Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

How To Prevent Fleas From Infesting Your Home

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Fleas are dangerous little creatures. Never underestimate them. Although they are small, they can bring destruction and great distress to animals and human beings. They suck blood from their hosts. They are considered as vectors since they carry certain diseases. Their favorite preys are dogs and cats. But they can prey on human beings as well. Getting rid of fleas on your pet alone doesn’t resolve the whole problem. Based on research, in a flea life cycle, only 5 percent of fleas are living on its host. The rest are living inside your house. Simply put, if you want to eradicate dog fleas completely, you need to destroy flea infestation at home.

To eradicate dog fleas ultimately. Here are some ways that you can do at home:

Vacuum Fleas
It is imperative to vacuum first before you spray insecticides, as the sound and vibrations produced by the vacuum stimulates the fleas to come out from their cocoons. As soon as they are out, it will be easier to spray them the insecticides.

When vacuuming, consider those places where eggs can fall like your carpets, rugs and bedcovers. As soon as the flea eggs hatch they become larvae. When fleas become larvae, they can move around because of the hair bristles that are found outside their body. When you vacuum, make sure that you pay special attention to areas that are moist and dark like under the bed, rugs, furniture and floorboards.

Dispose your vacuum bag appropriately after you are done vacuuming the whole house. Clear out the canister directly to the garbage. Take the garbage outside so that when fleas try to escape, they will not find their way back to the house.

Spray Insecticides
As soon as you are done vacuuming the entire house, spray every room with a strong insecticide. Read the directions and the ingredients of the insecticides. Look for IGR in the ingredients. IGR stands for insect growth regulator. Products with IGR are very effective against the fleas. When spraying the insecticide be sure to include floor cracks, areas under the bed and cabinets and stairways. Wait for a few days before you start vacuuming again for the insecticides to achieve its maximum effect.

Properly Groom Your Pet
Anti fleas shampoos are available everywhere. Nevertehless, if you are not an advocate of commercial products, you can still use household remedies for fleas. The most conventional home remedies for fleas that you can use for your beloved pet are apple cider vinegar, Dawn liquid soap, Avon’s skin so soft, lavender, tea tree oil and lemon. It is also expedient that you invest in a quality flea comb. This is on hand in local provisions or pet stores.

Add Garlic To The Dog’s Meal
Garlic is very powerful in killing and preventing fleas. To prevent fleas infestation and to reduce the number of fleas on your pet, be sure to add garlic or brewer’s yeast to your pet’s diet.

Follow Up Care At Home And Go to Vet Regularly
To make sure that your home is fleas free, frequently vacuum your home. Do not exploit the use of insecticides because fleas can develop defenses with these products. Also, go to your dog’s veterinarian regularly. Your dog’s vet can also give you tips and pointers in grooming your dog properly and how to arrest fleas’ infestation at home.

Fleas are no fun. Consider the tips above and your house will be free from fleas in no time. Good luck!

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Your Dog’s Body Language And What It Means

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Dogs use their bodies and paws to express a variety of different things.  Below are some examples and what they mean.

Dog crouches with front legs extended, rear up, and head near the ground: This is the classic play-bow and means simply “I want to play!”

Stiff-legged, upright posture or slow, stiff-legged movement forward: “I am in charge around here!” and “I challenge you.” A dominant dog will use this posture to indicate assertion of authority and a willingness to fight for it.

Body slightly sloped forward, feet braced: “I accept your challenge and am ready to fight!”

Dog rolls on side or exposes underside: “Let us not argue” or “I am not a threat to you” or “I accept that you are in charge here.” This is a submissive response to avert conflict. Many dogs adopt this posture in a fairly relaxed and contented manner when they are around their pack leader. When your dog rolls on his back for a belly rub, he is actually accepting you as leader of the pack.

Dog places head on another dog’s shoulder or places paw on the back of another dog: “I want you to know who is the boss around here.” These gestures are commonly used by dominant dogs, pack leaders, and dogs that have aspirations of becoming a pack leader.

Mouthing: This shows up in dog-human interactions as the dog taking the handler’s hand in his mouth or, while walking, taking the lead in the mouth. Mouthing can be a serious sign of dominance challenging and shows that the dog does not accept the human as pack leader.

Dog places paw on master’s knee: “Look, I am here” or “Pay attention to me.” This attention-seeking signal has many variations. They include pawing the air in front of their master or sliding the head under the master’s hand.

Hair bristles on back and shoulders: This is a sign of anticipated aggression. A ridge of hair bristling down the back is a sign that says “Do not push me, I am angry!” When the bristling extends to the shoulders it means “I have had it with you” and is a sign of an imminent attack.

Dog sits with one front paw slightly raised: This is another sign of stress but is combined with insecurity. It means “I am anxious, uneasy and concerned.”

Dog rolls on his back and rubs it on the ground: This is sometimes preceded by nose rubbing where the dog pushes his face, and possibly his chest against the ground in a rubbing motion or rubs the face with a forepaw, from eyes to nose. They often follow feeding or occur as the dog’s owner begins to prepare food. However they also can occur following or in anticipation of other pleasant activities.

