they may also just be a sook, so make sure you know where you are cutting, don’t guess. Black nails are harder because you can’t see the quick. There is a hook to look for on all nails (White & Black) but it’s fairly complicated to explain it correctly here without showing where it is. Basically it’s the part that is starting to hook down and will be hollow in the middle. Never attempt to cut any nail if you’re not sure. If the quick, the blood line (The living part of the nail) is clipped the nail can bleed and become sore for the dog. Don’t panic, it may bleed, but will heel & stop bleeding with the use of corn flour packed into the nail where it was cut. This will reduce the blood flow & allow it to clot & heal naturally. If the nail continues to bleed wrap the paw lightly with gauze and apply pressure. If bleeding does not stop within around five (5) minutes contact your vet. There is also a product called styptic powder which you can buy from us or a vet which are also designed to help stop the bleeding, but naturally you must have it at your house already, if not use corn flour. Corn flower can be used quite successfully in an emergency situation. Remember it’s better to be safe than sorry, if you’re not sure, call a groomer or vet.

BRINGING HOME A NEW PUPPY

When adopting a new puppy it’s important to prepare your home in anticipation of their arrival. Similar to baby proofing a home, puppy proofing is needed for their safety and your sanity. Puppies are particularly curious and energetic and don't always know what to avoid. The first safety consideration is keeping chemicals & toxins away your puppies reach. Such items may include household cleaners, specific types of plants, alcohol, chocolate, and substances like antifreeze. Antifreeze is particularly dangerous to dogs. Even a small amount can be extremely toxic or fatal for your dog. Dogs & Puppies don't realize the danger, it's up to you to protect them. Another safety concern is electrical & power leads. Try to keep power leads hidden from your dog. Puppies will chew on power leads creating an obvious safety risk. Fragile or breakable items are things to keep an eye out for. An excited puppy can knock a favourite vase or frame off a table with one wag of their tail. Broken glass or ceramics may expose your puppy to injury from sharp edges & the destruction of your valuables can be avoided. It’s a good idea to keep sharp objects stored safely away from your dog. Keep in mind that puppies don't always behave as you wish (even when they become dogs). You may find your puppy outside or on a table if you turn your back for too long. This is another good reason to keep hazardous items stored safely. Some time spent protecting your puppy before their arrival can greatly increase the fun and enjoyment you have with them once they arrive.

The formative period for a dog occurs in its first year of life. The first few months account for a large part of this development. When puppies are born they are very reliant on their mother. Born with their eyes and ears sealed shut, they huddle near each other and their mother for warmth and food. During the first three weeks, puppies sleep 90 percent of the time and eat 10 percent. Healthy puppies are born pink and firm and gain weight rapidly. During the first month the puppy starts to develop their senses. Their eyes will open, teeth will start to come through and they will begin standing, walking, barking & wagging their tail.

Puppies begin socialization shortly before their second month. In the beginning they are primarily influenced by their littermates. Through playing and interacting, puppies learn about themselves and their surroundings. This type of learning continues for several months. Puppies are ready to be adopted around 8 to 10 weeks of age. At this point people are influencing them as much if not more than the other puppies. This is a good time to start the basics of training such as house training, as they are starting to gain physical coordination. They will also experience fear for the first time.

Between three and six months puppies will begin to develop pack behaviour. They will start to see their place within their social system. They will also start to develop their adult teeth and begin teething. Between six & eight months puppies will be influenced primarily by pack/family members & will chew as a way of exploring their territory. Most breeds will physically mature during this period, becoming an adult. Around 24 months (2 years) is the average most breeds will mentally mature.

FLEAS

To effectively control fleas, it is necessary to understand their life cycle and habits.

Adult fleas live on the host dog/s, where the female lays her eggs.

Flea eggs are laid on the host dog/s but fall off into the bedding, carpeting, and elsewhere in the animal's environment, they have no sticky propeties & despite what many people think they do stay on the dog/s they fall off.
These pearly white eggs are barely visible to the naked eye and are usually impossible to find without a magnifying lens
Flea eggs hatch into larvae in 1–10 days, depending on the temperature and humidity, the warmer and more humid, the more rapidly the eggs hatch.

Flea larvae feed on organic material in the environment and on the droppings from adult fleas
They are sensitive to sunlight and to drying, so inside the house the larvae prefer deep carpet, bedding, and cracks in the floor boards.
Outside the house, the larvae prefer shaded areas that have plenty of organic material (grass, leaves, etc.) or moist, sheltered soil.
As the larvae feed on adult flea droppings, they are found in highest numbers in areas where flea-infested dog/s spend most of their time.

Pupae are formed after 5–11 days of being larvae. The larvae produce a fine cocoon in which they complete their development.
During this stage of their life cycle, fleas are resistant to insecticides.
In normal conditions, adult fleas hatch from their cocoon (Pupae) in as little as 5 days, although fleas can survive in the pupated form for up to 5 months.
Hatching is stimulated by vibration, physical pressure, heat, and carbon dioxide; in other words, the presence of a dog.
Immediately after hatching from its cocoon, the adult flea seeks out a host dog. It must have a meal of blood within a few days in order to survive and produce eggs. Within 2 days of her first blood meal, the female flea begins producing eggs. Fleas can continue to produce eggs for up to 100 days. A single flea can produce thousands of eggs.

