The important thing to consider is the reason that you want the style in the first place.  Whether it will be for functionality, for breed standard, or maybe just to start a new trend with an original modified style that you put together on your own.

Functionality

This may be your only choice if your pet is in need of relief from heavy matting and long hair that is over-grown and too thick.  You may want to also keep a low-maintenance short look if you do not have time to brush out your pet every day, or you would like your pet to feel more comfortable in the summer. During the winter, one solution would be to let your pet wear a sweater until the hair grows out (which usually takes about 2 1/2 – 3 months).

The “Furminator Treatment” is a great alternative to the “shave down” to decrease shedding. The Furminator Shedding tool used is extremely effective in removing at least 70-80% of the loose undercoat after grooming, leaving a noticeably thinner topcoat.  Since pets shed over time and not “all at once” it may take a few treatments every 4-6 weeks to keep the undercoat under control.  The second part of the treatment consists of a bath using the Furminator Shampoo and Conditioner formulated with all natural ingredients.

Some “Terrier” and “Spaniel” cuts can be modified so that the skirt is scissored shorter than breed standard making it easier to maintain and to keep a “fluffy” look that stays free of debris.

Breed Cuts

It is important to do your research on breed standards for your particular breed.

Keep in mind that there is a different cut for a “pet breed cut” than for the “show breed cut”.

Show trims can be slightly higher in price and usually require hand plucking (link and explain), blending and hand scissoring instead of using the blade set and pattern of the pet breed trim. The goal aspired to achieve in a “show” trim is to maintain the natural flow of the hair growth into a softer outline, rather than visible patterns and solid harsh lines in the “pet” breed trim.

Modified Styles

Modified styles are all about creativity.  Some pet owners prefer a completely different style than what is normal for their pet’s breed.  For example, a Schnauzer trim can be done on a Yorkshire Terrier.  Many different breed cuts can be combined to make one unique style.

Another example could be a Cocker Spaniel with a Cocker Spaniel head, but with a Poodle Lamb Cut on the legs.

Poodle and Labradoodle owners sometimes request a “teddy bear” trim instead of the breed trim just for something cute and different.

For longhaired cats and dogs such as Chow Chows, you can also choose a Lion Cut.  This cut resembles a real lion, leaving the scruff larger around the head down to the middle of the chest, with the rest of the body shaved closely.  The legs are slightly fluffier (with what are called boots). The tail is usually shaved down to the tip on the very end.  This cut is extremely low maintenance.

Still even more creatively you can use stencils, gels, sprays, colors, and “human” styles on your pet.  A popular style is the “Mohawk” either on the top of the pet’s head or down the entire back of the body.

Some things you may want to focus on are:

Ears – If you have problems with getting food or tangles in them you may want to have them short for easy care.  Be sure to notify the groomer of any ear infections, allergies, or sensitivities.  Special products can be used to clean and dry the ears inside.  The ear products used can only routinely clean and dry the ears, and cannot be used as a substitute for an ear flush and possible medical treatment that may be needed for chronic ear problems.

Head / Top knot – Try to take into consideration as to whether you normally keep the topknot hair in a barrette or rubber band and never down, or if you would rather have the hair to fall naturally into place without getting into the eyes.

Let the groomer know if you would like the head to be rounded, blended into the body, larger and more pronounced, or a specific shape (a terrier head is squared off instead of fluffy and rounded, etc.).

Tail – When clipping a pet short there are different tail shapes that you may want to consider such as a cipher, carrot, slick to the tail, or gradually blended natural tail.

Paws – Especially with poodles, try to be as specific as possible if you want closely shaved poodle feet or “teddy bear” feet, and if you would like the toenails showing or not.

Nails – There are several things to think about with toenails.  Some nails have “quicks” that have grown out extremely long and cannot be cut short without bleeding.

(Ask your groomer to check them).  If this is the case, the quicks will have to be cut back short and cauterized at a veterinarian’s office.  After this is done- regular nail trims will have to be done to maintain the nail’s shortness so that it does not reoccur.

To soften sharp edges after clipping the nails, you can request filing or dremeling them to a rounded edge.  Dremeling keeps the nails short 30% longer than just nail trims alone.  It also prevents nail cracking, injuries from scratching and damage to hardwood floors.

Skirt Length – When making a decision on the length of the skirt, consider the time that you have available to spend brushing and combing out the pet.  A long flowing skirt is beautiful, but ridiculous if you can never have the time to maintain it.  A shorter skirt can be just a beautiful easier to care for.

