Beldames’ Saloon

Deciding when and how to bathe your dog is often difficult. This is because your dogs bathing frequency depends on a list of factors: your dogs breed, how much time they spend outdoors, your dog’s age, as well as any existing medical conditions, just to name a few.

Simply, when and how you bathe your dog will change throughout the year as well as throughout the dog’s life. Below is a list of reasons that your dog may need a bath, as well as some pointers to help you along the way:

1. Your dog encountered something and smells.
This is the #1 reason that your dog is bathed. If your pal is like ours and has a way of finding something smelly to roll in, then he’ll need a bath right away. Use a good shampoo like Bio Groom ® and don’t be afraid to wash him twice if needed.

2. Your dog has a “doggy smell”.
Odor on your dogs coat can often be traced to a problem with their ears, mouth, feet, or anal glands. An odor coming from the skin is often a sign of disease, such as a yeast infection. Any dog with more than a “doggy smell” should be checked by your veterinarian. For dogs with a simple doggy odor, choose a general shampoo, such as Tomlyn Shampoos.

3. Your dog has dandruff.
Dandruff can be caused by dry, irritated, or oily skin, however all of these conditions can be helped by selecting an appropriate shampoo as well as good bathing habits. Be sure to check with your veterinarian or groomer to determine the cause of your dog’s skin condition. For general treatment try using Kelco Filthy Animal Shampoo.

4. Your dog has allergies.
Bathing your pooch with itchy skin from allergies can be soothing and also help reduce itching. In many cases, a soothing oatmeal shampoo or a gentle hypo-allergenic can be used.

5. Your dog has fleas, mites, or lice.
Shampooing is one of the best ways to rid your dog of external parasites. Work with your veterinarian to get the appropriate diagnosis, as well as treatment options. You could try Bio-Grooms Flea & Tick Shampoo. All Bio-Groom products are tearless, and with the formulas Protein and Lanolin it’s safe to use on most dogs when you fear they may be infested.
Once you determine shampoo you will need - for instance, if your dog always gets an unpleasant “doggy smell” a few weeks after bathing - then choose an appropriate shampoo and have it on hand for when you need it.

Additional tips to remember when bathing your dog…

• Always use a shampoo formulated for dogs. Human shampoos are often harsher than pet shampoos, which can do more damage than good if you use human shampoo on pets.

• Start bathing when a dog is young so bath time will be easier throughout the life of your dog.

• Regular brushing is one of the best ways to take care of your dog’s skin and coat. Consult your veterinarian or breeder to determine the appropriate grooming cycle for your dog. Remember brushing and removing mats should always be done before bathing.

• Fatty acid supplements used in addition to your pet’s good diet will help maintain a healthy coat and skin. For the best coats, we recommend daily brushing, regular baths, and supplementation with a fatty acid supplement like Linatone Plus for Dogs or Lipiderm Tablets.

Every dog needs to be bathed. With the advice of your veterinarian or groomer and these helpful hints, you can be sure that your dog looks, feels, and most importantly smells great. Something your whole family will appreciate!

Mike Steele

http://www.dog.com

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Bottom water fish are those that prefer living at the lowest level of the aquarium. It’s not that they can’t swim into the upper regions, they will when spurred by a fish that pesters them, or just for the sake of a quick dash around the tank. But for the most part, they live on the bottom, which is where most of their food comes from.

Tropical fish that prefer the bottom of the tank, usually eat algae that grows there, as well as leftover food that falls on the substrate or the broad leaves of some plants. In a way, the bottom water fish are the housekeepers of your aquarium, cleaning up scraps and preventing the build up of algae. But this is not always a sufficient diet, and they need to be given food that comes in a form or shape specifically designed to reach, and appeal to the bottom feeder.

This is usually a wafer shape, dense enough that it sinks past the top and middle feeders, to rest on the bottom and soften. The bottom feeders can then browse at their leisure, returning later to clean up the remains. In that respect, they are not like top and middle feeders, where food is given a pinch at a time, and feeding should stop as soon as they lose interest. Those tropical fish that hang around the bottom tend to be “grazers”, and not the gulpers that you’ll find dashing for the surface when they see you coming.

Some of the better-known bottom water fish are the loach, and catfish. There are also algae eaters, Botia, Corys, Knifefish and the more unusual specimens like Goby and Needle Nose.

About The Author

Nate Jamieson

Love Tropical Fish? Find out how to create a beautiful, low-cost tropical fish aquarium with complimentary tips at http://www.TropicalFishIsland.com.

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Generally people are very keen on animals, dogs
especially,wanting to have one in their apartments or houses.
The dog breeders are the persons you can contact whenever you
want to take a pure breed dog. Yet, the problem of the dog
breeders’s reputation arises and you need to be sure that this
person is indeed looking after his animals that they are healthy
and so an. It is easy to check the advertisements in your local
newspaper but it would be advisable to make sure that the dog
breeder you have chosen is reputable. The purpose of this
article is to suggest some ways by which you can find out
whether that particular person is responsible and trustworthy or
not.

Try to reach his references

Generally, responsible and professional dog breeder are very
careful with their references: if this can be extended, any
person characterized be professionally should be interested in
that. The good dog breeder will provide you some information
regarding his past ‘collaborations’ and will give you the
telephone number or any other contact mean by which you can
observe his success. You can always contact a dog breeder who
has helped some of your friends because you can be told by them
exactly how responsible that person was.

