Labrador Retriever

When grooming your Labrador Retriever there are two aspects that you take into consideration:

1. BATHING
2. BRUSHING

(F.A.Q.’s in the bottom part of post, this will cover questions like Can I use human shampoo on my dog?)

So before we delve more in grooming your dog or grooming your labrador retriever, let us remember what the coat of your Labrador Retriever is supposed to look like. Coat type is very essential to Dog Grooming Basics. Here we have the list of what the Labrador Retriever’s Coat is like:

• Water resistant
• Coarse, dry
• Thick
• Shiny (for the black Lab)
• Short

Knowing the coat condition of your Lab is very essential to the health. When you have a soft coat which is easily washed, or a dull color (especially in the Black Lab) then it indicates a problem. Usually fish oil helps in obtaining a shiny coat. You can buy these pet supplements. Achieving that tough weather-resistant coat is the goal in labs.

Grooming the Coat/Coat Caring Tips

This is the dry part of grooming which precedes the actual washing.

You can use a hairbrush to brush off the dead hair or the hair shedded in the process. Labs are heavy shedders. If you collect a month’s worth of shedded hair you can probably make a pillow.

Remember to brush outwards, not inwards. Check for any particles and stuff which can probably be identified as tick eggs. They will look like black particles and stuff. Check for lesions and scars

NOTE: The grooming process is one way for the owner and dog to bond. Make sure you use the time to give praises to your lab so that it will look forward to this activity.

Washing and Shampooing

After you have done brushing, you can now start the actual bathing process. Now generally speaking, Labs LOVE the water. They are basically associated as swimming dogs. But there are still those some instances when a lab will tend to walk away from the wet side of the world. Take for instance Milan. Milan is a black labrador who walks away from gushing water, but with a little encouragement, she doesn’t seem to dislike it anymore. Just remember, Verbal encouragement go a long way in the Labrador Happy Moment.

NOTE: As long as you use the right DOG SHAMPOO, it is okay to bathe your Lab once a week.

Materials:

• Shampoo – DO NOT USE HUMAN SHAMPOO. it WILL affect your Lab in bad ways. Human shampoo is too strong for the lab
• Tub – although not necessary, it helps in ensuring all parts of the Lab gets washed. At times they would even want to lie down on the tub.
• Towel- after the bath it is important that your lab shakes off the water THEN you rub him/her dry.

Steps:

1. Wash your Lab thoroughly being careful not to get some water in the ears
2. Apply an ample of amount of DOG SHAMPOO on your palm and rub a little to the nape of the Lab being careful not to get it into the eyes or ears.
3. Slowly work your way massaging the head and then slowly working through the neck and chest.
4. Now you can start on the forelegs and the paws, rub in between the paws to make sure no dirt stays stuck in there.
5. Then work your way on the back and the belly. Add water if you feel the shampoo drying up.
6. You continue to the Hind portions and rub well on the base of the tail. This is where you may usually see ticks.
7. Do the same with what you did on the forelegs for the hind limbs.
8. Then work on the base of the tail to the tip. This part is also a good place for fleas to hide so rub them well.
9. Wash off well making sure that no shampoo is left on the coat
10. Let it shake off then rub with towel dry.

Dog Nail Trimming/ Nail Cutting

Nail cutting your dog will pose some sort of nuisance especially if your dog has a fear for such. Thankfully there are some safe nail trimming devices that can help in trimming cleanly and less painfully the nails of your Labrador Retriever. But in case of just using the ordinary pet nailcutter, be careful to not cut any blood vessels while doing so and prepare some corn starch to stop the bleeding. It is still much better if a groomer did it for you.

Ear Care

Do no attempt to insert a cotton bud into the ear of the Labrador Retriever. This part of the dog is very delicate sine it is prone to infections. You can easily clean this by purchasing an ear cleaning solution from your vet and get careful instructions on the application.

Dental Care

You can purchase tootbrushes designed for the dog mouth and special dog toothpaste for you bestfriend. (Not your human bestfriend..)

Brush the teeth outwards so as not to push food stuff deeper into the cavity of the mouth.

If the tartar gets too much and you need serious dental treatment then the Vet can provide Oral Prophylaxis. Rather expensive but assures you of a cleaner and healthier set of teeth.

FAQ’s:

1. Can I use human shampoo?   -NO, NO, and NO
2. Will my dog’s coat go dry if I wash it often? As long as you use the right shampoo, it doesn’t
3. Does taking my dog to the groomer make a difference?  Yes, in quality and in your wallet weight
4. Can I use soap? Dog soap yes, human soap no.
5. Can I use scissors to cut nails? No, no and no
6. What should I do if my dog has ticks and fleas? Consider using proper medication such as Frontline, and I did notice that my dog’s All-in-one dewormer helped, but best if you consult a vet. Don’t play doctor, you don’t have the certificate.

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