Dobby is a sweet and loving 1-1/2 year-old Collie mix in need of a family. He was extremely scared when he arrived at the shelter in Kentucky, and unfortunately was placed on the list for euthanasia. DAWS had a transport scheduled and decided to take a chance on him. Since arriving at our shelter, he has transformed into an energetic and playful pup who loves long walks and romping and playing in the yard with squeaky toys. He’s still a bit nervous when meeting new people, but is willing to give out kisses to whomever is willing to accept him.

Dobby is fantastic to train; he learns quickly and knows his basic commands. He is also very sweet. He is energetic and will need a positive way to release that energy. He’d make a great running buddy and would do well in doggie agility or participating in other dog sports.

Somehow Dobby learned to climb fences, so his new family will need to be aware of this. He would do best in a home with a very, very high fence, a yard with an electronic fence, or a non-fenced yard where he is not left unattended. As long as he gets to run and play an expend his energy in a positive manner, he will be a great dog for an active family.

As all cat owners know, their cat already does a pretty good job of keeping herself clean. In fact, at times it may seem like all cats ever do is groom themselves. This is just part of a cat’s nature; their cleanliness and hygiene is one of their upmost priorities, alongside catching up on any missed sleep and bringing you home interesting gifts, of course.

With this in mind it may be a surprise to some pet owners that they can give their cat even more of a helping hand when it comes to keeping them clean. However, before we dive in to the ways you can offer assistance, it’s good to know how cats keep themselves so well groomed.

How do cats clean themselves?

It’s not hard to pick up on many of your cats grooming habits, but to help any new pet owners, we have broken down the different types of behavior and why your cat goes to such lengths to keep themselves clean in the first place.

Licking – The number one way that cats keep themselves clean is through licking. Although for us this may seem like a strange way to maintain hygiene levels, cat’s tongues are designed to effectively clean any particularly dirty areas of their coat. The moisture of their tongues allows them to target any problem areas, and it won’t take long for your pet to be sparkling clean.

Brushing With Their Paws – Another way cats grooms themselves is with their paws. They do this by licking the surface of their paw and then running it over their coat. This allows them to reach parts of their coats that even the most flexible cats can’t manage with their tongue.

Using Their Teeth – Although not as popular as the first two habits covered, cats can often use their teeth to de-mat their coat and remove any loose fur as well.

All in all, cats already do a very good job of keeping themselves well groomed. However, as an owner that wants to offer a little bit of help, there are a number of things you can do to ensure your cat’s hygiene levels stay as high as they can, keeping your pet fit and healthy.

Helping Keep Your Cat Clean

The fact that cats do such a good job keeping their cleanliness levels so high may mean some owners neglect grooming altogether. All cat owners should look to find some ways to offer help. Some cats may be wary of being groomed, so it can take time to ease them into the process.

Brushing – Using a metal comb and brushing all over the body in the direction that the coat grows is all that is needed to remove dirt and debris from short-haired cats. A rubber brush can also be helpful in removing dead hair on cats with short fur. Long-haired cats need a bit more attention. Start brushing the abdomen and legs and gently comb fur upward toward your cat’s head. Comb the neck fur upward, toward her chin, and make a part down the middle of her tail and gently brush the fur outward toward either side.

Begin brushing your cat regularly. Most cats should be receptive to this type of grooming because it is so similar to being petted. However, by brushing your cat’s coat you will be able to keep an eye out for any potential issues or skin irritations. Although cats are great at cleaning themselves they can’t exactly alert you if their skin or coat is overcome with parasites. Brushing will mean you can stay on top of any unwanted developments.

Bathing – If your cat gets into something that makes her very dirty, sticky, or smelly, you may need to give her a bath. Bathing a cat isn’t always so easy, and it is best to do so after an intense play session when she is tired and more mellow. Give her a good brushing to remove any loose hair, place some cotton in her ears to keep water out, then fill your sink or tub with approximately three to four inches of lukewarm water. It is helpful to put a rubber mat in the sink or tub where you will be bathing her to keep her from slipping. Gently massage your cat  from head to tail with a mixture of cat shampoo and water (1 part shampoo to 5 parts water), taking care to avoid the face, ears, and eyes. Once clean, rinse kitty with a hose or pitcher, ensuring that all residue has been removed. Use a washcloth with plain water or extra diluted shampoo to wipe off her face. Once complete, wrap your cat in a large towel and dry her in in a warm place.

Ear Cleaning – Monitoring your cat’s ears once per week for wax, debris and infection will help her stay perky and alert to your every move. Fold your cat’s ear back gently and wipe away any debris or earwax that you can see in her ear with some liquid ear cleaner on a clean cotton ball or piece of gauze. Do not attempt to clean the inner ear canal, as probing inside your cat’s ear can cause trauma or infection.