Scraping the ground and ripping the turf with the paws: This is usually after the dog has defecated but may occur at other times. Dogs have glands on the bottom of their feet that provide each with a unique scent. What a dog is saying here is ” I was here and I am leaving my calling card!”

Poodle Grooming Tips

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Because of the quickly growing a coat of the Poodle, a trim and bath are usually necessary every six to eight weeks. If you have decided that you are going to be the one to take care of the coat, rather than a professional groomer, certain supplies must be on hand.

For basic brushing, the pin-bristled brush does the best job.

Make sure that the bristles are straight, not curved, and set fairly widely apart on a rubber base. Brushes with curved, widely spaced bristles can damage the Poodle coat. A slicker brush that is long in shape and has fine, closely set wires with a slight bend at the tips is recommended for ridding the coat of mats and tangles.

A coarse-toothed steel comb and a fine-toothed comb complete the list of tools needed to keep the coat unsnarled.

Clipping the coat requires the use of an electric clipper, preferably one with interchangeable blades. A small animal clipper is highly recommended by professional groomers as it is lightweight and easily handled.

The blades vary in size according to the area of the Poodle body that is to be clipped, with the number of the blade designating how much hair it removes. The higher the number, the more hair it clips off.

It must be noted that these blades can get quite hot during clipping and burn the dog’s skin, so it is recommended that you also purchase a spray lubricant designed to cool and lube the blades. Of course, you could also use hand clippers, but they are much more difficult than the electric to operate, and the entire clipping procedure will take quite a bit longer. Several sharp scissors will also be needed to apply the finishing touches to the look of the coat.

When you begin grooming your poodle, his hindquarter region is a good place to start. By beginning here, the dog cannot see what is occurring behind him, and he should not become nervous or annoyed. Remember, it is a very good rule to accustom your dog to the entire grooming procedure prior to attempting any major clipping.

He should be well trained enough so that he will obey your “stay” commands while he is on the grooming table. Make it clear from the start that grooming is to be taken seriously. The procedure should neither be a game nor a wrestling match for either of you.

Begin your grooming routine by first looking for any mats or tangles. Carefully work your fingers through the coat, then repeat the procedure using the fine-toothed comb.

If you should find a mat, use your slicker brush or a matting comb. The coat should be brushed up and then down to loosen the matted hairs. Applying a tangle remover to the coat may also help to ease the problem.

In any case, mats must be removed prior to the bath to avoid further tightening.

Once you have finished brushing the hindquarters, begin brushing out the hind legs with quick, short, up and down strokes. Repeat the procedure with the front legs.

After the legs are completely tangle-free, begin brushing the body, starting at the back end and working up to the neck region.

Brush underneath the body, making sure you give this area a proper amount of attention as it is a prime area for matting.

The head and ears should be done with great care, as these delicate areas provide much of the Poodle beauty if groomed properly.

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Dog Care Products For The Long Haired Dog

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Regardless of their coat any long haired dog requires special care. Regular brushing is an essential task but there are also other products on the market which focus on long haired dogs, these products have been designed and created especially for dogs with long hair.

Shampoo and Conditioner

There are dog care products such as shampoos and conditioners that have been especially designed to control matting and tangles in long haired dogs. Both the shampoo and conditioner in most cases need to be used. The shampoo removes the grime and dirt from the hair as it acts as a cleanser while the conditioner helps to prevent tangles by smoothing the hair.

Brushes, Combs and Rakes

Some other useful items are for long haired dogs are brushes, combs and rakes they are useful in helping detangling and dematting the coat and they help prevent future tangles in the dogs hair.

Brushing is a necessary part of grooming particularly for long haired breeds. Brushing removes dust, dead skin, loose hairs, grass seeds and tangles. It also assists to shorten the coat moult, which occurs each autumn and spring.

You can find specialized brushed and combs designed to help in sorting out the dogs matted hair and tangles. The brushed have short, sharp bristles that can cover a large matted area. These products are normally used in a dog grooming saloon or by pet owners who enjoy going through the grooming process.

Hair Dryers

You may not think that a dog hair dries is a handy product to have but when regular grooming your dog its actually an essential item to have. Hair driers are a very handy when it comes to dog grooming. They allow the dogs coat to dry quickly avoiding the chance of the fur matting and tangling whilst it is still wet. Wet hair mats and tangles more quickly than dried hair.

Scissors

To remove excess hair around your dog’s eyes and ears, good grooming scissors are a necessary item. Some dogs have discharge around the eyes and the fur mats frequently in this area. Using the right dog care products for your long haired dog can ensure that your dog is more comfortable and preventing problems occurring in these areas

The right dog care product will not only help you maintaining your dogs beautiful long hair coat but will also make life easier for you. Ensure that the products are the correct ones for the hair length and size of your dog.

For more information and products to take care of your dog please visit: http://www.dogsreviewed.com

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