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Do you get the jitters every time your nostrils sense a bad smell emanating from your canine? Well, you need to maintain a routine for pet showers and keep your pet as hygienic as possible. Take the following cues.
• Place a rubber non-slip mat on the bottom of the tub to keep your dog from slipping.
• Place one or two cotton balls in each ear. If the ears are too floppy press the ear leather against the ear to help keep the water from soaking the cotton.
• Use proper lifting techniques, to place your dog in a tub. Place an arm under the chest in front of the dog's front legs, and place the other arm behind the rear legs, just under the tail. Keep your upper body upright and lift with your legs, not with your back.
• Turn the water on slowly and adjust the water pressure before ever turning the water on the pet.
• The temperature of the water should be lukewarm.
• Hold the spray nozzle about an inch from the coat. Your pet may get scared, so make sure you make it as comfortable as possible. Completely soak the pet's coat to the skin. Start with the hindquarters and work to the front of the pet, leaving the head for last.
• Be sure to wash under the stomach, under the tail, under the neck, in facial wrinkles, and the ear leather (flap). A rubber brush can help remove feces or any other matter that may be clinging to the hair.
• Always use a shampoo specially formulated for dogs because, human shampoos are harsher. Use a tearless shampoo on the face and make sure you work the shampoo through the hair to the skin.
• When rinsing, start with the head and hand rinse the soap from the face.
Continue to rinse the rest of the pet, using your free hand to knead the soap out of the coat.
• Squeeze the excess water out of the coat with your hands. Blot the excess moisture from the coat using a clean towel. Remove the cotton from the ears and use the towel to absorb any moisture in the ear. |
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