Dog maintenance routine
Every single Sunday morning around here is set aside for routine dog maintenance. When you’ve got four dogs to care for, it takes planning and a chunk of time. Three of our guys are technically “senior” dogs. And, as any mature person knows, once you reach a certain age, the routine tuckpointing and spackling takes a little longer.
We know the schedule that works for us. Sunday mornings include all four dogs’ nails trimmed (66 nails in all - Torque has dew claws), uncounted number of teeth, eight ears, and four faces all cleaned and spiffy. The nice part of getting it all done in the morning is that Sunday afternoons are the best dog-cuddling times - they’re all looking and smelling good.
Tip of the iceberg
The weekly dog grooming takes a while, but every day there’s something. Tango, about to turn 16 years old, has a skin issue that also requires a weekly bath. Since he’s also a rough Brussels Griffon, with a beard and mustache, he also gets a daily face wash. He’s never been a tidy eater and that hasn’t improved with time.
Two of the dogs, Boston Terrier Simon and French Bulldog Torque, need daily brushing. They both shed year-round and we like to keep it at less-than-hurricane levels. So far it’s working - we haven’t had to name any dust bunnies.
Just a little tangent here - be sure you have the right kind of brush for your dog’s fur. As part of the puppy class we teach, we have the owners bring their puppies’ brushes. At least half the time, they don’t have the right ones.
If you have any short-coated dog, like a Frenchie, Boston, German Shorthaired Pointer, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Whippet, etc. you should have a rubber curry brush. A student of ours told us her Rottweiler hated getting brushed. It turned out she was using a slicker brush instead of a curry brush. No wonder the dog hated it! Once she got the right one, the dog positively adored being brushed.
If you’re not sure what the correct brush is for your dog’s coat type, ask the experts. If you don’t know a professional groomer, ask your online affinity group what they use and recommend. At best, you’ll get good advice. At worst, you’ll spark a vigorous discussion.
As the need arises
The rest of dog maintenance around here is “as needed.” Laundry is always needed. In addition to the dog beds, towels, and furniture throws, there’s also the soft-toy laundry load. Latex, vinyl, and plastic toys and chews go through the dishwasher. It’s an amazing fact - clean toys are as wonderful as new toys. It instantly turns them into the favorite of the moment. Until the squeaker gets ripped out, of course.
We make our dog’s food, so that’s a day every month. We also make “golden paste” as a supplement, about every three weeks or so. Not that we’re dog-obsessed or anything.
Worth the work
Of course we haven’t even mentioned all the dog maintenance every dog owner just does without even thinking about it: walking, cleaning up after them, feeding, providing clean water, etc. It’s what we all signed up for when we got dogs.
Any non-dog person looking at this would think we’re crazy, devoting so much of our lives to beings who will never say “thank you.” But they do show us their gratitude, every single day, with their unconditional love.