1. Brushing- Slicker brushes are the best tool for keeping up with a long coat for both detangling and seasonal shedding. A once a year brushout is painful and traumatizing. Brush your dog once a week for regular maintenance and a pain free experience.

2. Medium Tooth Comb- To be done after brushing. Make sure you get the comb right down to the skin to lift up the undercoat and prevent it from matting to the skin.

3. Trim Nails- With all breeds, no matter the size or weight, nails must be kept up on. I cannot stress this enough. If they are not, your dog will end up with a condition called ‘slipped wrist’. It’s an arthritis that results in a double jointing of the wrist. It’s very painful and your pet will no longer want to walk around to get the exercise it needs to stay young and healthy. If you are too nervous to do it, bring them to a professional. It’s usually only a fiver.

4. Bathing- Bathing your pet should be done no more than once every 3 to 4 weeks and with only a special shampoo made specifically for dogs. Humans have a different pH and the oils in our skin replenish much quicker than a dogs’ does. If your dog gets muddy simply rinse off with warm water and only use shampoo at the ends of the fur. If they go in the ocean be sure to rinse them thoroughly as the salt water can crack their paw pads and cause excess drying of the skin.

5. Eye Cleaning- Most long-haired breeds like Shih Tzus, Bichons, and Yorkies, as well as larger breeds like Wheaten, Wolfehounds, and Standard Poodles, grow long fur around their eyes. That fur gets caked up with tears or eye discharge (usually brought on by food allergies). Keep this area trimmed and washed using a warm wash cloth to remove any buildup under their eyes.

6. Hygienic Area- There is nothing worse than an unkempt hygienic area. Keep this area just as clean and clear as the eye area. Caked up feces will eventually block the area entirely resulting in a raw inflamed, and infected, rectum.

7. Check For Fleas and Ticks- Whenever your pet comes in from the outdoors you should do a full check for fleas and ticks. Simply comb the hair backwards from the root and look for any signs of pests. Signs would be a black peppery type dander (flea dirt) or red and irritated skin (flea bite dermatitis). If you do find fleas or ticks give your pet a bath with all-natural flea/tick shampoo and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before rinsing. Ticks may die but they don’t let go so you will have to remove them yourself. Use a tick remover or dab tea tree or lavender essential oil on them and pull them off with your fingernails. NEVER use spot-on flea/tick medications! They cause are extremely toxic to you and your pet. Symptoms include: central nervous system disorders, organ failure, and premature death.

8. Healthy Diet- This goes for all breeds. Many pet foods on the market are loaded with by-products, preservatives, salt, sugar, and allergens like corn, wheat, soy, beef, or dairy. Be sure to check all labels and don’t be fooled by companies claiming to have a different food for every breed. Every dog I’ve seen on this food “specifically made for (insert breed)” has a weight control problem. Go for a food that is simply complete nutrition and an all life stages formula. The brand I carry, Luath’s, is just that. The few ingredients it has are hypoallergenic and packed with nutrients. And always supplement with raw meat like chicken, turkey, venison, lamb, duck, and fish. The enzymes in raw meat aid indigestion and help keep teeth clean and healthy.

9. Exercise- This also goes for all breeds. Pets need exercise just as much as we do to keep their hearts healthy, low body fat, and digestion moving. This will also combat annoying habits like accidents in the house and chewing everything you own. They get bored just like people so a good walk or run will burn that excess energy.

10. Love- Show your love and appreciation for your pet by doing things they like to do. Throw a ball for fetch, go for a walk, play tug-of-war with a rope toy, or simply sit with them on your lap and pet them until they fall asleep. Doggie Daycare is a growing trend in the States. So for busy professionals with no time for fetch or too exhausted from a full days’ work to go for that night time walk, check your local area to see if this service is available.

If you maintain all 10 of these steps your pet will be the happiest and healthiest it could possibly be. And you can say goodbye to annoying vet bills for preventable health complications. For more information on pet health please call into my shop for a wellness consultation or visit the tailwaggers.ie website. Natural Remedies coming soon!