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Quick Avoidance

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When it comes to giant breed health and nutrition, there's a lot that goes into raising a happy, healthy dog. We're going from A to Z talking about giant breed specific needs! Today, it's all about avoiding your dog's quick.

Quick Avoidance

Have you ever accidentally nicked your dog’s quick?

I have and I felt like the absolute worst dog mom in the entire world.

I was trimming Mauja’s nails, which she never had a problem with. Just as I went to cut, she heard something and jerked her leg. Even though the nail clippers had a “safety stopper”, it was just enough for me to cut the quick.

She yipped, I squealed, and my carpet turned red.

I freaked out.

I had never done that before. Even with Kaeto’s combination of white and black nails (which are the WORST to cut), I had managed to avoid it. Poor Mauja.

Since it was the first time I had ever done that, I really wasn’t sure what to do. I grabbed some paper towels to add pressure to the exposed nail and grabbed my phone for a quick Google search. What did we ever do without the internet?

After some quick research (see what I did there?), I found 5 ways to stop the bleeding. Thankfully, I had a few of the required materials at home.

  1. Baking soda, flour, or cornstarch. The first time I cut Mauja’s quick, this is the method we resorted to. I didn’t have anything fancy to stop the bleeding, but I did have cornstarch in my pantry! Grab a small amount and press it onto your dog’s nail, holding it there as the wound clots. The nail will most likely be sensitive, so ensure you’re gentle as you wait for it to clot.
  2. Styptic powder. After Mauja’s incident, this was the first thing I purchased. Since it contains ferric subsulfate (which contracts blood vessels and stops bleeding), I figured it would be more beneficial than cornstarch. It also contains Benzocaine to alleviate pain from minor cuts. One of the most popular brands of styptic powder and the one that we purchased is called Kwik Stop. Thankfully, I haven’t had to use it yet!
  3. Styptic pencil. This is a popular method for stopping the bleeding, but many contain silver nitrate which can really sting. Since Mauja is now hesitant about her paws being touched, I don’t plan on trying this one and causing any extra fear. However, it seems like it would be a great option for a travel/first aid kit due to the convenience.
  4. Soap. Well, a bar of soap. I came across this method before finding cornstarch, but much to my surprise, we don’t have any bars of soap! I’d imagine that most people do so this could be a good option if you don’t have any of the above materials. Simply drag the damp bar of soap across the nail and wait for the blood to clot.
  5. Gauze, bandage, and a sock. If you don’t have anything on this list, these tools can definitely work in a pinch. Mauja would not stop trying to lick her nail – every time I got it to clot, she’d lick and it’d start bleeding again. We finally resorted to putting some gauze and a bandage over her bleeding nail (which was one of her rear dewclaws), putting a sock over that foot, and then lightly taping the sock in place. She hated me, but it worked 😉

If none of the aforementioned methods work for your dog and bleeding persists for over 30-60 minutes, call your vet. They will be able to help alleviate the bleeding and make your dog more comfortable.

Most importantly, if you nick the quick make sure you suck up to your dog with some extra snuggles and a special treat. Both necessary for forgiveness 😉

Have you ever cut your dog’s nail too short? How did you stop the bleeding?

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When it comes to giant breed health and nutrition, there's a lot that goes into raising a happy, healthy dog. We're going from A to Z talking about giant breed specific needs! Today, it's all about avoiding your dog's quick.

Grooming Great Pyrenees Pantaloons [GIVEAWAY!]

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When it comes to giant breed health and nutrition, there's a lot that goes into raising a happy, healthy dog. We're going from A to Z talking about giant breed specific needs! Today, it's all about grooming Great Pyrenees pantaloons!

Grooming Great Pyrenees Pantaloons

Is it just me, or does anyone else absolutely love the Great Pyrenees pantaloons?

Talk about a fluffy butt!

While I love their pantaloons, they can be particularly difficult to keep well-groomed. Because they are long, thick, and well, on their rear end, they tend to mat very easily. If you don’t pay close attention, you can end up with one giant pantaloon mat.

This happened once with Mauja. I hadn’t been feeling well and so I didn’t brush her for over a week. She never looked too bad so I didn’t use the little energy I had during the day to brush her. From the outside, she looked perfectly fine. A little scraggly, but fine.

When I was finally feeling better, I sat down to give her a good brush. Once I made it to her pantaloons, I was horrified. While they looked fine, they did not feel fine. They were one massive mat.

