You can prevent many health problems, or at least discover
them before they become serious, by developing good grooming habits for
your Belgian. We recommend a once-weekly grooming session.
Basic equipment you will need:
-
A good quality pin brush for every-day grooming.
-
A wire slicker brush and a wide-toothed comb for pulling
out dead hair when your Belgian is shedding.
-
Nail clippers. A nail grinder is a nice accessory to
have to smooth the sharp edges.
-
Styptic powder to stop a nail from bleeding if cut too
short.
-
Cotton swabs and mineral oil or peroxide for cleaning
ears.
Brush your Belgian's coat from the skin out. Don't
just fluff the top layer. While brushing, make it a habit to
check for skin problems, fleas, ticks, etc.
Clean ears. Some pups produce large amounts of ear
wax. The amount usually lessens as they mature.
Check eyes, foot pads and mouth. Healthy gums can be
pink, gray or black.
Clip your dog's nails regularly. Letting nails grow
too long can cause the foot to spread and be uncomfortable for the dog to
walk on. Ask your vet to show you how to cut your pup's nails.
Some
dogs, no matter what, while struggle when nail-cutting time arrives.
With these, restraint will work. Sometimes bribery with food will,
too. Cut a nail, offer a treat. Then cut another nail and give a
treat until all nails are cut.
Even the most willing dog will
object to nail clipping if the cutting blade of your clippers is dull and
crushes the nail before it cuts. If your dog objects to nail trimming,
try a new, sharp blade in your clippers.
If your dog objects
strenously to nail clipping no matter what you do, you might try a doggy
nail grinder. Some dogs will take to a grinder better than a
clipper.