Skin -  Give the groomer a “heads up” on the skin condition and if you would like a flea, conditioning, or medicated treatment added to the bath.  Allergic pets will only worsen if you do not communicate sensitivities to the groomer ahead of time so that they can use only hypoallergenic products.  Spa treatments can only help soothe the skin and are not capable of “curing” skin ailments that require veterinary care.

Teeth -  For beautiful healthy teeth, a routine dental check up is needed by a veterinarian, and regular brushing during grooming appointments to loosen and prevent tartar from building up on the teeth.  It is an excellent preventative measure that costs just a few dollars more per grooming appointment.

It can help to bring a picture of the type of style that you may want, but remember that the groomer cannot be a miracle worker.  Don’t be shy about the explaining the desired effect that you would like your pet to have.  Most groomers love a challenge, or to try something different.  They will consider all of the factors involved (condition of the pet, timeframe, and work involved) and help come to a reasonable compromise between your expectations and what is possible.

Life, whether of a human being or a cat, is precious! Insurance, therefore, assumes importance in case an illness surfaces suddenly and if one is short of required financial resources. If the matter is concerned with taking a proper care of your cat, then the veterinary bills can prove to be nothing more than a burden for a cat owner. Health insurance policies are therefore a boon for the pet owners because of the financial help they render. Cat health insurance is thus a must to cover the expenses for those who truly care for the well-being of their cats. Even during medical emergencies which are sudden in nature, a cat owner can rest assured on this front as well. A wide range of requirements are covered with the help of this policy resulting in an immense relief for the pet owner.

The rising costs are a bane for the general populace with inflation breaking its own past records. Paying up the sudden expenses in the form of veterinary bills in case of emergencies have become nothing short of a burden explaining the need of an insurance policy. But, going for a cat health insurance policy might unnerve many in the beginning however, proving later to be immensely beneficial. For those people, who are extra careful in the maintenance of cats, the policy provides a solid financial support especially in the times of emergencies. There are numerous firms providing the cat health insurance policies on reasonable terms and conditions. Make sure you go through them properly with the help of yellow pages or either the internet which are replete with information about insurance agencies.

Similar to human health insurance policy, cat insurance policy come with multiple healthcare benefits. However, paying up the premiums, as many believe, might prove to be burdensome because of the robust health of their cat. But we all know that illnesses and emergencies of other kind have a habit of arriving suddenly and that their pet might not remain in the condition when it was younger. It thus makes better sense to avail of the benefits of insurance policy so that it can cover the medical expenses during the illnesses and injuries. Studying thoroughly the terms and conditions of a pet insurance policy is thus necessary, to get a clear idea about their processing. A cat owner can also make sure whether the insurance policy selected covers the pre-existing or terminal illnesses in a proper manner. This step assumes importance because there are many policies offered by the insurance agencies which might or might not fulfill these conditions quite satisfactorily.

There are various criteria that should be met within a cat health insurance policy. One of them is age, as many policies cover only certain age groups and beyond that your cat might not be eligible for the cover. With the help of these criteria, an insurance company is able to set the premium amounts. If your cat belongs to an older age group, higher premium amount has to be paid by you due to the range of illnesses it might develop. This is a normal outcome of hardening of internal organs thereby resulting in their improper functioning, further weakening the immune system of the creature. Yet, the cat owner has a privilege to choose any policy according to his or her financial capacity. Ensure therefore, a proper regimen for cat care with the help of these policies.

Many people think that a bird is a fun low maintenance pet that can provide you with good company. While birds are fun, intelligent companions they do require quite a bit of maintenance and care. Some birds require more maintenance than others so here’s some guidelines on bird care that might help you pick a bird that’s perfect for your lifestyle.

First of all you should be aware that all birds will need to have fresh food and water in a cage change daily. Also, birds are messy with their seeds and you’ll soon find seeds all over the floor around the cage that will need to be cleaned each day to. You can buy things to go on the cage so minimize this mess but be prepared to spend at least a half-hour cleaning up and around your birds cage each day. In addition, you want to set aside time each week to wash down the cage as it can get quite messy.

The reason most people get a bird is to obtain friend I can sit in the shoulder and entertain them. But if you want your bird to remain tame and friendly you’ll need to spend some time with it particularly at feeding time when you can choose to hand feed him and also you want to set aside time to take them out of the cage just to play.

