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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | OCTOBER 2016 9 By Teri DiMarino-Davidson Personal grooming is an everyday routine for most of us. We wake up, brush our teeth, bathe, brush our hair and we are ready for the day. Many of us occasionally treat ourselves to a manicure and/or pedicure at a local nail salon while others go to the hairdresser for a trim or a little color "restoration." Well, grooming is just as important for your pets daily routine as well. Regular attention to our pet's physical well-being is a simple task that every owner can easily handle. I am not necessarily talking about trimming their hair, as this is something best left to the professionals. But, just the act of brushing, combing and examining our pets can do so much to enhance our relationship with them. Short hair or long hair, brushing keeps the pets hair from matting and tangling and it also removes dead, shedding coat (keeping it off the furniture). It also enables us to give the pet a brief, all-over, examination. We can find parasites, lumps, bumps and skin issues and deal with them before they become larger problems. This is also a good time to check their ears and teeth. I'm not talking about a big examination, just a little check over to see that all is okay. While some pets may object to these examinations at first, firm but gentle handling with reassuring words will soon have them realizing that being touched, petted and brushed is actually an enjoyable experience that can really create a very positive bond between us with our pets and they actually begin to look forward to it. Reinforcing these actions with treats is always good. Some owners are quite successful in performing some other tasks, like brushing their pet's teeth and trimming their nails. Teeth brushing is something that has to be taught, both to the owner and the pet. It is a task that takes practice and should be done daily, like your own teeth. I know it can be difficult, but with some persistence you can make it a positive experience for you both. Good dental hygiene helps our pets stay in peak health and helps delay the need for veterinary dental visit. Nail trimming is something that also takes a bit of practice and, just like many human counterparts, most people like to take their pet to the professional for this. Either the local grooming salon or your veterinarian can do this for you. Care needs to be taken not to trim too short as it can frighten the pet. Your local grooming salon usually performs this task as part of a regular pet grooming service. Many owners choose to get their long-hair pets trimmed into attractive, easy to keep, styles while others with short hair pets are just happy to have someone else bathe them as opposed to doing it themselves. Salon grooming usually includes nail trimming and ear cleaning. And groomers are usually very good at finding issues that the owners may not notice and they can recommend when a visit to the vet may be in order. A well-groomed pet is a pleasure to be around. They look and feel good. They enjoy being handled and appreciate the attention. The bonding experience that regular grooming forms between an owner and their pet is something that cannot be equaled. Grooming is Important for Pets

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