Tips on bathing your dog

1. Start bathing your dog regularly at a young age to get him used to the process. But remember, puppies should be at least four weeks old before they receive their first bath.

2. Before starting an indoor bath, make sure the house is warm. Turn up the thermostat a few degrees if necessary. Do your prep work and have everything ready ahead of time; you don't want to be scrambling for shampoo or a towel while you're trying to wash the dog.

3. Start by combing and brushing out all mats. Otherwise, the water will turn the mats into solid masses, which will require clippers to remove. If your dog's hair is matted with paint, tar or some other sticky material, trim with clippers or soak the area with vegetable or mineral oil for 24 hours. (Consult a professional groomer for especially difficult tangles.)

4. Prep your dog. Put a drop of mineral oil in the eyes to protect them from suds. Some people use cotton balls in the ears. If you use cotton balls, make sure they're the right size for your dog's ears; if they're too small, they may slip down the ear canal. Be very gentle with your dog's delicate ears and don't push the cotton down further than can be easily retrieved.

5. Bathe your dog as quickly as possible to make the process less annoying for both of you. Be thorough and do a good cleaning, but whether you're using an indoor tub or shower or washing him in the yard, do it as quickly as possible. Make sure to dry your dog immediately. Use a good pet chamois, lots of big soft towels, or a hair dryer set to a low setting.
(If you don't dry him, he will "shake off" all the water on you, your house or anything nearby!)

Alice England

makingstuffwithlove.etsy.com

Early Learning in Dogs

The period from birth to three months of age is the most important in a dog’s life. This is the time when it learns about itself, its littermates, and the world around it. It discovers what is fun and what is dangerous. The more a young dog is allowed to investigate its surroundings, the more developed its brain becomes. A happy, alert pup is easier to train.

At seven days: During the first week of its life, the pup is both blind and deaf. It employs heat sensors in its nose to locate its mother.
At fourteen days: After two weeks, the pup’s eyes are open. Using all four legs, it can now just raise itself off the ground. The head can be lifted
At three weeks: The puppy now has the ability to move around in the direction of its choice, although tentatively.
Six weeks: The confident pup is now ready to investigate the world around it. Movement is deliberate and coordinated.

Make sure your pup meets as many people as possible while it is still very young. Ask friends to kneel down to help curb its inclination to jump up. Advise your friends to avoid eye contact, which often provokes an unduly excited response. Reward calm behavior.

Whenever possible, introduce your pup to other species that it is likely to encounter. It is best to do this when the dog is less than 12 weeks old. After that age, greater care must be taken to make sure that neither predatory instincts nor its fear of strange animals is stimulated. Always supervise meetings.

Don’t encourage bad habits -- reinforce only good behavior. You may find some traits, such as pawing for attention, endearing in a pup, but these habits become unacceptable in an adult dog. If you carry a puppy constantly when its young, it will expect the same treatment if it feels insecure as an adult.

Oversee all your puppy’s activities to make sure that frightening situations are kept to a minimum. Fears that are learned at an early age can develop into enduring phobias unless overcome ra
pidly.

In all relationships with dogs, the human must play the part of ’top dog’. Few dogs want to be pack leaders. The vast majority feel secure knowing that there is someone in command.

Are you the leader of your pack?

Alice England
Makingstuffwithlove.etsy.com