Part 3: Dog Maintenance: You can afford it, and have decided that a dog will fit into your family and lifestyle , so now you should consider the physical maintenance of the dog breed that you choose to be your Perfect Dog For Life.

Physical Maintenance

The breed and overall appearance of your dog has a lot to do with his physical maintenance needs. While all dogs need, at the least, basic grooming and nail trimming, certain breeds need far more care, maintenance and grooming based on the type of hair coat they have. If you decide to get a dog with hair that grows continuously, then an advanced and time intensive grooming routine is going to be essential to the overall health of your pal. You must also consider that the bigger the dog, and the thicker it’s fur coat, the more expensive it will be to have a professional dog groomer take care of your dog’s grooming needs. With time and patience you can learn how to groom your dog yourself, but it can be an exhausting process and you will need to invest in the best and safest tools to help you with the process.

Most short-haired, smooth-coated dogs like Labrador Retrievers are major shedders, so be prepared to have a coating of fur on your clothes and furniture. Dogs with a very thick coat like a Kuvasz or a Siberian Husky are likely to leave dog-hair-tumbleweeds rolling around your house, so be prepared to do some extra cleaning up. There are some grooming tools you can purchase that can help reduce shedding, but you’re not going to stop it, your dog is going to shed.

You should also understand that dogs with long, floppy ears are far more prone to ear infections and will require frequent, thorough, ear cleanings. There are dog breeds that do a lot of drooling, they can’t help it – they drool. Many owners of Saint Bernard dogs, Hound breeds, and other similar dogs learn to carry a “slobber cloth” with them to wipe the drool off of car seats, floors, furniture and themselves. When you see a drooling dog getting ready to shake it’s head – run for cover!

In our next article we’ll share some tips about what age dog would be best for you, your family and your lifestyle.

If you have any questions about choosing your Perfect Dog For Life, or would like more information about our private dog training, e-collar training, K9 distraction training or puppy training please visit us at www.perfectdogforlife.com

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