# 1 Million Questions Cont'd...



## SaydeeMomma (Sep 9, 2008)

Saydee had her first grooming appointment today! Technically, it wasn't a full blown grooming. She just shampood (is _*shampood *_a real word?) trimmed up her feet and clipped her front nails _*on a grooming table*_. It was a really big deal for me... er, I mean it was a really big deal for Saydee of course!

I'm super happy because I found this groomer by word of mouth, and she's one of the few in my area that will do a scissor trim. I'm clipper-phobic and really want to preserve my beautiful pup's parti coat. Since I plan on maintaining her coat myself for the most part, I really just needed a grooming "partner" to help me if things get overwhelming. This gal specializes in little dogs and likes to see them in the coat God intended them to have. She even let me stay and watch and everything. She was gentle and sweet and Saydee seemed very comfortable. What a great relief!

So, I'm still working on my million question list. I pour through the threads looking for tips but then I forget where I saw something, etc. So here's the "home groomer's edition" of my million question list:

* What do you clean ears with? I have some stuff from the breeder but it just smells like rubbing alcohol and Saydee hates it! Is it necessary to pluck ear hair?
* Do you think Cherry Knoll mink oil could be used for hot oil treatment? How is the hot oil treatment applied?
* With the CC Silk Spirits as well as the Cherry Knoll mink oil, when should I apply it? Before bathing? Any time? Spray bottle, by hand, what?
* Anybody have tips for making bathtime more pleasant? Saydee literally tries to climb up my chest, soaking me in the process, scratching through my shirt with her claws.
* How do you adequately wash a squirming puppy's face without getting soap in her eyes and water up her nose? (This is the same furry face that just dug a hole in the backyard grass and now reeks of poop)
* Does anybody using thinning shears on the "bangs"? I'm trimming myself in the beautiful "Sierra style" but let's be honest - I suck at it.
* I hate tear stains. That's not a question, just a statement.
* Has anyone used Salmon oil on kibble? Does it seem to help with coat & skin dryness?
* Is there such thing as a cute dog collar that doesn't cause tangles and mats?
* Petzlife tooth care: What's the best product to start with?
* Did I mention I hate tear stains?
* Any recommendations for an inexpensive trimmer just to keep the hair between the foot pads under control between groomer visits? I'm too chicken to use scissors.
* There's much much more to come, *so please check back often*.


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## DAJsMom (Oct 27, 2006)

Sounds like you have found a great groomer!

I'll answer a few of those:

Salmon Oil: I just started using fish oil on kibble. I've been using it for maybe a week or 10 days and I think it is helping with skin and coat. Indie scratches her face a lot but is scratching less now. Dusty's coat is noticeably less dry. I have some capsules 1000mg that I poke with a toothpick and squirt over their food morning and night. I was letting them have the capsule too until Indie got one stuck in her ear hair! Yuck!

Bathtime more pleasant: Treats for the dog, and an apron for you! Hopefully someone else will have other ideas!

Petzlife: I like the spray because it's a little neater to get into their mouths (dogs hate to be sprayed in the mouth though!); the dogs like the gel better, but not much. Maybe try the salmon flavored stuff?

Ear hair: We are plucking it. Both of mine have lots and lots of ear hair and have each had an infection. If you decide to pluck, get the groomer to show you how, and get Saydee used to having her ears handled so it doesn't bother her too much. I hate doing it, but I really don't like the dogs having ear infections.

Foot trimmer: I was using some little scissors with the ball tips(?) but I recently got a little Andis trimmer. It is battery operated and the blade is about an inch wide. It was only about $10 at Ryans Pets. It's basically a beard/mustache trimmer but it works fine. You could probably buy something like it at Target or Walmart. It works fine and does a neater job than my trimmers.

Washing face: I use baby shampoo near the eyes, but I haven't figured out a way to keep water out of their noses yet! I just do the best I can!


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## SaydeeMomma (Sep 9, 2008)

Joelle
Thanks so much! The trimmer, apron, baby shampoo and salmon flavored Petzlife all sound good to me! And using the fish oil capsules is a good idea because you get a better idea of how much they're getting. I just got some Grizzly Salmon oil for Saydee in hopes of spicing up her kibble and silking up her coat. A 12 ounce pump bottle was $11.50 and should last a while, but alot comes out per pump, so we'll see. 

