Pet Grooming

Crufts Dog Show Judges on Alert for Competitors in Makeup

by Helena Sung (Subscribe to Helena Sung's posts): Mar 12th 2010 @ 1:00PM Filed Under: Dogs, Pet Grooming

A stylin' poodle at Crufts. Contadini, Flickr

Judges at Crufts, the world's largest dog show, are on high alert this year for canine competitors whose looks have been enhanced with cosmetics, reports the (U.K.) Telegraph. We're not talking blue eyeshadow or contouring blush, but the use of products such as hair removal creams and color dyes.

"Although competition rules do not specifically ban the use of cosmetics and other beauty treatments on dogs, they do forbid anything that alters an animal's appearance during dog shows, to gain extra marks from judges, who award prizes for entries that best match the 'ideal' characteristics of each breed," reports the Telegraph. Dog owners who show hairless Chinese crested dogs have been suspected of using "female depilatory creams" to rid their champion canines of excess hair. Owners of other breeds have been suspected of using lipstick, eyeliner and Clearasil acne cream.

The notion of using makeup on dogs is so strange that it's led one British veterinarian, Peter Wedderburn, to wonder, "What's next, dope testing?" "It seems bizarre to me that it happens at all: if showing dogs is about celebrating the health and vigor of animals, what does it matter if there's an occasional tuft of hair in the wrong place?" Wedderburn asks.

How to Handle Matted Cat Hair

by Melissa Ehret (Subscribe to Melissa Ehret's posts): Feb 17th 2010 @ 4:00PM Filed Under: Cats, Pet Grooming

Wicked Cat, Flickr

Cats are meticulous creatures but that doesn't mean your pet can't use help in keeping up its coat. Certain long haired breeds -- such as the Persian, Himalayan, Maine coon, for example -- are especially vulnerable to mats and need to be groomed daily. If you fall behind, your cat can develop knots in its fur that not only detract from the animal's natural beauty but can also be painful to the cat.

The Right Grooming Tools Make a Difference
According to B.J. Fox, a prominent breeder of Persians and Himalayans in Greenbriar, Ark., one should use a professional steel comb on long matted hair, not a brush. Fox, who worked for many years as a pet groomer, prefers using a 7.5" steel fine/medium comb. A different grade may be better suited to your cat's coat.

Combing Techniques
As a pioneering breeder of chocolate and lilac Persians, Fox has seen her share of mats in her cats' hair. She offers this tip: "The end tines of the comb will be your friend if you use them properly. Start at the end of the hair shaft at the mat and hold the base of the mat so that it does not pull the skin of the kitty. Gently use the end tine of the comb to separate the mat and dislodge it so that you can begin to work it loose, little by little, until you can get to the skin."

Ask Curry! - February 15, 2010

by Rob Shuter (Subscribe to Rob Shuter's posts): Feb 15th 2010 @ 10:00AM Filed Under: Dogs, Pet Grooming

Kate Lacey

Meet jet-setting show dog Curry, Paw Nation's newest advice columnist. In between competing at the top dog shows, Curry finds time to answer the questions all dogs long to ask. From grooming advice (Curry's competing at Westminster, so she knows a thing or two about looking gorgeous) to tips on getting along with the craziest of canines (she lives in Manhattan so she has to make friends with the many other dogs on the block), this 3-year-old Glen of Imaal terrier has all the answers to your crucial canine queries.

You are so glamorous that I have to ask: what should a single, slightly overweight fox terrier like me do to look great? Do you have any beauty secrets from your showgirl friends?
Liza from Georgia

A girl should always put her best paw forward, and that's the very place where I start with my beauty routine. It's all about the nails, darling. Make sure you get them trimmed regularly. I recommend grinding them instead of cutting because that can sometime hurt. Being a city girl myself, I like to keep mine as short as possible to cut down on the clickety-clack noise I make when running up and down on my gorgeous wooden floors. (Madge, the rottweiler in the apartment downstairs, is very noise sensitive.) A good manicure will make you feel like a million bucks.

Next, treat yourself to a bath. The water should be warm, not hot. A genius trick to remember is to brush or clip out any mats before you jump in. Wet matty hair is scarier than getting adopted by Paris Hilton!

Now we come to the most important part: The haircut. The right trim can hide a multitude of figure flaws and give the illusion that you are any shape you want to be. I wear mine a little longer on my legs and head, and shorter on my back. I recommend you do the same if you are a plus-size girl

Finally, remember to have fun with your look. Try different hairstyles; it always grows back. Well, for most pooches. I do know a poodle that wears a hairpiece!

Ask Curry your questions by e-mailing her at curry@pawnation.com.

The Lowdown on Doggie Shedding

by Jo Piazza (Subscribe to Jo Piazza's posts): Jan 4th 2010 @ 11:00AM Filed Under: Dogs, Pet Health, Pet Grooming

Flickr/smile4camera

Most dogs shed. Even the ones that the breeder or pet store call "no shed dogs" are still bound to leave some fur behind. It's a nuisance, but it is the small price we pay for our pet's love and companionship.

Still, shedding raises many questions: Why do dogs seem to shed more in winter? Does heavy shedding indicate a health problem? Is it possible to prevent or reduce shedding? We chatted with Dr. Donna Spector, a board-certified veterinary Internal Medicine specialist from VCA Animal Hospital to get the lowdown on the shed.

Do dogs shed more in the winter?
Dogs appear to shed more in the winter, however, this is most often an illusion! Most dogs shed year-round. In the winter these dogs spend more time indoors and therefore owners tend to see more hair, giving the impression that they are shedding more. Some breeds do indeed have a seasonal shedding pattern and they tend to lose their heavier winter undercoat in the spring.

Can brushing your dog reduce shedding?
Shedding is an expected part of dog ownership and the hair is going to fall out one way or another. It is best to remove it and throw it away, rather than to let the hair fall out all over your house! I recommend brushing your dog once daily. Brushing cleans the coat, removes loose hair and stimulates the oil glands of the skin to keep skin soft and supple, which is especially important during the dry winter months.

The National Dog Show: How to Watch, What to Watch Out For

by Rose Martelli (Subscribe to Rose Martelli's posts): Nov 23rd 2009 @ 1:00PM Filed Under: Dogs, Pet Grooming

National Dog Show

National Dog Show novices: what you see on your screens come Thanksgiving Day may look like nothing more than a pack of pretty pooches parading about for the judges, audience and cameras. But there's some serious consideration happening on that blue carpet. Paw Nation asked National Dog Show co-hosts John O'Hurley and David Frei for their expert tips to train your layman's eye.

Dogs are not graded on a curve. "Every breed is judged not against one another but against the written standard," explains Frei, "which is the description of the ideal specimen of that breed."

Play a game of "how doggy is that doggy in the window?" This is Frei's personal trick for judging what he sees in the ring. "You look at the Afghan Hound and you say, 'On a scale of 100, I'm going to give the Afghan a 90 as an Afghan hound. Now, the next dog is the Saluki. I love this Saluki -- it's this and this and this -- and I'm going to give it a 92.' Which means the Saluki is a better Saluki than the Afghan is an Afghan, in my opinion. Everybody doesn't do this trick, but it's what I do in my mind."

Familiarize yourself with doggy formal wear. Show dogs are often groomed much differently than dogs kept as pets. (For example, take a look at how this Shih Tzu's appearance changed from its show days to its retirement.) "Some of the coats and the cuts on the dogs may not be cuts that you would maintain your pet at home with," says O'Hurley, "but that is a way of recognizing the history of the breed. Some of the coats are a little bit more traditional in their cuts."

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Getty Images

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