I sat down with my de-matting brush and The Stuff to get the mats small enough that they would just brush out. Needless to say, it took a long time and Mauja was not happy with me after. I vowed to brush the pantaloons daily so that wouldn’t happen again.

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Why You Should Go Soap-Free with Your Pyrenees #BayerExpertCare

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Why you should consider soap-free shampoo for your Great Pyrenees.I hear the same question over and over when people meet Mauja and Atka.

“How in the world do you keep them so white?”

I wish I could say that I have some magic formula that keeps white dogs perfectly white, but the Great Pyrenees has a self-cleaning coat. What does that mean (other than the fact that it makes my job a lot easier)?Bayer ExpertCareIf your Great Pyrenees enjoys a play session in the river, chances are she will look something like this:

Why you should consider dry shampoo for your Great Pyrenees.Or maybe your Great Pyrenees will find that one muddy spot in your backyard. He’d probably look like this:

Why you should consider soap-free shampoo for your Great Pyrenees.These situations make me so thankful for their self-cleaning coat. Once they dry, the mud/dirt will just flake off! If it doesn’t, you simply brush it out and voila – you have your white dog back!

Mauja and Atka get bathed a bit more frequently than necessary; the average Great Pyrenees only needs 3-4 baths per year. The fluffies get about 6 per year, but that is because they are house dogs. However, I know a few people who bathe their Great Pyrenees monthly. The most important thing is to watch their skin and coat health.

Frequent baths can strip the coat of its essential oils. These oils are responsible for keeping the coat self-cleaning, tangle free, relatively odor-free, and silky smooth. The problem really isn’t with the bath – it’s what is being used during the bath.

Your typical dog shampoo is soap based and that’s perfectly fine if you’re only bathing your Great Pyrenees every few months. It gets your pyr nice and clean and helps keep their coat and skin healthy. However, more frequent baths require a different approach.BayerExpertCareIf Mauja and Atka are getting a bath closer together than normal, I switch to a soap-free shampoo. Our current favorite is the Bayer® Expert Care™ Itch Relief Shampoo. I like this shampoo for a few reasons:

  1. Bayer Expert Care Itch Relief Shampoo is based with colloidal oatmeal. Colloidal oatmeal is simply oats that have been ground into a very fine powder that then moisturizes and protects the skin. This helps to ensure I’m not drying out their skin and coat.
  2. Expert Care Itch Relief Shampoo contains Pramoxine HCl. Great Pyrenees are known to have skin issues such as allergies and dry skin. Pramoxine HCl helps relieve rashes and dry, itchy skin. I always look for this ingredient coupled with colloidal oatmeal when trying to relieve irritated skin.
  3. Expert Care Itch Relief Shampoo is formulated with Omega-6s. I talked in a previous post about the importance of Omega-6s for maintaining and healthy, shiny coat. Pyrs benefit greatly from this addition to their grooming routine.
  4. Maximum effect is reached in just 3-5 minutes after initial application. We all hate seeing our furbabies uncomfortable. If Atka’s skin is acting up I can get him a quick bath or spray him with the Itch Relief Spray for quick relief.

Why you should consider soap-free shampoo for your Great Pyrenees.

The best part about the Bayer Expert Care Itch Relief shampoo is that it can be purchased at PetSmart. We are there quite frequently so it’s very simple to just grab a bottle during our normal shopping trip. The Expert Care line has several products to provide ultimate skin care for your dog (or cat) and we’ve been very pleased with the few we have tried so far.

Have you ever tried soap-free shampoo as a part of your dog’s grooming routine?

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Why you should consider soap-free shampoo for your Great Pyrenees.

Tackling Grinch Feet + Grooming Giveaway!

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Using the Dog Grooming Scissors from Micio Micia to trim Great Pyrenees paws.

Mauja and Atka often suffer from something which we affectionately call, “grinch feet”. Don’t worry, their feet don’t turn green, but the fur around their feet grows and grows until you really don’t have a distinguishable paw: grinch feet.

Great Pyrenees "Grinch Feet"
See what I mean?
(Center photo: The Grinch (Jim Carrey) in “How The Grinch Stole Christmas”)

Now, I have no delusions about my grooming ability. I can bathe, brush, and remove tangles/mats from the fluffies. I can clean their ears, brush their teeth, and trim their nails. This saves us a LOT of money on professional grooming since it allows us to only get them groomed a few times per year. The groomer handles the grinch feet for me. I avoid clumsily poking their toes with scissors. Score.