Saydee hardly has any hair in her little pink ears right now, but I imagine that will change as she gets older.


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Your groomer sounds like an ideal partner. Congratulations!

* What do you clean ears with? I have some stuff from the breeder but it just smells like rubbing alcohol and Saydee hates it! Is it necessary to pluck ear hair?
I use my fingertips or a pair of hemostats to remove minimal ear hair. I do not get aggressive about getting it all out. (No ear infections in my house ever - yet.)

* Do you think Cherry Knoll mink oil could be used for hot oil treatment? How is the hot oil treatment applied?
Why? She should have a nice young coat that should be fine on its own. I only oil dry, damaged coats when we are showing.

* With the CC Silk Spirits as well as the Cherry Knoll mink oil, when should I apply it? Before bathing? Any time? Spray bottle, by hand, what?
CC as in Chris Christensen? I don't like any of the Chris Christensen shampoo & grooming aid products, but I love their brushes and combs!

* Anybody have tips for making bathtime more pleasant? Saydee literally tries to climb up my chest, soaking me in the process, scratching through my shirt with her claws.
Patience, treats, warm but not hot water, and most importantly a calm human momma. She'll get used to it with time.

* How do you adequately wash a squirming puppy's face without getting soap in her eyes and water up her nose? (This is the same furry face that just dug a hole in the backyard grass and now reeks of poop)
Hold her beard with one hand and direct the water with the other. Holding her beard will stabilize her head. Don't be afraid to be firm. No need to be mean, just firm.

* Does anybody using thinning shears on the "bangs"? I'm trimming myself in the beautiful "Sierra style" but let's be honest - I suck at it.
Many do, but I don't bother. When the hair gets long enough, you can use alligator clips (especially if you just have one dog) or rubber bands if the hair is longer.

* I hate tear stains. That's not a question, just a statement.
*Me too!*

* Has anyone used Salmon oil on kibble? Does it seem to help with coat & skin dryness?
Of all my dogs, I only do this for one. (I like Kronch brand.) Supplements are meant to supplement where something is lacking.

* Is there such thing as a cute dog collar that doesn't cause tangles and mats?
Cute doesn't matter because their hair is long enough to cover it. Go for rolled leather if you want function and the least matting.

* Petzlife tooth care: What's the best product to start with?
All my dogs *hate* Petzlife. We have a full bottle that sitting here because they love the enzymatic toothpastes (Petrodex or C.E.T.), but they all run and spit after Petzlife. I'd rather keep the session enjoyable and let them be glad to have their teeth brushed so we dont' bother with that brand anymore.

* Did I mention I hate tear stains?
Still, me too. 

* Any recommendations for an inexpensive trimmer just to keep the hair between the foot pads under control between groomer visits? I'm too chicken to use scissors.
Wahl has a mini trimmer that is about $9 at Pet Edge. It may cost a dollar or two more from other retailers. It is very easy to handle and the battery lasts about a year, even with multiple dogs.

* There's much much more to come, *so please check back often*.

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## DAJsMom (Oct 27, 2006)

The fish oil capsules are about $9 for a bottle of 400 at Costco. Other people on the forum use them also. Maybe someone else can share an opinion of how they work also. The ones I am using now came from Target. I found them cleaning out the pantry and decided to give them a try for the dogs. They really like the addition to their food anyway!


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## DAJsMom (Oct 27, 2006)

Kimberly, I hadn't thought of holding the beard! I will try that. I hate getting water in their noses!
Thanks!

I'll add about ear hair, that both dogs had ear infections before I started plucking. My goal with plucking is to try and keep the hair forest thin, not to clear cut! I haven't gotten around to getting a hemastat, but I've considered it. It's not really necessary, but maybe makes the job a little easier.


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## SaydeeMomma (Sep 9, 2008)

Lots of great tips. I did the beard thing with my former Maltese puppies but somewhere along the way I forgot about that... thank you! I think I will skip the Petzlife thing and go for the Petrodex since I heard dogs like the taste. I'd much rather it seem like a treat than irritate her with spraying grapefruit taste in her mouth, etc.

