Essential Tips for Grooming A Beagle Puppy
(Or Any Puppy)
Everybody loves a “New Car Smell” and many companies try to cash in on this human desire, by developing air freshener scents that mimic that new car smell. But as we learn and know, that smell is but for a fleeting while, before being replaced by the smells of our busy lives. When we get our puppy for the first time, and you hold it, inevitably -------- and maybe by instinct, we hold it up to our nose and take a good sniff. Of course, just like new babies of all species, they smell good. Moms no matter the specie, spend large amounts of their time cleaning their babies. This of course is for health reasons, and comes from centuries of breeding, but it is also a bonding process, to help the pup identify who its mother is by her scent.
But then you have to break that bond, by adopting the puppy and taking it home with you, so now you have to be its parent. One of the most fretting questions all new parents of puppies have, and I in particular had the questions, when I picked up my Beagle puppy “Oakie” from the breeder, is………
- How Do I Groom My Puppy?
- How Often Should I Groom My Puppy?
- When Should I Groom My Puppy?
- Why Should I Groom My Puppy?
- Should I Bathe My Puppy?
- Should I Cut Its Nails and How Often?
- What About When It’s Coat Becomes Matted or Tangled?
- What Products Are Safe To Use?
One of the reasons that I got a Beagle is the fact that they are low maintenance in terms of dogs, but by no means………no maintenance. The coat of a beagle is short and tight, so not the issues that come with the fluffier dog breeds. They have a mild body odor, so typically in that sense are pleasant and clean smelling for the most part (but I will get into that a little later) They generally are active, so their nails remain relatively short, and being good chewers, teeth and gums usually do not present too much challenges.
When I brought my Beagle “Oakie” home for the first time, it was only then that I thought about Grooming, and what I should need to help keep the pup healthy and clean. The Following are the recommended tools that you should acquire if you do not have, and use if you do, to help groom your new puppy.
- Hound Glove (Hand Glove, dimpled on the palm, that gently removes dead hair and skin)
- Shedding Brush
- Bristle Brush
- Towels
- Furrier Comb
- Nail Clippers
- Claw Clippers
- Nail Grinder (Mechanical or Manual)
Daily Grooming
On a daily basis, and I usually do it in the evening time, while the puppy is relaxed and sitting on my lap, in our favorite chair, I will gently massage it with the hound glove. This is a soft glove worn over the hand that has raised rubber dimples on the palm, that as you stroke the dog’s coat, it gently removes dead hair and skin. This is a very rewarding exercise for both puppy and owner, and as it is pleasant to the puppy, they will look forward to the experience.
After a few weeks, you can then introduce a new tool to the routine, by finishing off the grooming with a quick comb through with a furrier comb. Usually either a steel comb with fine teeth, or a brush with stainless steel teeth, knubbed on the tips to avoid scratching the pup’s skin.
This extra deep grooming of the undercoat will help to remove any deep down grime.
Weekly Grooming
On a once weekly basis you should clean the pups ears, an often overlooked area, but like all good mums giving the little ones cleaning instructions,
“Ya ain’t fully clean, until ya scrub behind the ears”
Where a pup is concerned, it is inside the ears that get grimy and may have some build up. To clean the pups ears, then simply use some cotton balls dipped in Hydrogen Peroxide. The puppy will be sensitive to you picking up its ears, and may show some aversion to the smell of the chemical, but it is a safe cleaner to use, and perseverance will always win the day, as you are doing the puppy good, as an ear infection is not a pleasant thing for neither pup nor owner.
Odor Control And Bathing
For the most part it is not necessary to bathe a puppy. In fact as the saying goes,
“Bathe a Puppy Only For Beauty”
Otherwise giving pups and dog’s baths on a regular basis can do the dog more harm than good. If the smell of the dog is bothersome, and I can understand this, then to help with that dog smell there are a couple of easy solutions. But first it is important to know that your puppies coat contains oils, which help condition its skin and coat. Giving excessive baths to the puppy or dog, removes these oils, leading to a dry skin condition. The resulting itching and subsequent scratching by the dog seeking relief, can lead to sores and a very painful condition. So be selective with baths.
Available at your local dog product store are dry shampoo’s which you can apply to your pups coat, brush it in, and brush it out. These shampoos have a mild deodorant also, that helps to mask your pups smell. Corn starch is also good, and you use it in the same way as a dry shampoo, apply it to the coat, brush it in, and comb it out. Baby powder can also be used safely. You can also pick up a conditioner at the pet store, which can be mildly perfumed, that you can use in conjunction with the above simple routines.
Another easy odor control trick is to put some “Cedar Shavings” into an old pillow case, and put this under the dog or puppies bedding. This can help with reducing odors, and is purported to help reduce the flea population also. If Cedar Shavings are not available, then as a substitute, you can use “Pine Shavings”
My Puppy Rolled In Something….UGH
Of course, dogs will roll in things that turn our stomach. Dead critters, wet mucky grass, or even not rolling in something, pups and dogs like running through wet grass, you could say that in their minds it’s like a “Herbal Bath” But to our human noses, it is the opposite, so in this case a Bath is the answer.
Here are some easy to follow instructions for safe bathing your puppy or dog.
- Luke warm water, never hot.
- Use a baby shampoo, or buy a mild shampoo at the pet store formulated for puppies.
- Fully rinse the product off.
- Towel the puppy dry.
Do not let the puppy or dog dry itself, spend some time, and expend so towels to try to dry it yourself. Do not let it outside until it is fully dry.
Teeth
Canine dental health has come to the forefront over the years and now teeth health is as important a grooming practice, as hair and coat. Puppies will not get their adult teeth until after about a year or so, so basically you may consider that they are teething up until then. Good teeth and gums are good health in the puppy or dog. What we feed them is going to play into this, as to-day it is more the case of what we do not feed them. Rather than go into a long discussion on what we should or should not feed our pets, let’s look at how to help keep the puppies teeth and gums in good order. The puppy will need to chew.
It does this for teething reasons, and in some sense when it is anxious, due to boredom, or separation. So if you provide the puppy with chew toys with dimples, these will help with teeth health, and jaw development. Also a good chew rope equates to flossing in humans, and will also help to clean teeth. Hard bone toys will also help with teething and with jaw development.
Finger toothbrushes used a few times a week will help with cleaning a pups teeth.
Nail Care
Unless the puppy is constantly running on hard concrete, or over rough terrain its nails are going to need to be cut and trimmed. About four times a year should suffice. Start when the puppy is young, it will need to get used to the process, and will be fearful of it at first. Use quality tools that are sharp and designed for the task. Follow common sense safety practices.
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So, overall keeping a puppy groomed and healthy is a fairly simple task that will not require much of your time, if you start early and stay consistent.
Remember, For Odor Control
Bathing should be for emergencies only.
Dry Shampoo if necessary.
Corn Starch can be used.
Baby Powder Can Be Used.
Cedar Wood Shavings In The Bed Area Can Be Used.
Pine Shavings are a Good Alternative.
When a Bath Is The Last Option
Luke Warm Water Only.
Use Baby Shampoo or Puppy Shampoo.
Thoroughly Rinse off.
Towel Dry.
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