How often should I brush my dog's fur and trim their nails for health?

1. Rusty should not get bathed more than once a month unless he is very dirty. Bathing him too often will strip his skin of it's natural oils and dry it out. He can be brushed daily, and should have his ears and teeth cleaned daily. Cut his nails when they become too long. 2. He should get at least 45 minutes of exercise twice a day. GSDs are a high energy breed that need a lot of physical and mental stimulation. 3. You should leave water out for him all the time during the day so he can drink whenever he is thirsty. 4. Great question! Yearly check ups are recommended, but bring him into the vet whenever you have a health concern. I hope this helps :-)

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The average dog needs their nails cut every 4-8 weeks. If the nails are clear, you can see how much nail extends beyond the pink "quick" - the triangular shaped blood supply that comes from the base of the nail. If the nail is longer than about a cm beyond the quick, it's ready to be cut back. If the nails are starting to get more of a point or tapered edge at the tip, then they're getting too long. However, this quick grows with the nail - so the longer the nails get, the less you will be able to cut them back. When in doubt, cut the nails once a month - and over time you'll get a feel for your specific dog's needs and if you can spread those nail trims out a bit. Hope this helps!

All good questions!. Dog's ears are shaped a little bit differently than people's ears. You don't have to be very scared of damaging the ear drums because the canals are L-shaped. As long and you go straight in and do not try and bend a q-tip in a 90 degree angle, there should be very little chance for damage. A cleansing formulation should be available at most pet stores. Deposit this into the ear first, massage at the base of the ear, and then clean the ear with gauze and/or q-tips. Be sure to get most of the liquid out, as leaving residual moisture in the ears can actually cause an infection. As far as teeth, tooth brushes and doggy toothpaste is readily available at your vet or a pet store. You don't have to brush them every night, but once or twice a week would be great. Depending on the color your dog's nails, you can sometimes see precisely just how far you can clip the nails without causing a problem. If you cut too far, you will sever the small blood vessel at the end of the nail and cause some bleeding. These can bleed quite a bit but are easily stopped with something called "Quick Stop", another product available at most pet stores. For long-haired dogs I would use a brush with plenty of wiry bristle on them to break apart any potential knots and mats in the hair. As long as your brush regularly, you shouldn't have to worry about this much, though. The nails can be trimmed down just before the point where you can actually visualize the blood vessel. Alternatively, you can considering using a grinder / dremel to achieve a smoother surface on the nail. In terms of bathing, this can be done anywhere if Rusty doesn't tolerate a tub well. As long as you can get him wet and lathered up, it doesn't really matter what the location is.

Some dogs do like to chew on their nails themselves, but it really is good practice to cut your dogs nails once every 4-8 weeks, depending on how quickly they grow. This will help keep them short so that they don't get snagged in things and injured in the process. However, use your best judgement, if the nails are not long, then don't cut them until they are. Best of luck with your pet D. Take care! : )

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It depends on how fast her nails grow and it she is scratching your furniture. I would recommend monthly for maintenance and every 2 weeks if she scratches your furniture. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Spock and his owner. It is very nice of you to look after him. You can trim his nails. Just be careful to avoid the vessel in the nail. Start off with only a little at a time. Sometimes if the nail are white you can see where the vessel is. Unfortunately if they are black it will be harder. You can have flour on hand to put on the nail if it starts to bleed. The back nails tend to get nicked easier. If you are worried most Vets will have the technicians do the nails for cheaper if Spock is a client. So if you know his Vet's number you can call and see if that is an option. Good luck and I hope this helps!

Mila should not be bathed more often than once every 6-8 weeks. You can use pet wipes to "spot clean" her between baths. You can use small clippers to clip just the points of her nails. If she has clear nails, you can visualize the "quick". It appears as the pink part within the nail. Do not clip it as it will bleed and hurt. Handle her feet frequently and use praise/rewards afterwards.