38 — Sunday, April 18, 1999 — North Shore News north shore news The rit HARLEY, my Gerrisan Shorthair Pointer, has this cute —- albeit quirky — behaviour: he likes to drop his toys into the bath tub, then climb in to retrieve them ... when I’m in it! But when it’s bis bath tine he seurties around the house trying to find a place to hide. Have you ever seen a 70- pound dog trying to fit under a couch, four inches off the ground? It’s pretry humerous. All kidding aside, our dogs need to be bathed and groomed regulariy to maintain their health and good looks. It is also a way to give your dog a once over to check for unnatural lumps or bumps. And, it’s a great way to enhance the canine/human bond, improving your rela- tionship with your dog. . Since dogs come in a vari- ety of coats with varying needs, the expert advice of a professional groomer was sought to write these groom- ing tips. Brigitte Clarke from Heavenly Hounds dog grooming gave me the low- down on basic canine groom- ing. “The most important part of grooming your dog is brushing its coat out. Shert- to medium-haired dogs need a brush about once a v'eek with a soft brush, mostly to remove old hair and distribute skin oif. Long-haired dogs should be - brushed at least every two days. These dogs usually have a dense undercoat which pETs canine connection needs to be removed regular- ly.” The areas which tend to matt-up quickly are behind the ears, tail and the leg pits. Brigitte suguests using a brush called a rake for long- coated dogs. All coat types should be brushed betore bathing. It helps remove dander and pre- vents matting of long coats while bathing. As a rule of thumb, a bath every nwo to three months is about right. Always use a shampoo made especially for dogs. The pH balance is different than human shampoo and is formu- lated so it won’t dry out their skin. When it comes to nail clip- ping some dogs don’t like their feet being fussed with or have had a negative nail clip- ping experience. But that’s no reason not to do it. Long nails can cause sore feet and toes which spread out uncomfortably. Dogs who run about outside on hard surfaces don’t need their nails wimmed as often as dogs who are main- ly indoors or exercise on softer surfaces. If you hear your dog’s nails clicking on the floor they may be too long. If you plan on doing it yourself, always snip small pieces off.at a 399 vw Jetta GES $369. ‘99 Ponce Boxstin °893s0 36 mo. lease $2500 down 36 mo. lease $10000 down 79 AP Naeem uz SWHT £189%0 ht do for your dog time. ‘The quick, which is the fleshy part of the nail, grows with the nail so be cautious or you may cut into it causing it to bleed. Clip only the part of the nail which starts to curl downwards. ff you are not comfortable clipping, vour dog’s nails bring him or her to 2 groomer or your veterinan- an. Eyes should be wiped daily using a damp cloth. Dogs are prone to air-born allergens so if your dog is rubbing his/her e¥es often or you notice a yel- lowish discharge pay a visit to your vet. Checking vour dogs cars should be a daily task as well, especially for floppy-cared dogs who are most prone fo infections. Cleaning once a weck should involve 2 quick wipe of the visible portion inside the ear with a cotton pad dipped in a veterinarian approved cleanser. If your dog is scratching at its cars often or you notice a foul odour around your dog's ears visit your veterinarian for it could ¢ a sign of a more serious problem. Finally, when it comes to clipping your dog’s coat, it is best to leave that to a profes- sional. These rimming and preening skills are not learned overnight and a bad haircut can take months to grow out. — Joan Klucha ts a certé- fied trainer and owner of Sierra K9 training. You can reach her c/o the North Shore News, 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, B.C, V7M 2H4. Or e-mail her at . 1999 Sport Utilit: ehicie of the Yea ‘99 VW BEEN $3450 36 mo, lease $2500 down "99 GM Sarani $3590. 8 Presented hy: ry THE 1999 G82 ARID VITARA \ a *Gmerareed gia fing weper washer shoxt ae