Kimberly, I do disagree on one thing... cute *always *matters ound:


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

LOL! If you are going to see cute on a collar, you are going to HAVE to cut her coat. That's all. 

I agree with using Petrodex since they seem to think of it as a treat. It is fun to have them surround me for their tooth routine at night than to chase them as they try to hide!

Joelle, I totally agree - thin the forest if it needs it, but it doesn't need to be completely cleared.


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## SaydeeMomma (Sep 9, 2008)

Somewhere in these threads I saw somebody had a silk or satin lined collar that worked well? I can't find it now... I will look for a rolled leather collar in the meantime. If anybody has a suggestion of where I can find one...

I really like to have Saydee a collar because I go from my office to my warehouse all day long and Saydee needs to be on a leash in the warehouse. So I have a leash set up in a play area for her and I just clip and unclip her throughout the day. Plus, I have her id tag (haven't yet gotten microchipped, but I'm working on it) and a little pink jingle bell that helps me keep track of her. The id tag is nice to have even when they're microchipped because if your dog is lost nearby, the first neighbor to find her will call the number immediately rather than having to take her in to get scanned. And that jingle bell has prevented me from stepping on her many times!


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## joytrink (Mar 19, 2008)

HI,
I have been using the "Angel Eyes" powder on my puppy's food and it seems to have helped a great deal with tear stains. Koda rarely has any "Yuck" in the corner of his eyes and no stains now. It was purchased online through Amazon.com but others sell it also. Just "google" it.
Joyce


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## SaydeeMomma (Sep 9, 2008)

Hi Joyce
Thanks for the suggestion. The thing I don't like about Angel Eyes is that it's an antibiotic and I prefer not to have Saydee on an antibiotic long term. Once you stop using it you go back to square one, so I'm on a mission to find a safer alternative. It's tempting, though!


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## joytrink (Mar 19, 2008)

I never knew it was an antibiotic. I will have to ask my vet next time if it is safe to us or not. thanks and good luck on your search. I hope if you find something you will share it with the rest of us.


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## SaydeeMomma (Sep 9, 2008)

Just a note to thank all the forum friends who have patiently answered my many questions about grooming Saydee. She was dirty and covered in stickers, after dragging in a sagebrush in from the backyard (it must have been 2 ft. tall!) and thus a bath was called for:










She was very sleepy, so she looks kind of droopy here, but she actually enjoyed the blowdryer! She seemed to snuggle up to it's warmth and when I turned it off, she wanted it back on!

As you might see in the background, I've been using the Madan brush, Coat Handler Conditioner, Pure Paws (smells heavenly) or Plum Silky Shampoo (oh-so silky), and baby shampoo for her eye area, where her tear stains just seem to get worse and worse. I haven't committed to a good comb yet, but I have a few cheapies I'm trying out so I'll know better what to get when I order a CC one.

It's hard to tell in the pictures, but her coat is getting silkier every day and I just want to let everyone know how much I appreciate the support!










*THANK YOU!!!*


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## joytrink (Mar 19, 2008)

Saydee is adorable. How old is she? Regarding tear stains: I talked with my vet about the Angel Eyes and found out that one of the doctors actually uses it on his pet. Although it has an antibiotic in it he feels it will not do any harm. I am going to order a second bottle as it really works.


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## havaluv (Oct 15, 2007)

Aaawww, Saydee looks so clean and soft. What a dollbaby. 

I can vouch for the CC comb. I resisted and resisted, but it sure is nice. Funny, I don't think I would ever even consider spending that much on a comb or brush for MYSELF, but Oliver is apparently destined to be spoiled rotten.


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## SaydeeMomma (Sep 9, 2008)

Joy
Thank you! Saydee's about 17 weeks old now. That's interesting that even your vet uses Angel Eyes. Everywhere I go it's recommended. I'm still trying the grain-free diet. Wish me luck!

Shelly
Which CC comb # did you end up with. I keep debating. I like a finer comb. The one I use the most now is just a cheap Hartz pet comb with 12 teeth per inch. I agree with the money spending being a little lopsided. My dog gets better hair products, food, etc. plus more cuddles than anyone else in my household!


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