Winter grooming

Since we are snowbound here in the Sandhills, I thought i would make some comments about winter grooming.

First and foremost.. FEET..your pets feet are very sensitive this time of year. Keeping nails trimmed is a must,and if your dog has hairy feet.. keeping the foot pads cleaned is important too. Long nails can break in the cold crusty snow and ice and a broken nail can bleed.. a LOT!!!!!!!!!! Hairy feet can pack snow and ice.. so make sure when they come in from outside you clean and dry the feet well.Salt and other ice melting products can be very irritable. Inspect feet daily for cracks on the pad surface, or broken nails. Dry cracked feet can benefit from using Bag balm, a lanolin cream available at most feed stores.

Next comes coat care...Dog often enjoy romping in the snow and I just know you have seen pictures of some coming inside full of snow balls.... REMEMBER dogs get frostbite too!!! So if they have snow pack on the fur... put them in a tub of WARM water and  melt the snow off, towel dry well and let them get warm. Pay attention to ears especially on little dogs.. ear tips would frostbite first.Treat your furry friend like a 5 year old....a good ski jacket, or an all in one water proof suit is a good investment if you live in snowfall!!!

Winter grooming is just as essential as summer.. Groomers know how to clean the coat, remove the dead undercoat and lubricate the skin from dry winter heat. CLEAN coat is a much warmer coat... keep your dog MAT free and well brushed. The layers of hair act like underwear.. long johns if you will....it traps air inside the coat and keeps the dog warmer.

Winter play burns a lot of calories, so make sure your dog eats a well balanced diet high in good quality proteins. We only  Feed Holistic and RAW here at Oakwood poodles.. Stick to one of the top 10 brands listed in the whole dog journal.....if you see dry skin add a fish oil capsule 3 times a week. 

Last but not least.. Winter can be boring staying inside all the time.. so be kind and take a little extra time with your buddy...some fetching and ball chasing will keep him happy!!