[kendallj]

Ok so I got a dog (1 yr) and I want to bath her but I wasn't sure what to get... somebody told me that Johnson and Johnsons baby shampoo (in regular NOT scented cuz the scented oils could dry out skin) is a good shampoo to use and its a lot cheaper than the regular doggie shampoo at pet stores.... being on a college budget cheaper is better but I don't want to use something that's not going to do the job. I'm not to particular on saving the earth and HAVING to use organic products and earth friendly products... just want to know if a mild baby shampoo is good... she has a husky like coat...

and another question... black nails... I was raised clipping my dogs nails ourselves because it establishes trust and respect from the dog... is perhaps filing a better option on black nails?? I know it takes longer and she may not like it too much but is it safer... short of going to the vet to do it... cuz like I said... college budget...


thanks in advance!!!

[Chloef_2799]

I don;t know about the nail trimming thing because my dogs have white nails and they are very good about having them clipped. But I would say don't use people shampoos because they tend to strip the oild out the dogs coat which can dry out their skin and their coat very quickly and cause all sorts of other problems. I would say go to your grocery store and get a pet shampoo from there if you need to be careful with your money (I can understand I graduated two years ago and I had to raise three puppies in my first year....yikes!!!). You can usually find good dog shampoos there for reasonable prices. Hartz is a good line and they are usually sold in grocery stores atleast in Canada (I don't know where you are). If you can go to a pet store and look for an in-expensive shampoo there. Any shampoo that is for general use or has moisturizing properties is good. Hopefully she will have no reaction to it because that can happen sometimes (not often but it does happen). Good luck!!

[skelaki]

No, use a shampoo for dogs not human shampoo. If cost is a problem you can get shampoo and other supplies very reasonably through PetEdge. Also, J-B Wholesale has a nice almond shampoo that is very concentrated. I used to use it on my collies.

A couple of my dogs had black nails that I clipped myself with no problem. My dogs have all been very good about having their nails clipped. It shouldn't be a problem as long as you just cut the tip of the nail. Or you could use a dremel instead of clippers. You'd probably have to accustom the dog to the noise and feel of the dremel.

[lovemygreys]

I only use shampoos created for dogs. Dogs have a different pH to their hair/skin than humans, so human shampoo won't give you the "best" results. I have used baby shampoo in the past b/c it's what was handy and it is a better option than "adult shampoo" b/c it is more gentle...it does get the dog clean if that's your only purpose. I buy our dog shampoo from PetEdge (along with stuffies and a variety of other doggy supplies).

I use a dremel to trim all of our dog's nails. Takes a bit more practice than clippers, but I don't have to worry about quicking a dog with black nails and I can get the nails much smoother and shorter than with clippers.

[ashes]

if you are going to be clipping or using the dremel id suggest getting a small bottle of kwik stop just in case. it a powder to put on the nail in case you accidently hit the kwic. its an antiseptic and stops the bleeding imediatly. always a useful thing to have around

[Jen D]

Originally Posted by skelaki

No, use a shampoo for dogs not human shampoo. If cost is a problem you can get shampoo and other supplies very reasonably through PetEdge. Also, J-B Wholesale has a nice almond shampoo that is very concentrated. I used to use it on my collies.

A couple of my dogs had black nails that I clipped myself with no problem. My dogs have all been very good about having their nails clipped. It shouldn't be a problem as long as you just cut the tip of the nail. Or you could use a dremel instead of clippers. You'd probably have to accustom the dog to the noise and feel of the dremel.

PetEdge is the best and you can shop with them on line also. Every time I use them my stuff is here in just a few days, so much cheaper also. They have a puppy shampoo if people are afraid of getting it in their eyes.

[Dawn R]

Originally Posted by kendallj

Ok so I got a dog (1 yr) and I want to bath her but I wasn't sure what to get... somebody told me that Johnson and Johnsons baby shampoo (in regular NOT scented cuz the scented oils could dry out skin) is a good shampoo to use and its a lot cheaper than the regular doggie shampoo at pet stores....

thanks in advance!!!

I'm with you, I don't understand why dog shampoo is so expensive? I got my puppy in October and I bathe him every week. The shampoo I got at Target for a little over 3 dollars is only half gone. I got the tearless puppy formula. The shampoos at the pet store are 7, 8 dollars and up.

[briteday]

I use a dremel like tool to do my dogs' black nails. The "Dremel" brand tool is somewhat expensive. But if you go to some of the tool stores you can find similar things made by other manufacturers. I think PetEdge might even have one too in the catalog and online. Because your dog probably has furry feet I would save up old panty hose. When you dremel file the nails you put the panty hose over his foot and poke the nails thru. The panty hose will hole back the fur so that it does not get caught in the rotary sander. I use a 60 grit drum on mine, either the 1/2" or the 1/4" barrel, which ever I have on hand and can find the sanding drums for.

And I do keep Qwik Stop, or something similar on hand. Not only does it clot the blood to stop the bleeding but it also has an anesthetic in it. If you grind or cut into the quik you have also cut a nerve ending. My dogs usually let me know when I am getting too close. If you do an Internet search on cutting dogs' nails you will find some great sites with good diagrams of what to watch for as you are doing it.

