Typically what we see with dog skin problems is inflammation or dermatitis, which causes itching and irritation. We notice because our dog starts to scratch himself to ribbons using his claws and teeth, which results in hair loss, more itching, more inflammation, and so on. This unhappy state of events is known as the itch-scratch-itch cycle. It can quickly lead to broken skin and make it simple for bacteria to invade.

Here are a few common signs of skin problems and skin disease in dogs: scratching, hair loss, reddened skin, rashes, black and gritty “dirt” stuck in the coat, dry fur, wet or dark areas created by licking, insects or parasites in the coat, dandruff and mats.

The best way to handle skin problems in dogs is to prevent them. And the best way to prevent them is to make sure your dog stays clean and well-groomed. Bathing your dog regularly is one important step, though not so often that you dry out his skin and coat. Grooming is also very important to his overall epidermal health.

Dog grooming is widely misunderstood. Most people think that grooming is a cosmetic thing, but really it’s an important way to bond with your dog, as well as a daily opportunity to check for fleas, ticks, and other abnormalities or signs of skin problems.

But how often should you bathe your dog? Well obviously, if your dog rolls in the cow pasture or your neighbor’s four-week old garbage, you’ll want to give him a bath right then and there. Otherwise, it depends on his breed and coat. If your dog is smooth-coated, like a Doberman or Dalmatian, then you’ll only need to bathe him about twice a year. On the other hand, you’ll want to bathe him a little more often if he’s medium-coated, like an Irish setter or a cocker spaniel.

A broken-coated or wirehaired dog, like the Jack Russell terrier or the wirehaired pointer, needs a bath three to four times a year. And if your dog has a curly coat like a poodle or curly coated retriever, then he’s a big risk for the mats and knots that lead to skin problems unless you’re diligent with the grooming.

Finally, if your dog has a long coat, like a Pomeranian or a bearded Collie, he’s at greater risk than most dogs for developing tangles, hiding unwanted ticks, and developing other skin problems. You’ll need to bathe these dogs roughly once a month, as well as conditioning and blowing out their coat (only on low heat, please) to keep it from matting, and to catch any skin problems that would otherwise be invisible under all that fur.

Back in the old days when dogs spent a lot more time outdoors, scrabbling, running, digging and scratching their way through the woods, they wore down their nails naturally. But now that our pampered pets spend most of their lives on our carpeted interiors, those nails just keep growing and growing — and it’s up to us to keep them trimmed (something many of us just haven’t quite gotten the hang of). Add in a few substandard doggy manicures and a common infection or two to the mix, and you can see how nail and toe problems have become more of an issue for dogs.

So how do you keep your dog more comfortable and make sure his nails and toes stay in great shape? We have a few tips, all offered up by veterinarians.

1. Trim those claws as often as possible — preferably every six to eight weeks, says M. Lynne Kesel, D.V.M., assistant professor of elective surgery at Fort Collins’ CSU College of Veterinary Medicine. If your dog is on the sedentary side, then even six to eight weeks is too long a stretch. Try every two to four weeks instead.

2. Start trimming young — when they’re still puppies, so they can get used to this otherwise awkward procedure. If you’ve ever experienced trying to get a nervous adult dog to sit while you trim his claws, then you have a pretty good idea of just how much hassle you can save yourself by accustoming your pup to the experience early on.

3. Don’t cut too much off at once. Many novice trimmers make this mistake when dealing with their pets, possibly because the nails are so overdue for a trim by the time the nervous owners get around to it. If you overdo it and cut too deep, you will cut right across a part of the nail packed with nerves and blood vessels. Your dog will object, and possibly bleed. Your chances of getting him up on a table for another trim diminish markedly at that point! The best way to avoid this scenario is to trim more frequently, but also cautiously. Try to think of your job being not so much to shorten the nail, but to “dull” it.

1. Using tranquilizers.

This is illegal in many states but other groomers still use them. It may be that the groomer is afraid of aggressive dogs, but it’s more likely to be that the groomer is running a production line and has no time to calm nervous dogs.

