Monthly Archives: March 2011

Why a french bulldog for me?

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I’m often told  that I must have the most well groomed dog around and the answer is yes cause I picked a breed that has very minimal grooming needs.  I knew that after 40 hours a week grooming the last thing I want is to groom on my personal time which is why I chose a Frenchie.

A happy-go-lucky attitude and clowning behavior.

Like many other companion dog breeds they require close contact with humans.

They have fairly minimal exercise needs, but do require at least daily walks.

Their calm nature makes them excellent choices for apartment dwellers, as does their usually sensible attitude towards barking.

No hair to comb

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Clipper Alopecia

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I worked on a dog two days ago who had clipper alopecia.  A border collie mix who got shaved  by their old groomer for the heat and now the hair isn’t growing back.  The owner was shocked that the no one told her about the possibility of it not growing back nor the fact that it had exposed her dog to more heat being bald with no protection from the sun.  Now her dog’s black hair is growing back grey and in patches.

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This does happen when a dog with a double coat gets shaved such as pomeranians, huskies, border collies, australian shepards, chows, among other breeds or mixes that have top and undercoats .   It may never grow back the same in texture, thickness,  in patches and peach fuzz like.  I plan to get some before and after pictures and for now I will post a helpful link to explain more in detail.

Here is a Pomeranian that gets shaved constantly.  The top coat is no longer growing just patches of the undercoat. Original black color is changing to a brown color.

Below: Chow mix after being shaved for years

Important for Puppy owners

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Socializing your puppy is a must, it will get your dog ready for new experiences.  I have seen very good dogs have lots of problems when they are not socialized some eventually ending up in shelters due to the owner’s neglect during the first important part of their lives.  They don’t do well to new experiences, being alone, attacking house guests or family members,  among an lacking of confidence which is needed to have a healthy life.

In the old days, dogs that were kept away from socializing were done in order to be untrustworthy to strangers and to protect their new owner.  A very social dog can also be protective when they since fear or danger without neglecting socialization in their life.

Socialization will help:

  • How your puppy should play
  • Recognize when your puppy is being frightened, overwhelmed or being inappropriate
  • Learn about important puppy development stages
  • Learn basic behaviors that your puppy should know to be a welcomed member of any social event