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 33 of 38
Work in small sections with a slicker brush, lightly misting the coat first, then follow with a metal comb, because the comb reaching the skin is the real check that a section is clear. Give the friction zones, behind the ears, the armpits, the collar line and the tail base, attention every day, and run the full…
Yes, for many pet dogs the hair between the paw pads is worth keeping level with the pads, because hair that grows past them acts like socks on a polished floor and makes the dog slip. Level pad hair also stops mud, grit and ice balls packing between the toes on winter and muddy walks. Use blunt-ended scissors or…
Wash your dog's harness, collar, and lead every couple of weeks, and sooner after mud, swimming, or any skin flare, because straps and padding collect dirt, moisture, and bacteria against the coat. Soak nylon pieces in warm soapy water, scrub gently, rinse well, and air-dry completely; wipe leather down and condition…
Wash collars, harnesses, and leads every couple of weeks, and sooner after mud, swimming, or any skin flare, because fabric resting against the neck collects dirt, moisture, and bacteria. Nylon gear usually cleans well in warm soapy water with a thorough rinse and full air-drying, while leather needs gentle wiping and…
Check after every countryside walk, ideally at the door before the dog settles indoors, running your hands over the whole body and then looking closely at the ears, armpits, groin, between the toes and under the collar. Ticks found early are far easier to remove, so keep a proper tick remover in your walking kit…
During humid summer weather, check a floppy-eared dog's ears two or three times a week by lifting the flap, looking for redness or dark wax, and sniffing for a sour or yeasty smell. Clean only when there is visible surface dirt or after swimming, using a dog-appropriate product, because healthy ears cleaned too often…
A Shetland Sheepdog needs a thorough brush-out about once a week, working through the neck ruff, behind the ears and the trousers, where the dense double coat packs down earliest. During the heavy coat blows in spring and autumn, step that up to every couple of days, because loose undercoat left in place felts…
A Poodle in a pet clip needs a professional groom every four to six weeks, because the coat grows continuously and packs into mats at the skin when appointments stretch. Between visits, brush and then comb to the skin several times a week, spending extra time on the friction zones behind the ears, in the armpits and…
A Miniature Schnauzer in a pet trim needs a professional groom every six to eight weeks, because the wiry coat keeps growing and the furnishings tangle once appointments slip. Between visits, brush the beard, legs and longer furnishings two or three times a week, and comb the beard after meals so trapped food does not…
For a comfortable dog, anal glands need no scheduled attention at all, because they usually empty on their own as firm stools pass, and routine squeezing is unnecessary. The picture changes with signs: scooting, licking or biting at the rear, a strong fishy smell, swelling beside the anus, or pain when sitting all…
Work when she is settled, under good light, and trim only the hair sticking out beyond her pads, using blunt-ended scissors or careful clippers while her paw rests flat enough for you to see the pad line clearly, and support the paw from underneath so toes stay relaxed rather than pulled apart. Never dig down between…
Rebuild the process as a ladder he can leave at any point: settle him on a mat with his chin resting down as an opt-in signal, move to gentle paw handling, then show the clippers and let him hear their sound before attempting any cut, and let him set the pace throughout. When cutting finally begins, take one tiny trim…
Treat shedding as ordinary when loose hair comes away evenly and gradually across the body, fresh coat looks normal underneath, and the skin stays calm, comfortable and free from odour. Book a vet conversation when loss turns patchy or one-sided, or when itching, redness, flakes, greasy texture or a returning smell…
Tar needs patience rather than force: it sets hard and binds hair tightly, so massage food-grade oil into the patch gradually, let the oil loosen the bond, and ease strands free a few at a time, repeating the application instead of pulling harder. Chewing gum often firms up when chilled and then picks out in pieces,…
Work burrs out one by one: hold the hair firmly at the skin so the pull does not tug the root, then tease each burr free from its tip outward with fingers or a comb, and never drag a whole mat of burrs out in one motion. For sap, soften the patch first with a little food-safe oil or a detangler worked in with your…
A sour beard usually means a damp beard: food and water sit in the hair after meals and drinks alike, and the trapped moisture turns stale between grooms. Wipe the beard with a damp cloth after eating and drinking, dry the hair thoroughly with a towel, and comb out trapped bits before they mat and hold moisture. Use a…
A Lagotto's woolly coat felts when owners brush the surface and leave the base untouched, so part the coat and work in small sections right down to the skin with fingers and a comb, separating forming mats by hand. Work one small area fully before moving on, and repeat the sectioning weekly — cords left unparted for a…
Work the coat in layers outdoors: an undercoat rake through one section at a time, a slicker following to lift what the rake loosened, then a comb drawn to the skin to prove that section is clear before you move on. Never shave a double coat down, because that coat regulates temperature in both directions and…
During the annual blow, brush your Samoyed for 15 to 20 minutes every day, working in sections and combing to the skin so loose undercoat comes out rather than packing into mats. Use an undercoat rake and slicker, clear the dense areas behind the ears, in the armpits, and around the breeches, and never shave the…
During a puppy's first coat change, the soft coat tangles daily because it is being pushed out by the adult coat growing through it, so comb through to the skin every day in short, kind sessions and tease out small tangles the day they appear rather than letting them felt. Splitting the daily comb-through between…
Build the clean-up into the doorway: keep a shallow paw tray or a jug of lukewarm water by the door, dip and wipe each paw on arrival, then towel every paw fully dry, including between the toes. Trim the hair around the paw pads so it holds less mud, check between the toes for grit while you dry, and never use…
Keep a light weekly rhythm: run a grooming mitt or soft bristle brush over the coat once a week to lift loose hair and flakes, rinse mud off with plain water after wet walks rather than reaching for shampoo, and dry the coat fully afterwards. Watch the flaking pattern rather than the flakes themselves, since plain…
Groom her lying down rather than standing: settle her on a padded, non-slip surface, work on the side facing you, then let her get up and settle again on her other side when she is ready, or save that side for another day. Split one full groom into short instalments across several days, support her weight briefly…
Keep the job narrow: tidy only the hair around the paw pads, the groin and the rear, using blunt-ended scissors or careful clippers in good light on a settled dog. Have one person hold and reward the dog while the other trims, lift loose hair away from the skin rather than cutting close to folds, and wipe the rear…
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