You will be asked several questions

A good dog breeder is likely to be fond of many of his animals
and might ask you more questions than you will. They want to
make sure that the animals are placed in a correct environment
with the correct people because this is very important. They
will need details of your life and finances: whether you have
children or not, the size of your house and garden and other
questions to make sure the dog is sent to the right place, with
the right family. If your dog breeder doesn’t ask all these
questions, is definitely interested in your money and might not
have looked after the dog properly.

Risks and guarantees

A professional dog breeder will have had all the dogs and
puppies passed through medical analysis before selling them.Yet,
there are some problems which can be seen after several moths or
maybe years. For instance the golden retrievers may have this
problem called dysphasia, a genetics flaw in the animals’ hip
joints, which cannot be seen until the animal is several months
old. In this case, a good dog breeder should have no problem in
giving your money back despite any unfortunate situation. These
genetic problems can be avoided by means of selective breeding,
yet many puppies have it as consequence of an hereditary genetic
disorder, while some of them gain it not as an hereditary
effect.

Other ways of reaching a dog breeder

The Internet and local newspapers are only some of the places
where you can find a dog breeder. You can also try the
veterinary offices and pet shops as well as dog exhibitions. The
last mean is indeed trustworthy as the dog breeder is giving off
his success and love for his dogs as well as the performance he
has reached.

For great information about dog breeders, dog breeds, dog books,
dogs for sale, stud dogs, dog names, dog rescue, dogs wanted and
missing dogs just visit us at http://www.alldogz.com

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You’ll want to use protective dog clothing to keep your active dog safe and warm when adventuring in the great outdoors. The right dog clothing will go a long way in protecting your dog from cuts, scratches and severe weather conditions.

Protective dog clothing like dog coats, vests, and dog booties are important for more than one reason. The main function of dog clothing, like our own clothing, is to keep your dog dry and warm when the weather turns stormy and cold.

But many people take advantage of the newer styles of dog clothing that incorporate safety features like reflective materials stitched into the outfits. They help to make your dog much more visible when the weather darkens the sky. This is an important safety consideration for the dog that is active outdoors.

And if you take your dog hunting or hiking through the woods, she’ll really appreciate the protective features of dog clothing designed specifically for active dogs. Even the most user-friendly trails through the park are usually somewhat overgrown at the edges with sharp sticker bushes and splintering bramble.

When planning our outdoor activities we put a good deal of thought into packing all sorts of protective clothing that we’ll need to keep ourselves dry, warm and comfortable throughout our trip.

But are we leaving our canine friends out in the cold? Since many of our dogs look so well protected in their natural fur coats, most people never consider that they too could benefit from protective dog clothing. There are times when the cold weather or sharp thorns penetrate even the thickest of coats.

Just like us, if our dogs are left unprotected for extended periods of time they can suffer the chilling effects of the elements . . . losing their body heat at an accelerated rate.

So before your next outing, consider packing some protective clothing for your canine pal too!

Tips For Selecting Dog Coats, Vests, & Dog Booties

A good fit is essential. Dog clothing like a dog coat, vest or dog boots must fit well so that it will remain securely in place throughout an active day of hunting or hiking.

You’ll want a dog coat that will protect your dog from the elements and rough brush found on hunting and hiking trails.

How sensitive to the elements your dog is will depend a great deal on the weather conditions, how much time he spends outside and the type of coat he has.

Shorthaired breeds tend to be more sensitive to direct rain and cold. Whereas the fur of thick-coated breeds are more prone to absorb lots of water.

The coat that you choose must be designed to keep your dog warm while providing protection from wind and rain. When it’s windy and cold outside, fleece dog clothing will definitely help keep your pooch toasty warm.

But remember fleece alone is not the best choice for trail conditions. It won’t provide much protection from the rain and it won’t stand up very well against the rough brush on the trails.

A dog coat with a combination of a warm fleece lining and a durable nylon shell will provide maximum protection and will help maintain your dog’s core body heat.

If there’s a chance that you’ll be taking your dog into a cold and rainy environment it’s probably a good idea to pack a raincoat, too.

And if you choose a dog coat that covers the underside of your dog, make sure that it’s designed to give your dog enough room to do his business.

Your dog’s jacket will also provide some protection from thorns and burrs. Dog owners with thick-coated or longhaired breeds will find this a very nice bonus. Removing burdocks from fur is no picnic!

Dog clothing designed for the active hound should allow your dog to enjoy a full range of motion. So make sure the leg openings will not restrict your dog’s movement.

Also, look for garments designed with clean lines that are less likely to get caught on things. A well-fitting garment designed for the shape of your particular breed is best.

Copyright 2005 Dog-Supplies Advisor.com, all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.

Publication is permitted so long as the resource information at the end of the article remains intact, and links are live.

About the Author

Courtesy of http://www.dog-supplies-advisor.com a site dedicated to providing dog care advice on a broad range of dog-related topics. Includes articles, frequently asked questions, recommendations, and tips for dog owners.

Read more about selecting great dog clothes at http://www.dog-supplies-advisor.com/dog-clothes.html & http://www.dog-supplies-advisor.com/small-dog-clothes.html

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