I feel totally inept!!

Scooter

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#1
I never brush my dogs teeth or clean her ears. Should I be doing these things? I clip her nails and give her baths every couple of weeks, but that's about it. Should I be doing more for her??
 

wookie130

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#2
Well, you're not inept!!! The ears can be cleaned after she's bathed (since you do it once every couple of weeks), just remember to put cotton balls in her ears during the bath to prevent too much water from entering into the canal. Once she's clean, and dry, you can then gently clean her ears with a mild ear cleanser and a cotton ball, or some tissue wrapped around your index finger. I never brush my dog's teeth either...and none of my dogs have a lot of tartar build-up. I leave the dental stuff to the vet...but brushing their teeth at home is a great habit to develop with one of those finger tooth-brushes made for dogs. HTH!
 
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#3
My dogs are awful with the tooth brushing, but the ears are easy. when they go to the groomers, they get the full treatment, and have not had an y problems with them.
 
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#5
I hate to admit it, but I've never brushed my two's teeth. I know that I should have gotten them used to it when they were younger, but I really didn't know at that time.
 

firedog03

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#6
From what I've been told by ppl working at vets offices, just brushing once in a while won't do anything, it has to be a regular routine.

Also, does your dog get bathed every two weeks due to dirtiness? I'm asking because that can really dry their coats out to bathe them that often. :)
 

wookie130

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#7
Also, does your dog get bathed every two weeks due to dirtiness? I'm asking because that can really dry their coats out to bathe them that often. :)
Bathing a dog with a non-detergent, extremely mild shampoo, such as Earthbath or Cloud Star's Buddy Wash can be done as often as you like, with no ill effects to a dog or their skin and coat. The more ingredients the shampoo has, the more likely you'll end up with a dry and itchy dog, who is stripped of natural oils. But, if you're using an extremely mild/basic/gentle/non-detergent shampoo, such as one that contains a coconut-base, you can bathe your dog as often as once a week, or once every two weeks. It's an age-old debate, but a lot of the "dry skin and coat" argument is based on the results of most commercial dog shampoos that contain detergents and other harsher cleansing agents.
 
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#8
I brush our dogs teeth and clean their ears every time they get a bath (every two weeks)--they get washed with a gentle shampoo and conditioned every time too.
 
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#9
Actually...

Raw meaty bones work wonders for teeth :) And it seems like the dogs like that way much better too!

But yep ears need care too, cotton balls, cleaning, all that fun stuff! I've noticed my dog with upright ears rarely needs her ears cleaned but the other 2 floppy eared boys are always needing it!
 

Scooter

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#10
To answer the question about bathing- we live near the ocean and near a lagoon. She loves to play in the water but ends up really stinky. This seems to happen every couple of weeks. Sometimes we don't even use the dog shampoo, just water.
 

Jazzie Poo

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#11
I wash Jazzie every two weeks................again with a very mild soap.......sometimes without.............it still rinses most of the dirt from her coat! Ears...thats a different matter all together.............have to do it regularly......or they will start to smell and then I can be sure that an infection will follow!!!
 

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