[poodleholic]

Buy shampoos and conditioners made for dogs or you'll end up with a dog who has skin problems, and then you'll have to pay for vet visits. I buy my supplies online from PetEdge, KvVet, and others, depending on who has the best price for the products I want. You can easily comparison shop (i.e., I use only EQyss products, but I often buy them at KvVet instead of EQyss, because they are frequently less $$, and they don't charge for delivery). The EQyss products are concentrated, so you add water, and they last a long time. I have big dogs with lots of hair (Standard Poodles), so I buy the largest containers, and only order twice a year.

You can buy eye drops that protect the eye from shampoo in the grooming section at www.petedge.com or www.kvvet.com

Do buy Qwik Stop, or the like, when doing nails. Be very careful when first learning how to dremmel your dog's nails. You can do some damage, and can also catch the hair and rip it out. I slip on women's knee high hosiery over their legs, punching the nails through. This prevents any stray hair from their bracelets getting caught. My two sleep through the process, but some dogs try to sniff or even bite at the dremmel - be aware that their ear hair could get caught in this way, too. There's an excellent site on how to dremmel - think it's www.doberdawn.com Scroll down on the left side and you'll see where to click for instructions. They're very detailed w/pictures. I learned how from this site.

[Sparky's Mom]

My dog has particularly dry skin (he used to anyway, but it seems to be clearing up with less bathing) and I wouldn't use anything but dog shampoo. In emergencies, I would suggest a baby shampoo, but only if you HAVE to.

Sparky went to visit my work which is a nursing home, and one of the residents pee'd on him, and I wasn't there. My sister told my mom to go get shampoo, and my boyfriend said to use her son's shampoo. My mom neglected both instructions and washed him with Vanilla scented hand soap... It was dreadful. Poor Sparky was itching for a couple of weeks. I gave him a bath at home, which maybe dried him out more, but I figured it would remove any remnants of that soap, and I bought some spray on conditioner which relieved him quite a bit. I think the shampoo I bought for him was only $4.99 (Canadian) and it works well.

I *just* finished college, so I know what you mean by being tight financially. You're better off to pay the $5 or $10 for dog shampoo and have your pup having a nice comfortable coat. It isn't like you wash a dog everyday, so that shampoo will last awhile. And if your dog is anything like mine (or a million other people's) you'll be glad you bought it when he does something silly like rolling in mud or, in the very bizarre case, getting urinated on.

[threedognite]

Don't use human shampoo on your dog. Dog shampoo's are formulated and PH balanced for their skin and hair. As for clipping nails....I use a dremel tool to file down the nails.

[ToysHaveMyHeart]

I know the pain of the college budget all too well. As someone else stated, in the case of the shampoo its better to buy something that's higher quality than to have to deal with skin issues. Also, alot of the good stuff works just as well if you dilute it. If you live near the country side like I do, there are several animal feed stores that carry pretty decent products for much cheaper than mainstream retailers. I get my Biogroom there for about five bucks

[OneCrazyDogOwner]

My dog has black nails also and I clip them myself.. I can't use a dremel because he freaks.. hes never liked those kinds of noises.. so what i do is I take a nail file that has a bit of a tip and I clean out all the dirt from his nails (careful don't press too hard or it will hurt him) and when all the dirts out you can see the soft under part of the nail.. and I go just alittle above that and then i cut.. I have never once cut him doing this.. but he also lets me know when it starts to hurt he will pull his foot back and I'll just move up a bit more then cut....

thats just what I do I figured I would share..

[borzoimom]

I would also only use dog shampoo, and never used anything else except one time one of my dogs started to seizure after putting on a flea product ( I used dawn as it totally strips the coat).
As far as black nails, they are harder. You can have someone show you, and while you should always have quick stop just in case, learning to cut them is not too hard if you know a trick. However- I am goinig to state it, but I would rather someone show you. On black nails, if you look at the underside of the nail, you will see its either flat * no cut* or there is a V in the nail from the tip to the flat. That area has grown out and safe to cut at a slight angel. I would feel better telling you if the groomer or the vet could show you. If you state them to this they can easily show you what I am saying..If you cant figure out what I am saying I can make a video for you what I mean as far as the nail.

[Stoker]

Hi,

new here and what an interesting place!

I have a question I hope can be answered here, god knows I have searched so many places on the net. Does anyone know where I can obtain a dvd for grooming Silky Terriers, or know of any helpful places on-line or actual pictures showing how to groom and clip a Silky??

Thanks

[siberian mom]

im a groomer and clip about 50 black nails a day. if you clip a little at a time on one nail you will begin to see a small black dot in the middle of the nail it is easy to see because once you start triming the inside of the nail is grey. once you see that black dot the quik is right behind it and stop cutting. once youve done it a buch of times you get pretty quick at it. with the black nails its good to keep quik stop around just in case you do catch the quik. the dog will yelp but its a mistake, but remember your doing it for the dogs own good