At-home grooming how-to?

NAIL IT
If your dog is like many and absolutely dreads his pawdicure above all else, remind yourself to remain cool, calm, and collected throughout the not necessarily unpleasant process. If he yelps out in fear, fight the urge to do the same, and instead forge ahead quietly and offer the occasional reassuring gentle pat when he’s silently cooperating. Dogs are tricky creatures, and many will yelp before you’ve even applied enough pressure to clip the nail. Steel yourself to the cause and both you and your dog will learn that it is a quick, painless procedure.

To begin, have your dog standing and hold one foot back at a time (the way you check a horse’s foot). For dogs with black nails, trim the tip of the nail in very small increments. Continue clipping until you see a dark circle in the center of the nail (the quick). If you do clip the quick, resist the urge to panic and simply blot and apply some styptic powder, such as QuickStop. If you don’t have any on hand, flour is a good substitute. If your dog has white nails it will be easier to see where the quick ends, but still clip in small increments as the quick sometimes extends past where it looks to end.

EAR YOU HAVE IT

Regardless of your dogs’ ear type (floppy, cropped, or pointed), a cotton swab should never be used to clean their ears. Instead, squirt some gentle ear cleanser with natural ingredients made specifically for dogs directly onto a cotton ball and clean around the outer areas of the ear. Most vets will advise not to squirt anything right into your dog’s ear canal, even if the product advises you to, unless it is vet-prescribed medicine. Just like with our ears, don’t clean too deep or too often. The frequency with which a dog’s ears should be cleaned varies tremendously according to breed and the individual. When you notice a light brown, waxy build up, you’ll know it’s time for a cleaning! Be sure to check for signs of infection, such as dark brown or black smelly wax or a red and inflamed ear canal. If any of these are present inside your dog’s ear, it’s time to visit the vet.

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