Grooming the Dogs After a Walk Around the Farm
Every day is a grooming day here at my Bedford, New York farm.
I have always been a firm believer in regular brushing and bathing for all my furred friends. My gorgeous dogs - the French Bulldogs, Creme Brûlée and Béte Noire, and my Chow Chows, Empress Qin and Emperor Han, are groomed and checked for ticks and fleas every afternoon. Their faces are also wiped thoroughly. And, if it's muddy outside, they also get their feet washed, so they don't track any dirt inside the house. Sharing a home with any pet is a huge responsibility - it requires time, knowledge, and commitment to ensure every animal gets the best possible care.
Enjoy these photos.
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- We’ve had several days of mild, spring-like weather here at my farm. This is a photo of the upper Linden Allee between the horse paddocks. At the end is the carriage road leading to my home.
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- Because of the warmer temperatures, a lot of the snow and ice have melted. There is still quite a bit on the roads, but one can now see the grassy winter fields. The ground is also pretty wet from all the saturation.
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- And, with wet ground comes lots of mud. Here’s Empress Qin with muddy front legs and paws after her daily walk around the property – they must be washed and dried before going back to my Winter House kitchen.
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- Carlos brings the dogs to the grooming area in the basement, where there is a prepared plastic bin of room temperature water waiting.
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- Qin is considered a medium sized dog, but too big for all her feet to be washed at once, so Carlos does two paws at a time – first the front.
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- He carefully washes all the dirt and mud off one by one. This is also a good time to make sure any small pebbles or gravel did not get lodged in between the pads of her feet.
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- Always have the towels nearby, so each paw can be wiped quickly and thoroughly after washing.
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- When it’s time for the Frenchies, all four legs can fit comfortably in the bin of water. Creme’s feet are also quite muddy – look at the water.
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- That looks much better, Creme Brulee.
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- It may not be the most fun to get their paws washed, but I am sure all my dogs feel much better after it is done, right Creme?
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- I have several good grooming tools available on my shop on Amazon, including my massage brush and my multipurpose brush in two sizes.
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- My massage brush is made with soft natural bristles, which remove shedding hair and debris. The round rubber comfort pins massage the skin.
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- Creme Brulee loves being rubbed and massaged with this brush – she stays very still on the table.
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- Brushing and massaging also help to stimulate natural oil production, leaving the dog’s coat smooth and healthy.
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- Emperor Han is next. Han loves the grooming table and will jump up on the table himself. Carlos is brushing underneath Han, making sure to get his armpits, stomach, and inner thighs where mats can form.
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- A Chow Chow has a thick double coat which should be brushed often to remove all the dead hairs. Another distinctive feature of this breed is the curly tail. The tail has thick hair and lies curled over its back.
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- When brushing, it’s also a good idea to hold the coat with one hand, while brushing with the other, so the hairs are not pulled – this makes it a more enjoyable experience for the dog. During this time, Carlos inspects the skin for any scratches, irritations, or signs of allergies.
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- Lastly, using a damp cloth, Carlos wipes around the eyes and face.
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- Qin is so comfortable on the table. She is a champion show dog, so she is very accustomed to this grooming routine. Carlos brushes her arms and paws. It is important to brush down to the skin to ensure any mats that have formed are completely removed.
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- Look at all the fur removed after just a few strokes. And, do you know the difference between hair and fur? Actually, hair and fur are chemically indistinguishable. Both have the same keratin composition. The primary difference between hair and fur is simply the word usage. Fur is the collective term used to describe the hairs on any mammal other than human.
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- And look, another special trait of the Chow Chow is its blue-black tongue. Chow Chows come in five colors: this red, which can be light golden to deep mahogany, black, blue, cinnamon, and cream. Both Han and Qin are red Chows, but I’ve also had black Chow Chows. Qin is smiling at the camera.
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- After grooming, the dogs are let out once again. Here is Creme Brulee out in the courtyard behind my kitchen.
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- Bete loves to roll and stretch on a towel inside – it must feel nice on her stomach.
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- Here is Han taking a break after his grooming session. The Chow Chow’s large head with broad, flat skull and short, broad and deep muzzle is proudly carried and accentuated by the big ruff and pronounced scowling expression.
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- Here are all my freshly groomed canines – happy, and once again guarding their domain, or patiently waiting for a visitor to play with them. I’ve been away on business the last few days, but I’ll see you very soon my dear doggies.
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