The problem is that their feet need to be trimmed more frequently than they have grooming appointments. Their long paw fur looks silly, but it also makes it a bit uncomfortable for them. They require adequate amounts of fur between their toes to protect them from the elements, but they need to be trimmed enough so that they aren’t slipping around on wood floors. Trimmed paws also helps to prevent snowballs from forming in their fur when they stubbornly stay outside in the cold.

It was time for me to learn some basic paw trimming techniques.

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5 Reasons Your Dog Needs Omega-6s #BayerExpertCare

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5 Reasons Your Dog Needs Omega-6 Fatty Acids #BayerExpertCareBayer ExpertCarePoor Atka suffers from itchy skin sometimes, especially in the winter. He eats high-quality food and gets salmon oil with his meals, but that doesn’t always seem to make a difference. I still find him itching away.

It doesn’t help that Montana is ridiculously dry. I keep the humidifiers going all the time, but I still feel like my skin is flaking off. I know Mauja and Atka can feel the dryness, too. A few weeks ago, I found a red patch on Atka’s leg where he had been frequently scratching. I decided to try and find something to add to their routine to help alleviate his dry skin.

I learned a lot about essential fatty acids in my nutrition classes in college. Much of our focus tends to be on omega-3 fatty acids, but omega-6s are also important. Since Mauja and Atka’s diet is already rich in omega-3 fatty acids, I wanted to try and add omega-6 fatty acids in some way to help with their coat health.

5 Reasons Your Dog Needs Omega-6 Fatty Acids #BayerExpertCare5 Reasons Your Dog Needs Omega-6 Fatty Acids
  1. Omega-6s, specifically Lineolic acid, help increase skin permeability.
  2. Omega-6s prevent the coat from becoming dull and lackluster.
  3. Omega-6s strengthen the fur to keep it from breaking and falling out.
  4. A lack of Omega-6s can cause your dog to become susceptible to certain infections.
  5. A lack of Omega-6s can cause your dog to be horribly itchy.

I decided that I wanted to try something topical for Atka as that is a method we haven’t touched yet. I remembered the vast selection of products offered at PetSmart and we often visit for outings, so we decided to start there.BayerExpertCareSince I was very pleased with the quality of the Ear Care Rinse from Bayer® ExpertCare™, I decided to try another product from their line that is specially formulated for dogs. The ExpertCare line also has an Itch Relief Spray that states the maximum effect will be seen in 3-5 minutes. I always want quick relief when my pups are uncomfortable!

5 Reasons Your Dog Needs Omega-6 Fatty Acids #BayerExpertCareThe Itch Relief Spray includes colloidal oatmeal (oatmeal ground into a fine powder), which helps to pull out any irritant to your dog’s skin. It also includes Omega-6 fatty acids to help maintain the natural barriers of the skin and coat.

Any time I notice Mauja or Atka itching, I break out this spray to offer relief. I have also added it to our normal grooming routine. While brushing the pups, sometimes I notice irritated areas where they had scratched without my knowledge. I apply the Itch Relief Spray to help remove the irritant.

5 Reasons Your Dog Needs Omega-6 Fatty Acids #BayerExpertCareI love the Bayer ExpertCare line because it offers convenient, quality care at an affordable price. If you are like me and always buzzing from here to there, you’ll be able to find an ExpertCare product while out doing your normal shopping.

Has your dog ever suffered from itchy skin? What have you done to offer relief and do you think the Itch Relief Spray would be helpful?

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5 Reasons Your Dog Needs Omega-6 Fatty Acids #BayerExpertCare

Teach Your Dog to Accept Ear Cleanings #BayerExpertCare

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A guide for cleaning your dog's ears with the help of Bayer ExpertCare sold exclusively at PetSmart!

Bayer ExpertCare

 

 

Like many other floppy eared dogs, the Great Pyrenees is prone to ear problems and infections. Their floppy, furry ears can easily trap moisture and dirt that if not cleaned properly can lead to ear infections. Mauja and Atka (for the most part) have naturally clean ears, but that doesn’t mean we skimp on cleaning; it’s a part of our regular grooming routine. In case they do develop an ear issue, I want them to be comfortable with me messing with their ears.

Most dogs aren’t comfortable with foreign objects being shoved in their ears, so if your dog is new to ear cleaning ensure you take it slow. Here’s a process that has worked well for training Mauja and Atka to accept regular ear cleanings.

