Prepare For The Final Journey

It makes me tears again when I happened to see Gigi's photo (my previous dog that passed away) in one of my facebook's album recently. The painful memories of how she suffered during her last stage of life kept reflecting in my mind. At the age of 9, she got kidney problem and was put on drip every day to flush out toxic in her bodies. We knew she wouldn't stay long as the doctor said the kidneys were 80% gone. I groomed her for the very last time and kept some of her fur. It was a torturing night to see her in pain. We send her to the vet at 4am. It was a painful decision and she left us at 7am. That was a day before Chinese New Year. I had phobia going back home and I kept myself away for a few days; probably the worst Chinese New Year I been through.
There are certain things as a responsible pet owner should know and do to make our dog's last phase of life a smooth transitioned to doggie heaven. The average lifespan of dogs are about 10 to 13 years. What are the signs of aging dog? Here are some that I have listed:
* Getting tired easily
* Hearing deteriorates
* Eyes form cloudy layers of cataract; which may slowly deprive them of their sight
* Week limbs
At more advances stages of ages; their hearts, livers and kidneys may also lose efficiency. Eventually, the dogs' immune system weaken and break down.
We should take our pets to the vet who can determine their condition, before deciding an appropriate action. It is important to maintain the dog's appetite by ensuring it eats well.
Dogs that lost its eyesight and hearing may knock into furnitures. Owners should place them in an enclosed but spacious area in the house.
Family members of aging dog should be mentally and physically prepared so that they can make their dog as comfortable as possible during their last stage of their journey. Get prepare with the vet's emergency contact number that is nearest to your place. Those dogs that passed away should be respected in disposing their bodies. The vet will have choices of how the cremation services will take place.

At least I am glad that all dogs go to heaven.

Basic Grooming Tips for your Dog

Basic Grooming is necessary for your pets as they are just like your baby. They need attention and care. Basic grooming that includes: ear cleaning/plucking of ear hair, clipping of nails, brushing of hair, brushing of teeth, shower and blow thoroughly dry. Before starting this profession, I don't have the habit to maintenance for my dog as I will leave it to groomer to do it quarterly. I feel extremely guilty now as due to the poor maintenance that may cause some "side effect" to our love ones. Such as skin problem, ear infection, overgrown of nails and odors from mouth and body.
Some dogs e.g. cocker and CKC, do easily get ear infection. Regular ear cleaning is essential. Schnauzer, Maltese and Shih Tzu need to have their ear hair plucked to remove as dirt may accumulate. Remember not to flush water into ear during shower... Their ears MUST be kept dry.
When I used to work in the pet shop, I experienced 7 out of 10 dogs having skin problems. Having them blow thoroughly dry can help to reduce body odors and prevent skin problem. Bear in mind brushing of hair is a MUST to help our love one removing matt and knot which can be easily gather around their under arms and legs. Brush their hair to loosen the matt before shower will be easier than brushing it after shower. Choosing the right shampoo can help to reduce itch and dandruff. Supplement does help in improving their skin or coat texture.
Start early with the brushing teeth habit (once their baby teeth are renewed) and send them for dental checkups will help in removing the algae build up. Chewy food will also help to keep their teeth white and refreshing.
Last but not least; nail clipping. Most doggy hate nail clipping, they can cry out loud or struggle to death during nail clipping. Don't Give UP!! It’s a MUST MUST thing to help our fury friend. Imagine they are walking on their nails instead of their paw if their nails are too long. That will lead them biting their nails. Don't blame them for doing that as it’s extremely painful.

Hotel for your dog

Having headache when you going for holidays and no one taking care of your dogs? In other countries, there are lots of "doggy resorts or hotels" available now not only attend to basic needs but cater to the whims of their clients. There are amenities vary but can include limousine pickup and delivery, themed décor, colorful playgrounds, toys, swimming pools, hiking trails, specialized meals, bottled water, baths, grooming, massage, television, comfortable beds, climate control, and piped in music. There are even personal attendants to play games or simply hang out with the dog, according to client instructions. And for owner peace of mind, some facilities offer webcam viewing. Sound like a five star hotel suite. Prices and pampered treatment does not come cheap. You may expect to pay a boom for a weeklong doggy vacation on top of your own holiday.

