Grooming a Labrador
Labradors require very little grooming. Nail trimming on a regular basis and keeping their ears clean is
just about it when they are not shedding but during the spring, when they "blow" their coats, grooming is needed.
If you are trimming the nails yourself it should be done every week. I use a angle clip method where
you clip from the bottom, then each side of the tip of the nail and then the top to avoid the blood filled
center of the nail called the quick. Using the nail guides that offer protection from cutting the
quick do not work and so do not rely on them. If you happen to cut the quick the nail will bleed and you need to
keep the dog quiet for about 20 minutes and off of their feet until the nail clots. Blood stopping
powder is a nice thing to have on hand but if you do not have that some corn starch or the soft side of a bar
of soap may help slightly but honestly not much. Just be patient and it will stop.If you prefer not to
trim the nails yourself you can have your vet do them during your visit and also stop
by a grooming salon to have them clipped for a small fee.
Checking the ears is very important. Labs, due to the heavy ear leather that hangs over the canal, can
come down with bad ear infections. Some individuals are more prone than others and so keeping an eye on the
ears to ensure there is not a foul smell and dark brown discharge is the key. Also, after you take him
swimming it is very important to clean out the ears as quickly as possible. This reduces the chance of infection
as well. The other cause for ear problems would be ear mites. They can be picked up between dogs and cats
and cause just about the same symptoms and both would require a vet visit. For standard cleaning you
can use a half white vinegar and half rubbing alcohol but never use this for a dog that has ear issues
as it would sting. Put a generous amount in the ear canal, massage in and then wipe out well with a paper
towel. Some people do not like the smell and so they do offer a wide variety of ear cleaners at pet shops
and at your vets office. Never ever use hydrogen peroxide or any other cleaners in the ear canal unless
the vet approves it.
Labradors do not need to be bathed very often, if at all, but I am a firm believer that they should be bathed
often when puppies. It is a horrible situation when you have a full grown adult that has never seen a
bath tub and you have to fight them to get them into the tub, stay still for washing and wrestle with them
just to get them partially dry. Start early with your puppy and keep it up. Bathe them twice a month
until you know they accept it and are easy to handle. Normally that is 8 months of age. Remember that is
a baby and if you go too long between baths you will be starting over with that portion of the training.
Humans have a ph balance of about 5.5 and a dogs is about 7.5. That is not horribly different and so you can
use human shampoo on your dog. Better yet, most dish soaps have a ph of 7 and so I prefer to use dish soap.
If you visit the lake and they come out icky and stinky or they need a quick "freshen up" in general
a show trick is to put 1/3 Listerene and 2/3 water into a spray bottle. Spritz them down generously and
then towel them dry. The Antiseptic will help reduce the chance
of skin infections, it is very safe and gives their coat a lovely fresh scent! Keep a spray bottle
of this and towel in the car for quick clean ups. It will be a life saver!
In the spring your Labrador will "blow" it's coat. The extra coat needed during the winter is no longer
needed and so it starts falling out. Some times clumps can be seen. A rubber horse curry is a super tool
to help get rid of the extra hair and shine the coat when they are not shedding but a regular two level
pin brush does the best during shedding. The blowing process takes around two to three weeks and if you
brush your dog daily during this time it can be reduced significantly.
be very
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