BC

Poor little matey I've never had a problem with the food but have never used on a dog with skin conditions as such. I would probably call the vet and just check whether there is any ingredients you should avoid, and then compare it to the ingredients included.

I think you will see some great improvements with what you're doing. I find Advance Turkey and Rice fantastic for coat growth, but some good quality food, with some sardines and raw eggs should do wonders. Also a trip to the groomers should start to improve coat and skin condition. It's amazing what a bad diet and nutrition can cause to skin and coat

Cooper - 2 CD passes early next year to get CD title, and hopefully CXD title by the end of 2008 Will also start herding after 1st CDX pass Vinnie - concentrate on his sleeping New puppy - start showing and maybe a CCD pass towards the end of 2008

Aaargh, Vinnie is a bench surfer, but all it takes if for me to walk into the kitchen and he's down in a shot. I dont even have to speak so he knows he's not to do it. I just have to keep an eye on him and he gets told off and sent out of the kitchen when I catch him. In saying that he never has the chance to do it often, but given the opportunity he has a sneak peak of whats cooking My new pup coming in Feb will definately be a very sneaky bench surfer if mum and the breed in general is anything to go by so I look forward to this happening more often. Just have to make sure there are no inviting goodies on the bench.

I love poms clipped they look sooooo cutesy. This is mum and dads pom Joffa after I clip him for summer.

They're nice and short so your job will be relatively easy. Just continue to brush every day or two with a metal comb down to the skin to make sure all knots, burs and grass seeds are removed. Also brush areas such as legs, armpits, ears and behind ears, tummies etc as these areas are prone to knot if left. Also give their faces a wash down after meals if you notice they are getting food slops stuck in it Just saw your recent post. You could take them to a groomer to get their feet and face shaved so they look much neater and more like a poodle, however, they will not have any top knot though as this will take a little time to grow so it is up to you. Cindy is also less poodle than Sasha, but there is not harm in getting a poodle clip done for both of them. It does help rehoming with a nice haircut

Agree with everything said here. It's a big job, and trust me, if your dogs does not like having his legs brushed, there is no way he is going to let you clip him yourself. Way too cheap so be wary. I would opt to take him to a grooming salon or a skilled mobile groomer, and if your washer is not completely grooming him out prior to a bath, getting rid of all knots entirely, get someone else in as this is causing tighter knots. Think of your hair tied up too tight in a pony tail ?? Now think of your dog having his legs and possibly an entire body left like that for months, only getting tighter with every wash. Often matted dogs will be quite bruised underneath due to the matting pulling up on the skin, so it is very very uncomfortable for the dog. The cost you should be looking at is between around $90 to $120 ?? Also, due to matting on the legs the clip will most likely be quite short unless the groomer is willing to sit there for hours splitting the matts and brushing them out. They would also charge more for this. Also, too bad if your dogs does not like having his legs brushed, they have to be done, so he will have to get used to it. Invest in a soft slicker and metal comb. Brushing is complete when the metal comb goes through the entire dog to the skin without any knots. Definately get him clipped and start the coat groth again as he will be much more comfortable without the matting and knots.

How old is he ?? His coat is more GR than poodle. His coat is not as hairy as some of the "groodles" I do but personally I would get him clipped every 12 weeks to keep him in good condition and as his coat will continue to grow. Brushing will need to be done at least 3 times a week with a slicker and metal comb to make sure there are no knots at all. If you keep the coat in good condition, you can clip them back to around 1 inch every 3 months and they look very nice and still fluffy or you can go short which is what most people do this time of year. You can keep the coat long if you wish, but it makes much more work for you on a daily basis. Also, if you leave knots in the coat and do not remove every couple of days, the coat will start to matt, which means the groomer will most likely clip him back very short. Make sure all knots are out of the coat prior to washing, as this is the cause of matting. (Groomer should be doing this each month! ) Edited once I saw the entire body shot of him ;)

This is some info on Collie nose: 'Collie nose' is used to describe a condition in which breeds with little or no pigment on their face develop lesions, usually on the nose, eyelids, and lips. The lesions are caused by a hypersensitivity to sunlight. Despite the term 'Collie nose,' breeds other than Collies can also be affected, especially Shetland Sheepdogs. Collie nose has an inherited component and is worse in areas with sunny climates. What are the symptoms? Usually the lesions appear as pink, raw areas about the nose and occasionally on the eyelids. The hypersensitive areas may actually ulcerate and develop a crusty scab-like covering. The condition may vary from mild irritation to severe ulcerating lesions that hemorrhage. What are the risks? Left untreated, severe discomfort can result. As the nasal tissues become deeply irritated, they may crack, bleed, and impair breathing. All cases should begin treatment in the early stages. Advanced stages may develop into a form of cancer, which can be deadly. Hope the vet can diagnose

I was going to say Cat food as suggested by peibe

Sometimes Vinnies nails flake a little when he's been running on hard surfaces. Just little chips on the end, nothing major. What sort of surfaces is your dog on ?