I never recommend tranquilizers … no matter how mild … for small dogs. Ask your groomer if she or he does this.

2. Leaving dogs unattended.

You might be surprised at how many dogs are harmed and even killed at salons. The problem is many groomers use a grooming noose (not as bad as it sounds!) or collar to attach the dog to the grooming table.

If the groomer leaves the dog alone, it’s easy for a dog to try to free himself and wind up choking or damaging his neck.

3. Taking shortcuts that violate breed standards.

It’s more time consuming and requires more skill to scissor rather than clip dogs. However, if your breed standard or style requires a scissor cut, you should tell the groomer you want this.

If you don’t speak up, they’ll most likely use a clipper. And if you expect hand stripping, you better call ahead to make certain there’s a groomer in the shop that even knows how to do that.

4. Not having facilities for dogs left all day.

This is only partly the groomer’s fault, as many shops are not set up to provide day care for dogs, but owners use them that way. Some shops do not have sufficient cages, fresh water supplies, or staff to walk dogs.

If you want to drop your dog off on the way to work, visit the salon in advance and ask to be shown where the dog will be housed while he’s waiting for you and what care he’ll be given.

5. Using dog dryers improperly.

Many dogs every year are injured or killed by groomers not watching closely enough while the pet is in an enclosed dryer.

As a result of poor airflow and high temperatures, pets get overheated in enclosed cages. The heat simply builds up and the dog is overcome or in extreme cases the dog may be burned by the pans and the cages themselves as they get hotter and hotter.

I think enclosed dryers should be illegal, but if your groomer is going to use one, ensure s/he watches the dog, uses a timer, avoids high heat and has another fan at the front of the cage to encourage proper airflow.

Also a groomer should not use a hand-held hot dryer on a dog drying in a stainless steel cage. There is not enough ventilation for the air to flow properly and the bottom of the stainless cages get hot quickly.

These dryers are best used with wire cages that have plastic bottoms or grates to keep the pet off the hot floor of the cage. The grooming room should be open and airy when using heated dryers to prevent the room from overheating.

All the fans in the U.S., however, are no substitute for watching the dog while he is being dried and the mechanical devices are in use!

About the Author

Louise Louis is a long-time dog person and operates http://www.ToyBreeds.com

1. Clipping the quick when cutting nails.

Don’t be in a hurry to finish his nails even though your dog wants you to finish quickly. Take baby clips using a SHARP nail clipper (my preference is spring style or cat clippers for small dogs).

Don’t use a Dremel or other electronic/motororized tool unless you’ve had some training in using it. It’s too easy to overcut.

If your dog has white nails, the quick should look pink. STOP clipping before you get there.

If your dog has dark nails, you should see a black circle in the clipped part of the nail. STOP clipping before you get there.

If you do draw blood, apply pressure and styptic powder. A product called QuikStop can be purchased at most pet stores. If you can’t control the bleeding, get to a veteranian or animal hospital immediately.

2. Getting shampoo in his eyes during baths.

Dogs love to shake their wet heads and it’s easy for shampoo to sting his eyes.

Buy some sterile ophthalmic ointment (at pet store or www.1800PetMeds.com) and dab in each eye before bathing.

If shampoo gets in his eyes, rinse with cool water or saline eyewash. Do NOT put more ointment in his eyes. If his eyes remain red or he’s squinting long after he’s dry, he needs a vet’s attention.

3. Causing electric clipper burn.

It looks like a rash and results from using overheated clipper blades or damaged blades.

Inspect your clippers before each use and replace missing or dull blades and blades with broken teeth.

If your dog is affected, he’ll try to scratch or lick the areas, which only worsens the irritation.

It’s a good idea to keep an Elizabethan collar on hand (or make one) for such problems as they prevent the dog from reaching irritated areas. Keep the area clean and use an antibiotic ointment on the skin until it heals.

4. Unintentionally encouraging allergic reactions.

Allergies seem to be on the rise and some dogs are more sensitive than others. If your dog is very itchy after a bath or his skin is red and irritated, it may be an allergic reaction. Try products with oatmeal or use all natural products. And always rinse thoroughly to prevent residue build-up.

