If you have recently decided to adopt a long hair rescue dog, then it's important to understand what you should do the first week after you bring home your new pet. These suggestions are geared towards new pet owners, specifically those who have never owned a long-haired dog.
Visit a Vet To Get The Dog Inspected
You should not rely on the place you adopted the dog from to have performed a thorough medical examination of the dog. The degree to which the dog was inspected will depend on the type of rescue facility. Some will have access to volunteer vets, while others are much more understaffed. One of the issues with long-haired dogs is that many things (cysts, cuts, sores etc.) can be hidden by hair. The dog might have issues that need to be addressed that the volunteers might not have caught because they are overwhelmed and missed the problem. So, you should bring the dog to a vet to have a complete examination.
Take The Dog To A Professional Pet Groomer
Once the dog has been checked out, you should head to a professional dog groomer. A long-haired dog that is a rescue is going to be in need of serious grooming. The groomer will have the correct tools and expertise to wash and comb out and cut the dog's hair. This will clean up the dog and make it feel more comfortable (and also make you more at ease with them jumping up on your couch, or running around your bedroom). The groomer can also deal with the dogs nails, which might need to be trimmed or filed down it they are cracked from their days on the street.
Get A Vacuum That Deals With Pet Hair and A Good Brush
You should also consider getting a good vacuum that can handle pet hair. This will make cleaning up the hair from your hardwood floors, carpets, and couches much easier. The special vacuum will help deal with the shedding that you will have to deal with.
You should also pick up a good dog brush to use in between visits to your pet groomer. You can use this to keep the tangles out of your dog's coat. If you are not sure about what type of brush to get, then you can speak with the person at a grooming salon. Most grooming places will also sell things such as shampoo, brushes, and nail clippers. While you might not be comfortable shampooing your dog or clipping their nails, you should get a brush so that you can brush your dog.
Share28 March 2017
Our pets are like our children — they need to be cared for when we are away. After being a stay at home mom for many years, I had to make some serious adjustments when I reentered the workforce. My children are all grown, but my dog just can't be home by himself. I had to find a day care for him to go to when I went to work. I was conflicted — how do I choose the day care that will provide him with the love, care and attention that he is used to? This blog will provide you with the same tips that I was given that helped me choose.