Could it be something like "collie nose" ?

If someone asks me to go as short as I can I usually do a 7F# unless I have to use a 10# due to severe matting.

BC do you find the Wahl sharpen up OK? They seem mid range from what I can see, I am finding it hard to justify more than $100 for a pair since I don't even know how much grooming we'll be doing let along scissoring. So far I'm looking at a 6.5 both straight and curved and an 8 straight, plus probably a pair of thinning scissors as I can see me using them a bit for BC (we have a few of round here). I find they sharpen great, as you can see from the scarson my hands :rolleyes:

You could try one of those Cd's that desensitize your dog to loud, strange noises, such as fire works, guns, traffic etc. I have one at home and think its great.

I work with Wahl 6.5 daily, as I do mostly small/toy dogs, but I also have 7.5 for the medium sized dogs. Get both curved and straight. Curved are handy for top knots and sometimes faces etc, and also working left handed, and straight for shaping legs and general shaping.

If your dog is wormed regularly, yes, it could be anal glands. Its quite common in small breeds. As you have never done it before get the vets to express them for you as there is an art to it, and I cannot desribe how gross it is. You will nearly spew when you first see it done Vets could prob show you how to do it, or you may decide it is a permanent job for them. If your dog goes to a groomer, some of them will do anal glads as part of their service.

Depends on the shampoo used. As long as it is a very gentle shampoo should not cause any probs.

I totally agree lilli. I have rules and everyone who comes here must abide by them. Dog fights are not fun, and it takes measures by everyone in the household to prevent them. Some certain people think I am cruel by crating my dogs when they're over, but hey, if it prevents fights I couldn't give 2 hoots what they think. Until they have been in that position themselves, they will not understand that what you are doing is best for your dogs.

Fights dont really bother me at all, however, if I catch them fighting they know they are in big big trouble and I will run out and stop them asap. Mine have had a couple of big fights resulting in vet visits and drainage tubes etc. This is poor Vinnie who came off second best from both fights I just had to work out what the problem was, and now that it is sorted out, they are best of mates again and haven't had a fight since. Scraps dont bother me. Not all people get along all the time, and I think of it like children fighting over something etc. They are always going to have little disagreements every now and then. I just check for any wounds, if small clean them up myself and give antibiotics for a few days, but if bad I obviously go to the vets. When they had a fight I would seperate for a couple of days to let them both settle. Wait to see your behaviouralist as you need to find out what the problem is before you can solve anything, good luck :D

Very minimal equipment for a Beagle. Zoom Groom or Furminator to remove hair Nail clipper or dremel for nail maintenace Baby wipes or similar to clean ears and face Good quaility dog shampoo Blow dryer if you like Thats all

You will need to give your dog a good once over every day to check for grass seeds to get them before they are imbedded. Clipping wont stop them as I even find them in newly clipped dogs. You will just have to be very mindful of them this time of year, and every year and thoroughly check for them every day.

I will sometimes get clients asking me to just clip their dog, nothing else. But I wont do it. The dogs I do are clipped, washed, dried, and clipped again then finishing touches on face, legs, feet etc. I agree Dru, you cannot get a nice even clip, regardless of length if you dont do the washing and drying properly prior to finishing it off. I see so many messy clips, and I can guarantee the dog is clipped, washed and dried and given back Some dogs have quite a bit of hair that lies flat to the body and cannot be clipped to the correct length unless washed and dried prior.

Yep, another reason I dont charge by the hour

I dont think it is clipper rash. Nearly all of the dogs I groom, run their bum on the ground after I have clipped them and prior to their bath. After their bath and dry they're fine, but some will still do it a little bit even when completely finished. It feels different, and a little weird. They have gone from a hairy bum, to a shaved bum, and it could be a little prickly Just think of having a brazillian wax, same thing You will definately see clipper burn/rash, and the bum will be very red and irritated and there will be obvious discomfort from your dog for days.