If your dog develops a serious reaction such as hives, diarrhea or pinpoint-sized pupils, he needs immediate medical attention. If he’s just itchy, try different mild products until you find one that he likes.

You can work with a vet to pinpoint allergens but this a time-consuming and expensive process. I’d try various products first.

5. Leaving him unrestrained or unattended.

Dogs, especially those who hate being groomed, can try to make escapes by jumping off a table or off a lap. Serious injuries can result to small dogs.

Never leave a dog unattended. Groom him on the floor or restrain him if he’s on a table or in a sink. Create a barrier around him so he has no place to jumping off spot.

You can have a second person hold the dog while you wash him if you’re using an area too large to fence him in.

Be patient, stay calm and offer lots of praise as you groom and you’ll avoid most problems.

About the Author

Louise Louis is a long-time dog person and creator of http://www.ToyBreeds.com

Actually, despite all appearances (and the looks of agony your dog excels at when your vet starts in at the office), clipping your dog’s nails isn’t nearly as hard or frightening as it seems.

In fact, trimming your dog’s nail is pretty easy if you just know how to approach it. Like most hands-on tasks, it’s always a good idea to watch someone else do it first, like a groomer or vet who’s experienced at the task.

Some lucky owners have dogs that never need to have their nails trimmed. And some breeds, especially the larger dogs and those who spend a lot of time on concrete, will naturally wear their nails down, or the dried nail ends might simply flake off without any effort on your part. But some breeds, especially Basset Hounds and Dachshunds, will probably need your help in keeping their toenails reasonably short.

If you do take on this task, there will inevitably be moments when you accidentally cut a nail too short. It isn’t the end of the world. It just happens sometimes, even with the most experienced groomers and vets (ask my dog about that, he’ll tell you). The nail will bleed if you cut it too short, so be prepared for that.

One way to better your chances of success is to buy a good nail trimmer. Ask your vet or the clerk in the pet store which kind they recommend. Place the main part of the trimmer in the palm of your hand, and control the moveable part with your fingers. You want to be able to see the small cutting blade that slides when you squeeze the handle.

Make sure you’re not cutting from the top downward, but from underneath. Slide the trimmer’s opening over the end of the nail, while doing your best to stay in the whitish zone of the nail. The pink area of the nail is the live part, and has blood vessels throughout. Ouch! Hopefully you’ll be able to see where the pink part starts.

If your pooch’s nails are dark, you won’t be able to see any pink to know where the live part starts. This is what you call a nail-biter! It’s a brave owner who cuts their dark-nailed dogs, but many do. In this case, just cut a little bit at a time with the dark nails. Check the end of the nail –the dead area usually is whitish, but as you cut deeper into the tip, you’ll begin to see a dark region. You guessed it, that dark region is where the live part starts.

When your dog is finally still and you’re ready to cut, squeeze the handle quickly and smoothly while holding the trimmer steady. Quite a job description, right? Don’t try to “pop” the end of the nail off; it will fall away on its own. You can file the edges, or just let the dog wear the nail smooth himself. Taking your dog for a walk on the sidewalk or street can help file the nails down.

Remember that Murphy’s Law — and the general uncooperativeness of dogs getting their nails cut — dictates that at some point you’ll cut a nail too short. When this happens, place a tiny piece of tissue paper tightly against the end of the nail and hold it there for a few minutes. Better yet, have some cornstarch or flour available and dab a small amount against the bleeding end of the nail. Hold it there with your finger. This modest remedy usually works right away. Or you can do nothing, and the bleeding should stop in about five minutes. If it continues to bleed much more than that, ring up your vet.

Always remember, this task isn’t beyond your abilities. Play with your canine’s feet first to get him used to the idea, and take it slow. If you cut his nails once a week, it won’t seem like such a momentous event. And if you can only do one paw a day, that’s ok too. Relax, enjoy your dog, and enjoy your newfound skills!