Feet First

Over my many years of grooming I have learned new techniques and tricks, many of which contradict the original dogma. For example, rather than completely brush out, demat, and pre-clip (or rough-in) a dog before the bath as I was taught, I am far more likely to bath it first. It is far easier on myself and my equipment to work on a clean dog. Blow drying or force drying the coat can loosen up or even remove the mats, making half the work and feeling much more comfortable for the dog.

When it is time to finish the dog however, my routine rarely changes. I always begin with the back feet. The back feet are furthest from the dog’s teeth, and that is important for a new groomer to remember. Certain breeds can be extremely fussy about having their feet touched. Starting at the back feet gives you a better view of the dog’s body language and having that extra distance between your hand and the dog’s head gives you a better chance to dodge. Dogs are even fussier for their front feet than their back feet, so if a dog reacts poorly to having its rear feet handled you can be sure that it will be a tussle for the front.

Unfortunately for fussy dogs, grooming of the feet is extremely important and should not be neglected. Dogs with furry feet must have the hair cleared from between the pads on the underside of the foot. Hairy feet collect and trap debris from the street and yard, and reduce the area available for perspiration. Since dogs perspire through the pads of the feet, hair that accumulates becomes damp and can form painful, pebble-like mats between the pads. Between the toes on the top of the foot is a common area for mats to form also, and usually that area is too sensitive for them to be combed out. With any area that is matted, moisture can’t escape and is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria and fungus. Clearing the hair can be done (carefully!) with scissors but it is far safer, more thorough and faster to do it with a clipper and #10 blade. Most dogs become accustomed to this very quickly.

“My dog is wrecking my hardwood floors!” is a common complaint heard by groomers.

Not only do overgrown toenails damage floors, they are terribly uncomfortable for the dog. Long nails can lead to splayed feet and aggravate back, hip, and arthritis conditions. In some cases it can affect the dog’s balance. Nails and dewclaws will actually curl around and grow into the flesh of the dog, leading to sores and infection. They can also catch and break off at the root.
Very few dogs will wear their nails down adequately through exercise. They should be trimmed monthly at the minimum, with some dogs requiring more frequent attention. The longer nails are allowed to grow, the more difficult it becomes to correct the problem. The vein in the nail will grow as the nail grows.

The best solution is to have your dog’s nails trimmed frequently so that stimulation forces the vein to recede. Each session should allow the nails to be trimmed shorter until they are once again the correct length. Nail trimming can be combined with a dremel or grinding tool which may encourage the vein to recede faster. If your dog vehemently objects to having the nails trimmed you may need veterinary assistance.