As a professional groomer, I am often asked how to remove those awful eye
stains that some light-colored dogs are prone to. These dogs are easy to spot, with their
raccoon-like masks around their eyes. There are dozens of products on the market that claim
to take these stains away with regular usage. Be forewarned; they do not work. Unfortunately,
there is no magic potion that will remove the dark stains from around a pet's eyes.
Many different breeds suffer from excessive eye drainage. It is more noticeable with
lighter-colored dogs because of the hair color change that takes place. The telltale
reddish-brown stain is easy to spot, but hard to cure. As in many things, prevention is
the name of the game.

First, it is important to rule out any health problems that may be causing the eye irritation.
The purpose of tears in a dog's eye is to cleanse and lubricate the eye. If there is excessive
tearing, this may be caused by a medical condition that would need care from a veterinarian.
The first step in solving this dilemma is to rule out any health reasons for the tearing.
The reddish-brown stains are caused by iron in the dog's system. It actually dyes the hair
that color, just like a rust stain you might find on a recently laundered piece of clothing.
These stains can show up not only around the eyes, but around the dog's mouth, too, or also
in any area that he might be licking excessively. The saliva acts like the tears, staining
the rust color permanently onto the dog's coat.

One of the easiest ways to reduce staining is to give the dog only distilled water to drink.
This is an old trick used by many white poodle breeders to reduce the staining problem, and
it is usually very effective. Filtered water will not work; it must be distilled water, and
it must be given to the dog consistently. Other things can contribute to staining also.
Some of the inexpensive commercial dog foods contain high levels of food coloring, which can
also add to the staining problem as well. Feeding a premium quality food with fewer dyes and
preservatives can sometimes dramatically reduce the staining.

In addition to the unattractive appearance of the staining, often the eye matter collects and
dries around the dog's eyes, leaving a hard lump in the corner of the eye. Not only is this
unsightly, but, if left untreated over time, it can become quite odorous and the area around
the eyes can become infected. This can be horribly painful for the animal, and usually means
a trip to the veterinarian for oral and topical antibiotic treatments.

Finally, there are other common sense issues that can indeed help with the staining problem.
Keeping the dogs face clipped short is an obvious solution. If the hair around the eyes is short,
the tears then don't have anything to cling to. Also, wiping the dog's face two or three times
per day with a warm washcloth will do wonders in reducing the amount and severity of the staining.

Giving Your Pooch a Pedicure
By Shannon Lynnes CMG, NCMG

Trimming toenails at home can be a simple endeavor with some proper instruction.
Before tackling this task, it is important to have a veterinarian or a groomer give
you a pedicure demonstration on your own dog's toenails. Doggie toenails vary
extensively in shape and hardness, and each requires some skill in knowing where
and how to make the cut.

After that, the biggest challenge is restraining the pet. Most dogs do not like to
have their feet touched. The common mistake people make is trying to accomplish this
feat sitting on the floor. But this makes it too easy for the pet to get away, and
usually when we play with our pets we sit on the floor with them. Therefore they do
not recognize this to be a serious task because they are not restrained properly.
It is important to put the dog up onto something, a counter, a table, a workbench,
etc., so that movement is limited. Do not leave a pet unattended while he is up on
a structure. If possible, it is best to have a helper to hold onto the dog while you
clip the nails.

It is vital that the nail clippers be very sharp. Good quality nail trimmers can be
purchased at stores for under ten dollars. The most common varieties are scissor and
guillotine. Scissor types have blades that come together in a scissor-type mechanism.
Guillotine clippers have an opening in which to place the nail, then the blade comes
up from underneath. Smaller dogs' toenails respond well to both types, but large
breeds have harder nails, making the scissor-type more effective.
Every toenail has a blood supply, much like our "quick," which must not be cut. The
nail will bleed extensively if cut too short. If your dog's nails are white, the blood
supply can be easily seen under the surface. The most effective method to trim toenails
is to take off a small portion of the nail at a time, until you almost reach the quick.
The nail should be clipped approximately 1/4 of an inch from this blood supply. It is
very important to recognize the shape of the toenail in order to properly cut it,
which is where the demonstration mentioned earlier comes in handy. This is especially
important if the dog's toenails are black, as the blood supply will be impossible to see.
If any of your dog's nails have grown around to form a circle, please seek the assistance
of a professional groomer or veterinarian to properly trim these nails.

If you happen to knick the blood supply during the pedicure and nail begins to bleed,
do not panic. This type of bleeding can usually be controlled with products you have
around the house. The best bet is a styptic pencil or powder work great to control
the bleeding, and can usually be found in the medicine cabinet. If that isn't an option,
flour and cornstarch are great substitutes. Dab a dime-sized amount into your palm,
then drag the dog's toenail down and through the powder. This will form a little plug
inside of the nail cavity by forcing some of the powder up into the nail where the
blood is coming from. Apply some pressure onto the bottom of the nail holding the
powder inside for a few minutes. Limit the dog's activity for a while afterward.
If disturbed too soon, the nail will resume bleeding. If you've cut the quick severely
and these methods do not work, you may need to make a quick trip to your vet to have
the nail cauterized. But if you are careful this can be an easy task with some practice.