Grooming is not an optional but important aspect of caring for your pet dog or cat, which should begin as you bring that new family member into the home. Interacting with your pet in such a close manner gives you the opportunity to examine it for any lumps, bumps, abrasions, parasites or other illnesses and abnormalities. At the same time, your pet and you are bonding, while the dog or cat is being primped and then walking away strutting around like the king or queen of the house. For further tips on grooming your pet and getting all the supplies you need, contact the friendly staff at your local Rockford-area Petsmart or Petco as listed below or one closest to your home.
Begin by bathing your pet with a protein-enriched shampoo. The water and bathing area should be warm. All necessary items need to be at your finger tips before starting the process, such as the shampoo, conditioner, towels, a tooth brush and toothpaste, brush and comb, cotton balls and ear cleaning solution. Long-haired pets must be brushed prior to the bath to check for and remove mats. Wet your pet down thoroughly and apply the shampoo. Generate into a rich lather and rinse really well. Long-haired pets need to be treated with a conditioner. Rub it in and let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing out the conditioner.
While the pet is still in the tub, this is a perfect, but not only time, to perform some all-important oral care. Place some special flavored toothpaste on a small toothbrush and begin the process starting at the back teeth and work your way forward until you reach all the pearly whites. Actually, the teeth brushing should be done at least once or twice a week to prevent dental disease. Do not use human toothpaste.
While still in the tub, you can clean the ears. Place some ear cleaning solution on a cotton ball and wipe out each ear as deeply as you can reach without digging further into the ear canal. Wipe out each crevice of the ear flap. Do not use cotton swabs that may damage the ear drum if you get too deeply inside the ear canal.
Towel dry your dog or cat thoroughly, and gently use a small blow dryer on a warm to cool setting to completely dry your pet, especially during colder weather. Be careful that the dryer air does not get too hot. Once the bathing process is finished, another important aspect to grooming is keeping the nails trimmed. It is easier for animals with white nails because the inner vein is visible when clipping them. For dark nails, you will want to clip just a tiny bit or leave the job to a professional groomer or your vet. If you do clip a nail and it begins to bleed, rest assured that your pet will not bleed to death. It always looks worse than it is. Keep some “quik stop” on hand, which is a styptic powder or gel used to stop the bleeding. Just dab off the blood and press the quik stop to the nail, holding in place a few moments.
A final step is to brush your dog completely from head to toe. Brushing should be done frequently in between regular grooming in order to stimulate the natural oils of the skin and healthy fur growth. It also helps in managing knots and mats that can create discomfort for your long-haired pet.
Getting a young pet used to the grooming experience may be just a matter of introducing all the tools to your pet, such as the toothbrush, hair brush, nail clippers and all the other items necessary in the process. Even before your pet needs a real haircut or nail trim, play with the feet or ears and use a brush on your dog or cat from the moment it enters your door and joins your family. Such constant handling of the feet, ears and other body parts will make the transition to grooming a much more pleasant experience for your pet.
For all your pets needs and accessories in the Rockford area, go to your local PETCO - 6305 East State Street, Rockford, IL 61108, (815) 229-0184 - Petco or your local PETSMART - 6320 East State Street, Rockford, IL 61108, (815) 397-7880 - Petsmart -PETLAND, (815) 332-4200 - Petland
For many of your pet essentials, visit your local Rockford-area CVS pharmacies. There are four convenient locations - 3134 11th Street, Rockford, IL 61109, (815)398-0048 - 110 S Alpine Rd, Rockford, IL 61108 - 3718 Main Street, Rockford, IL 61103, (815)877-9620 - 2454 S. Alpine Rd., Rockford, IL 61108, (815)399-5421 - CVS Pharmacy
If you are looking for wholesome, natural and homemade treats for your favorite canine best friend, Led foot’s Pet Bakery near the Rockford area is happy to meet your needs. Check out the website at Ledfoot Bakery. Contact Susan Weitzel at 815 784-6358, Ledfoot Bakery Contact.
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