GENERAL GROOMING
It is very important that your poodle be professionally groomed every 4-6 weeks. The longer
the coat the more often grooming is needed. This however does not mean that you do not need to brush your poodle daily!
Because poodles do not shed, their undercoats will matt quickly. it is the daily brushing that removes the dead undercoat
thus effectivly "shedding" the coat. Your poodle, if started young, will learn to love brushing and grooming if you
use a gentle hand.
EYES
Almost all poodles have runny eyes. There are very few dry eyed poodles out there. This
is not a result of poor breeding or indicitive of a sick dog. it is just a fact of life with the poodle breed in general.
The runny eyes are due to the tear ducts being too small to accomidate the tears that the eye produces.
there is a surgery that can correct this but the cost is prohibitive. Most people just choose to live with it.
We recomend daily cleaning of the eyes with nonalcoholic baby wipes or dog eye wipes. it is
important that these eye "goobers" are cleaned away to keep from getting infections in the eye. These tears DO cause
rust colored stains. the lighter the dog the more noticeable this is.
There are lot of products out on the market that claim to reduce or eliminate these stains.
I have yet to find one that works. many poodle breeders and owners swear that by feeding their poodle plain yogurt that
these stains are lessened. Most of the time it is the shaving of the face that removes the stains. This is until
the eye starts to tear again. it is an endless process.
EARS
It is important that your poodles ears be plucked each time they go to the groomers. Because
poodles have floppy ears they are prone to "wet" ears and yest infections. If the hair in the ears is not removed it
becomes the perfect medium for growing bacteria. Yes the plucking is a little painful to your dog, but much less painful
than a raging infection would be. Also it is important to check your dogs ears for flease and mites daily.
Ear mites are microscopic pest that take up residence in your dogs ears. The ears become inflamed,
sore, and itchy. You may see your dog scratching at their ears alot or them shaking their heads. this porblem
is very easy to pass from one dog to another but is also easy to clear up with insecticidal ear drops. if unsure whether
your dog has ear mites, check with your vet and or groomer. Ear mites can also be seen by swabbing the ear cannal with
a q-tip (don't worry you can't hit the ear drum) and then rubbing the swab on a black paper. the mites will apear as
tiny white moving dots. Don't panick! You can obtain ear mite drops at most any store that carries dog supplies.
TEETH
Gum disease is a problem in poodles. All poodles are susceptible to gingivitis just like people.
The gums become ulcerated and inflamed. leading to the gum receding, bacterial infection, and "doggy" breath.
To prevent this it is important to feed your dog proper hard (not soft) dog food, give toys for chewing to aid in tarter build-up,
and regular tooth brushing. we have found that the battery powered tooth brushes for humans with soft to medium bristles
work great on the dogs. DO NOT use human toothe paste - this is not made to swallow. Use only dog tooth paste.
you can find this at most stores that carry pet supplies. *REMEMBER* - the younger you start your puppy on a tooth brushing
regime the eaiser it will be on both of you!
ANAL HYGIENE
Excessive licking or dragging of the hindquarters on the carpet is usually a sign that you dogs
anal glands are blocked and need to be expressed. Please make sure that your groomer empties the annal glands at every
grooming. If not done the blockage can lead to infection. Larger dogs usually can express their own anal glands.
NAILS
Cutting the nails is very important. If the nails are not cut they can gro and curl around
into the pads of the feet causing pain and infection. It is also painful for your dog to walk with long toenails.
Lond nails can also become caught in fences or in carpet and the toe nails can be pulled out. Please remember to tell
your groomer if your dog has dew claws. These are the thumb like nails higher up on the inside of the foot. Most
poodle breeders remove these.