If you don’t have a lot of time to spend with a bird but still like the look of these bright little creatures you may want to think about purchasing a canary or some finches. These birds are pretty self-sufficient and won’t pine away if you don’t pay a lot of attention to them. Also, if you don’t want a loud bird that will wake up all your neighbors these have light pleasant sounding voices. Beware, however, that they’re just as messy as other birds so you will need to spend time cleaning up their cage’s.

let’s say you who do have plenty of time to spend training and playing with your pet bird but you just don’t have the room for big giant parrot. For you, the cockatiel parakeet might make the perfect pet. These birds can become very tame and can even be taught to do tricks and in some cases to talk. They are not overly loud so can be good pets for apartment dwellers.

If you want something a little bit bigger, consider midsize parrots like Conures or Senegal parrots. these birds are a bit bigger in size can be fun and entertaining pets but I must warn you they can be very loud. Conyers in particular have an ear piercing shriek that they like to emit first thing in the morning. they’re not the talkers that the larger parrots are but some breeds like Quaker parrot and Nanday conure can talk pretty good.

If you do a lot of time and you want a bird that will talk extensively than you want to choose one of the larger parrots like an African gray or maybe even a macaw. The larger parrots theirs is just as smart as a toddler and will probably require almost as much attention. You need to make sure that you keep your bird from getting bored or providing him with interesting toys that you change out every once in awhile and by interacting with them yourself. If you buy a large burden and spend time with it you’re just asking for trouble as they can be quite destructive and loud.

No matter what type of bird you choose, you want to make sure you get one that has been hand fed since it was a baby. This bird will already be quite tame and used humans and be ready to adapt to his new home and willing to learn to talk and do tricks from you. It’s a bird that is not tame or friendly may have problems and may never learn to trust you, therefore not making a good pet.

It can be exciting to adopt a pet bird but you need to make sure that you make this decision carefully. Buying a bird that you do not have the time for will be a disappointment for both you and the bird and will not work out in the long run. Before you make your purchase, be sure that you will commit to caring for your new feathered friend and you will find that you have a wonderful companion.

Washing our dog is quite important, but it’s not that important like people think. Healthy doggies need not be washed often, but we humans prefer to do so such that they get an appealing appearance and smell. Doggie’s bathing time is a very good time to share with it. Although many don’t like to get washed, they will surely appreciate the attention and contact which they would receive during a bath. It’s the perfect time to do some other needed “dog maintenance” like cleaning their ears, checking for fleas and ticks, and brushing their teeth. Since most of the dogs don’t like to sit idle for such activities, it’s a very good idea for doing all of them at the same time.

1) Brushing

Brushing our dog’s teeth is a good hygiene. Most professional vets recommend it being done twice a week, at least to ensure that our dog has healthy gums and teeth. If you people haven’t been doing these things (and, unfortunately, many don’t) it’s not too late to begin. The dog must have a toothbrush of its own and a special paste which is designed for them. Make it sure you do brush their back teeth in circles, the exact way by which you would do your own, and do brush top and bottom of the size of the pointing canine teeth. The Dog toothpaste will have a very pleasing taste (folks! It’s for the dogs, don’t try it) which should make it willing to let us to perform this kind of activity.

2) Checking for Fleas & Ticks

Ticks are very nasty little arachnids (they have eight legs (like spiders), and hence aren’t insects) which will latch over the skin of your dog and will make its blood as their meal’s ticket. They are very common in woody places, but your dog must be checked for these arachnids regularly as they carry a variety of diseases. The correct place for finding these bugs is under the collar of the dog or on its underbelly, buried in fur. If seen they must be removed with the help of tweezers.

Fleas would be found in similar places, under its fur. Their presence can be felt by the sight of their droppings over the dog’s fur coat. They look like pepper flecks. The fleas look as bits of brown rice. They will be about a 1\8 inch long. They can not simply be picked, like ticks but finding them would let you know that its time to begin a program for controlling and eliminating the insects from the dog.

3) Ear Cleaning

Pet stores sell some special solutions for cleaning a dog’s ear. Dogs will easily acquire ear mites, little insects which will live in the ear and would feed on the waxy secretions present there. Over the time the bodies of these creatures build a black, very dirty substance. By using a swab of cotton dipped in a bit of this solution, clean the inner part of the ear. It might be difficult for holding your dog idle for this procedure, but this doesn’t take much time. And the result is that your dog will have clean ears and the earaches and potential infections will be extinguished.