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| Grooming Poodles -
A Healthy Skin and Coat for Your Poodle:
Is your poodle blessed with always having a lush, soft coat and skin underneath which never suffers from rashes or itches of any description? If you said yes, yours is a very fortunate dog.
More likely, like me, you said "No", or "Not always".
Most of our dogs suffer from a dull coat and skin irritation from time to time.
And if your dog is anything like my beautiful Toy Poodle, Candy, your dog's fur is often dusty and not so great to stroke.
Poodle grooming might seem difficult, but it's actually a task that just about anyone can learn to do. You just need patience and the willingness to practise your skills. Time consuming it can be. Difficult - not really.
Perhaps your poodle has sensitive skin - perhaps s/he gets a rash from coming into contact with the pollen from certain plants, or suffers from a flea allergy.
There are a number of steps which you can take to improve the comfort of your poodle (some of which add to your own enjoyment of your dog at the same time - always a "plus"):
First of all, a good dog shampoo is really important. When my dogs were younger I sometimes used cheap shampoos from discount stores. I came to the conclusion that this was really false economy. They cleaned the coat reasonably well, but weren't particularly beneficial to the skin.
Now I use an all-natural, herbal enriched shampoo for dogs and their coats comes out really silky and with a lovely shine. And it's good for keeping fleas at bay, as well. If you'd like to check it out, you'll find the details by clicking here. For optimal results, you must use both the herbal dog shampoo and the herbal dog conditioner that you'll see when you click here.
Or if your poodle has particular skin problems, there's also a wonderful oatmeal shampoo for dogs that helps relieve itching and dry, flaky skin, including dandruff and some forms of dermatitis. It's also all-natural and contains no chemicals. Click here:
Or if you really like the smell of oranges, there's a particularly good dog shampoo and conditioner formulation. It's called the Herbal Orange Cream Shampoo and Conditioner, and it's a favorite with dog groomers and vets, and has been for 20 years. Again, it's all-natural without any chemicals, and it also has a great aromatherapy soothing effect on your poodle! Click here.
Secondly, to keep your poodle's skin and coat really healthy from the inside, you absolutely can't go past the best fatty acids complex for dogs (and cats) - Dermatrix for Dogs and Cats. It contains Omegas 3, 6 and 9, plus OptiMSM and other Vitamins for a healthy coat.
You'll love the results of Dermatrix on your poodle's skin and coat! (Just click on the bottles of Dermatrix above, or click here). And thirdly, it's really important to keep fleas completely under control. For several years I'd wait until I actually saw a flea before treating my dogs, because I had in my mind that flea treatments were poisonous and therefore bad for my dogs. (For a natural chemical-free alternative, see below, or click here now). It's prudent to treat your poodle as soon as s/he shows any telltale signs such as scratching a little more than usual, and especially if your dog starts chewing the area above his/her tail. But if your dog has a flea allergy, treatment once symptoms appear may already be too late to prevent the terrible itching that your dog will suffer.The great thing about the natural flea treatments is that you can use them all the time as a preventative, without risking your dog's health! In summary, if you're a Frontline fan, it is available from your vet, but it's actually more cost effective to buy it online. Click here to purchase Frontline online. I don't recommend it, but it's up to you.
But you'll be amazed at what else these natural, chemical-free alternative do. See for yourself by clicking right here.
And fourthly - grooming. Some dog breeds need more grooming than others, and poodles are definitely a breed that require regular grooming. You'll need a good brush for this purpose. And there's a wonderful tool on the market that guarantees to reduce shedding better than any brush or comb, and help to bring out your dog's natural oils, leaving a healthy, shiny topcoat. It's great!
Shedding may not be a particular issue for poodles, but the tool works a treat as a groomer.
Many poodle owners like to keep the base of the tail, legs and face trimmed short. Shorter coats on your poodle are easier to wash, dry and brush than a poodle with a fluffy, long coat. Short, clipped feet also won't pick up grass seeds, which means the dog will not track in as much dirt.
Make sure to wash your poodle before clipping, to keeps scissors and clippers in good shape, and opt for quality equipment. A majority of poodle owners go to professional poodle groomers for clipping, and most groomers do wash the dog first. Between clipping baths are also important. Not too often - once a month is probably optimal. More often may diminish the natural oils in the skin unnecessarily. And less often won't keep your poodle clean and comfortable enough.
(C) 2007, Brigitte Smith, Healthy Happy Dogs
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