These are a few simple tips on how you can offer some help to your cat to keep her clean. The ASPCA offers more helpful information on nail trimming, eye cleaning, and dental care. If you do decide to groom your cat remember that patience is key. Not rushing your pet will make the whole experience far more enjoyable for both you and your cat.

About the author:

This post was written by Jenny Nolan, normally found writing articles for a pet grooming blog Cleaner Paws with Mom Sue.

Summer is here at last, which means all kinds of fun in the sun, from barbecues to beach excursions and more. What better way to while away the summer days than with man’s best friend by your side? Before you and your pooch head out into the great outdoors be sure to put some thought into your pet’s safety. It is important to remember that dogs overheat quickly and that they need supervision around water. There are also a few things to be mindful of when it comes to barbecues and gardening.

Be Mindful of the Heat

It is widely known that dogs overheat much quicker than humans do. Your dog can get uncomfortably hot long before the dog days of summer are here. What isn’t widely known is that keeping your dog’s coat long is better than shaving off all of that fur. It seems pretty counter-intuitive, but a well maintained fur coat helps regulate your dog’s temperature and improves circulation.

Other tricks to keep your dog cool are fairly obvious. Keep your dog hydrated, use air conditioners or fans and even frozen treats to beat the heat. Limit outdoor activity during the hottest period of the day, which is typically between 1PM and 4PM. When walking try to keep your dog on the grass instead of the asphalt, and stick to the shady side of the street. If your dog will need to be on asphalt for an extended period of time, put down a towel for him to stand on.

It is important to recognize the signs of heat exhaustion in your dog so that you can act quickly if it happens. Symptoms include heavy panting, dry looking or red gums, thick ropy drool, vomiting and diarrhea. If your dog is displaying these symptoms move him to a cool location. Drape damp towels over him and swap them out frequently. Take your dog’s temperature, normal is between 100 and 103 degrees, if his temperature gets up to 106 degrees he could be at risk for heat stroke. Provide your dog with cool water but don’t force him to drink and continue to check his temperature every five minutes. Even if your dog seems to be getting better it’s a good idea to check in with the vet.

The Car is No Place for a Dog

While your dog may like to take road trips with you, it should go without saying that you should never leave your dog in the car. On a mild day, where the temperature is 70 degrees, the internal temperature of the car can reach almost 100 degrees in a span of 20 minutes. If it’s 85 degrees outside it will reach a sweltering 104 degrees in as little as ten minutes. Even if you leave the windows open and park in the shade, the car will still be too hot for your dog.

A Cool Dip

Swimming is a great reprieve from the harsh summer sun. Definitely invest in a good life vest for your dog, get one that is brightly colored so that you and others can easily spot him in the water. At the beach or at rivers be on the lookout for riptides because your pet could quickly be swept out to sea. In a lake or a pond, skip the swim if it is covered in blue-green algae, it could be toxic to your dog. If you have a pool you need to train him how to exit the pool by himself, make sure that you practice it over and over and over so that he’ll remember how to get out if he gets tired or falls in. You might also want to consider getting a dog friendly ramp installed in the deep end of the pool for good measure.

Avoid Human Foods

Barbecues are another seemingly innocuous activity that can be dangerous for dogs. They can be great opportunities to socialize your dog with friends and neighbors so it would be a shame to keep them indoors. Make sure that all of your guests know not to feed him scraps of fatty meats, bones or corn on the cob. In fact it might be best that they don’t feed him any people food at all. Keep an eye on your dog around charcoal briquettes, they are surprisingly tasty to him and can wreak all sorts of digestive system havoc.

Keep Your Garden Safe for Fido

Dogs make great gardening buddies once you teach them not to ‘help’ you dig holes. You might want to opt for dog friendly plants and flowers since dogs are more likely to stop and eat the flowers than smell them. Try to avoid sago palms, dieffenbachia, azaleas, kalanchoes and lilies as they are toxic to pets. Many fertilizers are harmless, just try to steer clear of types that have blood, bone or feather meal in them, they are tempting to eat and they can cause bowel obstructions. In terms of insecticides and pesticides if you have to use them, make sure that you select ones without organophosphates.

Overall, summer is one of the best times be a dog owner and also one of the most dangerous. Don’t let that deter you though, with a little foresight and some precautions it is easy enough to avoid disaster. Summer activities are infinitely more rewarding when you can share them with your furry friends so get out there and start making memories that will last a lifetime!

Written by: Elizabeth Boluch