A guide for cleaning your dog's ears with the help of Bayer ExpertCare sold exclusively at PetSmart!Training Ear Cleaning Acceptance
  1. Grab some yummy treats. Soft treats typically work the best for working through uncomfortable situations with Mauja and Atka. However, with Kaeto, we had to break out the cooked chicken to even get close to him with the cleaner!
  2. Sit with your dog. If you have cleaned your dog’s ears before, chances are he knows exactly what the ear cleaner looks like and what that means! I like to just sit on the floor with the cleaner and treats in hand waiting for Mauja and Atka to approach me. Anytime they get near the cleaner, they get a treat!
  3. Take it a step further. At this point, I start putting the nozzle in the very tip of their ear (but not too far as to avoid poking their ear). Praise, treat, praise, treat, praise, treat! You can’t praise too much during this phase. It was helpful for me to utilize a second person so I didn’t get clumsy with the cleaner or treats.
  4. Use the product. Once your dog is okay with the cleaner in his ear, it’s time to actually do the ear cleaning. Be sure to praise and treat! Most likely, the cleaner will startle him so be wary to avoid poking the ear. Most cleaners then require that you massage it into the ear, which I always try to disguise with an ear rub 😉

It’s important to note that these steps take time and most likely will not be accomplished in a single sitting. It took several weeks of practicing before Mauja and Atka would allow me to put the cleaner in their ears. Take it slow. After enough practice, hopefully you’ll have a dog that tolerates ear cleaning!

A guide for cleaning your dog's ears with the help of Bayer ExpertCare sold exclusively at PetSmart!

Bayer® ExpertCare™ Ear Cleansing Rinse at PetSmart

A guide for cleaning your dog's ears with the help of Bayer ExpertCare sold exclusively at PetSmart!I like convenience. I want to be able to either order something online or pick it up at a place that I shop frequently. Trust me, convenience doesn’t outweigh a quality product, but it’s nice when the two coincide! That’s why I’m thrilled that the Bayer ExpertCare products are being sold at exclusively PetSmart. This is perfect for a busy woman like myself that wants to give her pups the best care possible.

A guide for cleaning your dog's ears with the help of Bayer ExpertCare sold exclusively at PetSmart!The Bayer ExpertCare line includes a fantastic ear rinse. The solution is a fresh-scented antiseptic cleansing rinse that contains wax-dissolving and drying agents with aloe vera. This was our first time using the ear rinse from Bayer and I’ve been really impressed with the results. I’ve decided to swap this ear cleaner for the one we typically use and I love that I can easily grab it while we are at PetSmart.

Do you have an ear cleaning routine for your dog? Have you tried any of the Bayer ExpertCare products from PetSmart?

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A guide for cleaning your dog's ears with the help of Bayer ExpertCare sold exclusively at PetSmart!

Great Pyrenees Grooming #CHIforDogs

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Here's how we've updated our Great Pyrenees dog grooming routine with #CHIforDogs sold exclusively at PetSmart!

Has it really been over a year since we talked in-depth about grooming? With two, giant, fluffy dogs, grooming can set me back about $200. That’s not something I can afford frequently so I’m always looking for high-quality, affordable products.

This post is sponsored by Fetch for Pets and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about CHI for Dogs but It’s Dog or Nothing only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Fetch for Pets is not responsible for the content of this article.

Starting September 2015, CHI® for Dogs will hit PetSmart shelves exclusively with over 35 dog grooming products. We were lucky enough to try a few #CHIforDogs dog grooming products to keep Mauja and Atka’s coats white, bright, and fluffy.

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Managing the Undercoat

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Great Pyrenees Blowing Coats

Spring means green grass, blooming flowers, and warm sunlight, but for those of us with double-coated breeds, it means something less delightful.

The blowing of the winter undercoat.

Oh. My. Fluffy.

The struggle is real, friends. You can literally pull loose tufts of undercoat off of your dog. Kind of reminds me the truffula trees in the Lorax.

You can brush your double-coated dog for hours each day and still fail to keep up with the fur. So what are we to do?

Keep brushing. Brush, brush, and then brush some more.

Bathe your dog. Bathing helps to loosen the undercoat that wouldn’t normally come out with brushing.

Befriend your vacuum. You two are going to be spending a lot of time together over the next few weeks.

Survive. The shedding season will end after a few weeks and you’ll be left with your normal-shedding dog (that still sheds ten times more than other dogs). Just remember that your dog will be so much happier without the added warmth of the thick, winter undercoat.

I know it can be tempting, but please do not shave your double-coated dog They need the protection of their coat from the summer heat and sun and their coat will actually help to keep them cool.

How do you handle your dog blowing his undercoat?

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