In Singapore, there are more and more pet shops offer boarding services. The boarding services may include meals, shower, walk the dog and grooming the dogs depending on the package that you pay. There is certification approved by Singapore's Primary Production Department. The boarding resort must meet the stringent demands set by the government to ensure professional responsibility to both the pets and their owners.
If there is someone that can take care of your pet for you, do make sure the environment can be easily adjusted by your pet. If the nanny does have their own pet around, ensure the pets are free of Ticks/ Flea. Bring sufficient foods for them to last for the whole vacation and their “favorites blanket/ toy” that they can let them feel sense of ownership as our fury friend will usually feel lonely.
Have a Good Holiday

Choosing the Right Pet

Elmo left for home two weeks ago. When he is not around, there is emptiness in the family and I can sense my family members miss him as much as I do. My dad even want to bring a stray dog home when he goes for his morning exercise. It started to trigger me whether I should start looking around for a new pet for the family. Time and effort that we need to spend with our fury friend is the first consideration and not forgetting giving them the special care and concern that they need. Training, guidance and giving them the best are the basic requirements. Is it the right time? What breed should I consider? Do I have time for them? These are some of my concerns.

How to chose the right pet for you and the family? Here are some thoughts that might hinder your consideration?

1. Any children or old parent that are staying with you?

2. Sufficient place for them to move about?

3. Big or small dogs?

4. Adopting an adult or buy a puppy?

5. Short or long coat?

The list may go on and on. Its good to read up on the breed's behavior and things that they need before bringing them home. They will be part of your family member giving you joy and happiness. If you had watched Marley and Me then you will understand what I mean. Have a good discussion with your family and good luck in your selection.

Hair Rebonding and Hair Loss

I had this special request from a customer to do a hair re-bonding for his dog. Curious, I asked around and found out that this practice is only done in a few salons in Singapore. Besides hair coloring, hair re-bonding could be the start of a new trend for our canine friends. Here’s the question. How would a groomer straighten the fur of dog breeds like Poodles, Schnauzers and Malteses’? My suggestion is to brush the coat, sector by sector, in one direction and with the aid of a hair dryer, this will make the dog’s fur straighter and fluffier, the two main points needed before you can actually trim the coat of these dogs. Unfortunately, this is only a temporary solution, as there is no chemical or straightening iron out there that can be used for dogs. Personally, I feel that this practice of re-bonding does not benefit our furry friends as it may cause long term damage to its coat and the underlying skin. Something as simple as regular brushing of your canine best friend’s coat will be good for it and it will also keep its coat more manageable, neat and matt free.

Hair loss for dogs is common, especially in hot climates, like what you find in Singapore. Dogs shed their coat to renew their inner coat. Breeds like the Siberian Husky, Jack Russell and the Golden Retriever, all possess an inner coat that helps them to keep warm in cold climates. It’s part of their body’s renewal system that allows their body to shed their inner coat. So the next time you start vacuuming your hose, don’t be surprised to see tufts of fur lying around. Dogs that shed a lot, must be groomed every 1-1.5 months.
There are also other reasons why dogs shed a lot. Factors like dietary changes, stress, hormone changes or imbalances, skin and health disorders (kidney problems, ringworms, ticks and fleas) contribute to this as well. Some owners rely on dietary supplements to facilitate a healthy coat for their canine best friend. Consult your vet on what supplements are suitable for your dog.

American or English Breakfast - Cocker Spaniel

Does all Cocker Spaniel look alike?? No they are actually not. There are two types of Cocker Spaniels; American and English. The one on the right is American Cocker Spaniel and left is English Cocker Spaniel. How can we differential from their look? The English Cocker Spaniel is slightly larger than the American Cocker. The most obvious difference can be seen in the head shapes. Compared to the English Cocker, the American Cocker's skull has a distinctly domed skull, as well as a deep pronounced stop and more clearly defined eyebrows. Also the American's lips tend to hang down farther and more loosely, and its eyes are slightly larger and set more to look straight ahead than of the English Cocker Spaniel. Finally the American Cocker has a more profuse coat than the English Cocker. I meet Whisky weekly for shower or grooming. He is such a lovely boy, when his daddy was away he boarded at his nanny's place. He made the family love him so much. He's going to join Milo at India soon. Really hope he can adjust himself well. He usually has weak stomach and hopefully those curry don't make him upset easily..
hehe :P
Cocker Spaniels are quick-to-learn, obey easily and have a sweet and trusting nature. They are generally good with strangers, but make an excellent watchdog when they feel that the home is threatened. They are amazingly adaptable. If you’re an active hiker, these dogs will keep pace with you all the livelong day. If you’re a couch potato, your Cocker Spaniel will gladly join you on the sofa. They’ll be perfectly happy in an apartment or house, as long as they get a decent amount of exercise and attention.
Things You Should Know

Being a popular pet for several decades, Cocker Spaniels have suffered from over-breeding, which has caused a number of health and personality issues—e.g. aggressiveness, shyness and roaming—that are not typical of the breed. Take care to socialize and train your Cocker Spaniel puppy to make them comfortable with children and other animals. Cocker Spaniels need daily grooming—washing and brushing—to keep their lovely coats in shape. Also, clean their ears regularly to prevent infection. A healthy Cocker Spaniel can live as long as 15 years. Common health problems include eye issues (glaucoma, cataracts), spinal problems and skin problems.