Fleas feeding on your dog can cause several problems: · itching and scratching at the flea bite. In most dogs, the itching is mild and temporary, some dogs become allergic to flea saliva and develop severe itching, hair loss, and skin damage from scratching and biting. If left untreated a skin infection can develop. Tapeworm infestation can come from fleas, as fleas are an essential part of the tapeworm's life cycle, the dog is infested with tapeworms when it swallows a flea that contains immature tapeworm stages. This normally only occurs in severe flea infestations and usually only in young or sick dogs.

It is easy to tell when a dog is heavily infested with fleas. You can see the fleas crawling over the dog's skin and through the hair. If your dog has only a light infestation, you may not see any fleas unless you look for them. A common place to see fleas is on your dog's belly and the inside of the thighs, where the hair is thin or the skin is bare. Another place to look is in the dense hair of your dogs behind, especially near the underside base of the tail. Part the hair and inspect the skin for either fleas or flea dirt.
Flea dirt is actually flea droppings. It looks like black grains of sand or cracked pepper on the dog's skin. If you place a few particles of flea dirt on a white surface (e.g. a piece of paper) and wet them, you will see a reddish brown stain form. This is because the flea droppings contain digested blood from the flea's blood meal. You may also notice tiny areas of dried blood on the dog's bedding from moistened flea dirt that has since dried.

Effective flea control requires the three P’s! Pets, Premise and Persistence.
1) Pets - control of fleas on your dog.
2) Premise - control of fleas in your dog's environment.
3) Persistence - controling fleas is an ongoing battle.
Environmental control is the most important of all. Adult fleas on your dog account for as little as only 5% of the total flea population.

1) Control of fleas on your dog:
There are numerous products that will kill adult fleas on your dog. However, they vary in the duration of their effects: flea shampoos, sprays, and powders will kill any fleas on your dog at the time of application, but they have no lasting effect, your dog may have more fleas within 24 hours of being treated, some of the newer sprays can be safely used every day, if necessary. Flea rinses (like Venta-A-Dog/Rinse) may be effective for 4–7 days, depending on the product. The rinse is applied after the dog has been shampooed. Another option are sprays containing flea growth regulators. Depending on the product, these sprays are usually applied weekly, the growth regulators help break the flea's life cycle. Flea collars are not very effective in warm, humid climates (environments that are ideal for immature flea development). Some dogs are sensitive to flea collars and develop skin irritation under the collar. If this happens, you should remove the collar and use another method of flea control. Spot-on products (like Advantage and Frontline) are applied to a small area of the dog's skin & they effectively kill fleas for at least about one month. They kill the adult fleas, usually before the flea has had a chance to bite the dog. Be sure to select the appropriate package for your dog's body weight.
Another form is a tablet (like Program) that sterilizes any eggs laid by the fleas that feed on your dog. You must give your dog the tablet once a month, this drug does not kill the adult fleas on your dog, but it does break the flea life cycle by preventing hatching of the next generation of flea eggs. Lastly, your vet can give your dog an injection, that effectively poison yours dogs blood stream, so the fleas that feed on it die.

2) Control of fleas in your dog's environment.
Control of fleas in your dog's environment is fairly simple for indoor dogs, especially if you have no other pets that regularly go outside. It is impossible to rid the outside environment of all fleas. Flea control in dogs that regularly go outside or live outside can be more difficult.
Unless you have a strictly indoor dog, environmental control must target both your house and your yard.
House: Use a steamer or long lasting spray to kill any adult and larval fleas if you have a particularly bad flea problem, it is often worth having a professional exterminator treat your home. Fleas in the pupae (cocoon) stage are resistant to insecticides, including syeamers & foggers, so it may be necessary for you to treat your home 2 or 3 times to get rid of all fleas. The second treatment should be done 2 weeks after the first, you should also wash or otherwise treat your dog's bedding on a regular basis, most people treat their dog/s but the NEED to treat their enviorment, otherwise it is a complete waste of time, remember only 5% are on the dog/s.
Yard: Spray your yard with an insecticide that has residual activity for at least 30 days.For a difficult flea problem, consider having an exterminator treat your yard, in warm &humid climates, it may be necessary to spray your yard every 30 days during the warmer months of the year, some newer products contain a growth regulator (fenoxycarb) and need to be applied only once or twice a year.
If your dog/s has been boarded while we were away and now it has fleas. Yes, they may have possibly come from the boarding kennel. But, your dog could also have gotten the fleas from your own home. Unless stimulated (dog body heat/movment), fleas can remain in the pupae (cocoon) stage for up to 5 months. So if your house has been empty for several days or weeks, the unhatched fleas will have remained in their cocoons during that time. On your return, activity in the house and the presence of your dog/s will stimulate the fleas to hatch and reinfest your dog/s.
Newly hatched adult fleas will also jump on people in search of a blood meal. They much prefer dogs and cats to humans, so no need to be concerned, humans are far more clean than the average dog.
Remember fleas in the pupae stage are resistant to insecticides. Treating your home with a steamer/fogger or long-acting spray just before you go away may not prevent this problem. It is best to maintain a flea control program throughout the year to effectively rid your pets and home of fleas.