10,460 answers about dogs
From a puppy’s first feeding schedule to a senior dog’s comfort care, dog owners ask it all — this page gathers the dog library of KinsLe Answers in one place. Browse by topic below, from feeding and training to health, grooming, safety and travel. Every answer is original, written by KinsLe, and tied to a real KinsLe feature.
900 answers in Grooming & Daily Care — page 24 of 38
Check for fleas and ticks after a walk by running your hands and a fine comb slowly over the whole dog in good light, parting the hair down to the skin around the ears, neck, armpits, groin, and base of the tail where ticks attach and flea dirt collects. Look for tiny dark specks that turn reddish on a damp white…
After walks on salted winter roads, rinse or wipe every paw with lukewarm water as soon as you get home, because road salt and grit irritate the pads and are unpleasant and unwise for a dog to lick off. Work between the toes where salt crystals lodge, then dry each paw thoroughly and look closely for cracks, redness…
Care for a short-legged dog's underside in muddy weather by rinsing or wiping the belly, chest, and inner legs as soon as you come indoors, because a low-slung dog collects splashed mud, grit, and wet leaves across skin that stays damp under the coat. Use lukewarm water or a damp cloth, part longer belly hair to check…
If your dog will not tolerate a toothbrush, start with your finger instead: let the dog lick a little dog toothpaste from your fingertip, then rub it gently along the outer surfaces of the upper teeth and gums for a few seconds, building time over days. A soft cloth or gauze wrapped around your finger gives slightly…
Bathe a dog who is terrified of water by building up to the bath in tiny, rewarded steps over several sessions rather than lifting a panicking dog straight into a full tub. Start with dry visits to the empty tub or shower tray for treats, then add a non-slip mat, damp paws with a cloth, and only later a gentle pour of…
A Tibetan Mastiff needs extensive brushing, never regular haircuts or shaving, because the huge double coat insulates in both cold and heat and can be damaged by clipping. Brush weekly through the mane, tail plume, and thick hindquarters in winter, and expect a major seasonal shed when the undercoat comes out in…
A Scottish Deerhound needs brushing and occasional hand tidying, not regular clipping, because the wiry, rough coat loses its weatherproof texture if it is cut with clippers. Brush the shaggy coat once or twice a week with a pin brush and comb, working through the beard, chest, and leg furnishings where mats form, and…
A Saluki does not need haircuts, but brushing alone needs care here, because the body coat is smooth and short while the ears, tail, and backs of the legs carry long silky feathering that tangles easily. Brush the feathering gently two or three times a week with a pin brush, teasing out small knots with your fingers…
A Rhodesian Ridgeback needs only brushing, never regular haircuts, because the coat is short, sleek, and naturally neat with no feathering to trim. A quick weekly brush with a soft bristle brush or mitt removes loose hair and spreads skin oils along that distinctive ridge of hair growing backward down the spine. Check…
A Neapolitan Mastiff never needs a haircut, because the coat is short, dense, and close to the skin with nothing to trim into shape. What this giant wrinkled breed does need is weekly brushing to lift out loose hair, plus careful drying inside the facial folds after brushing so trapped moisture does not irritate the…
A Leonberger needs frequent brushing and should never be shaved or given a full haircut, because the long, thick double coat with its lion-like mane insulates this giant German breed and regrows badly after clipping. Brush two or three times a week with an undercoat rake and slicker, working through the mane,…
A Harrier needs just brushing, not regular haircuts, because the short, dense, weatherproof coat of this medium English hound stays short and renews itself through shedding. One good brushing a week with a bristle brush or hound glove removes dead hair, checks the skin after countryside walks, and keeps the coat…
A Greater Swiss Mountain Dog needs just brushing, not regular haircuts, because the short, dense double coat stays short by nature and trimming it would add nothing. Brush once a week with a bristle brush or rubber mitt for most of the year, then step up to every other day during the spring and fall undercoat sheds,…
A Great Pyrenees needs thorough brushing and must never get a haircut or be shaved, because the thick double coat insulates this mountain guardian in both winter cold and summer heat and grows back patchy after clipping. Brush once or twice a week down to the skin with a slicker and undercoat rake, and daily during…
A Dogue de Bordeaux needs just brushing, not regular haircuts, because the very short, fine coat lies close to the skin and never grows long enough to trim. A gentle once-a-week brush removes loose hair, but the defining grooming jobs for this massive French breed are drying the deep facial wrinkles every day, wiping…
A Clumber Spaniel needs more than brushing alone, but not full haircuts: the dense, feathered coat calls for brushing three times a week plus light trimming of the feathering on the legs, feet, and around the ears every few weeks. Never shave a Clumber down, because the thick double coat protects this slow, heavy…
A Cane Corso needs just brushing, never regular haircuts, because the short double coat is weatherproof, stays naturally short, and should not be shaved or clipped down. Brush once a week in normal months and several times a week during the heavy spring and fall sheds, when this large Italian breed drops its undercoat…
A Bullmastiff needs just brushing, not regular haircuts, because the short, dense coat lies flat, stays short naturally, and sheds without ever needing to be shaped. A firm once-a-week brushing with a rubber brush lifts dead hair and lets you check the skin in the neck folds of this heavy, drooling breed, while nails…
A Borzoi needs regular brushing rather than haircuts, because the long, silky coat should never be clipped short or shaved, which ruins its texture and leaves uneven regrowth. Brush two or three times a week, working through the feathering on the chest, legs, and tail in sections with a pin brush, and add a careful…
A Bloodhound needs just brushing, not regular haircuts, because the short, dense coat stays short on its own and protects the skin during long scent work. Brush once a week, twice when shedding heavily, and spend the saved salon time on the jobs this breed truly needs: wiping facial wrinkles dry, cleaning under those…
A Black and Tan Coonhound needs just brushing, never regular haircuts, since the short, dense coat is built to protect this working hound in brush and cold weather and does not grow long. Brush once or twice a week with a bristle brush or hound mitt to clear loose hair and spread skin oils, and give extra attention…
A Basset Hound does not need haircuts at all, because the short, dense coat never grows long enough to clip, and shaving would only spoil its weather protection. What your Basset does need is a thorough brushing two or three times a week to lift loose hair and reduce that surprisingly heavy shedding, plus weekly…
A Tibetan Mastiff sheds moderately for most of the year and then spectacularly once a year, when the thick undercoat blows out over several weeks in spring and releases more hair than many breeds shed in a lifetime. Weekly brushing keeps the mane and trousers from matting the rest of the year. Plan for that annual…
A Sussex Spaniel sheds a moderate amount rather than a lot: the rich golden-liver coat releases hair steadily through the year, with heavier losses in spring and autumn, but nothing like the dramatic blow-out of a double-coated northern breed. Weekly brushing keeps most loose hair on the brush and stops the wavy coat…
Can't find your question? Ask it here. We answer reader questions in KinsLe Answers — and we'll email you when yours is published.
KinsLe is launching soon — and the waitlist hears the date first. Join for launch updates and first access when the app opens.
We email you about the launch. Unsubscribe anytime.