Summer is a time of joy. The warm weather encourages trips and having fun in the water. However, summer may not be as great for our dogs as it may seem. We fur may sometimes do more harm than good. How to take care of wet fur and how to prevent any possible problems? We interviewed breeder Klára Miketová on this very topic.
Should we pay extra attention when our pet has wet fur? Are there any inherent dangers, especially now in the summer when dogs often get wet?
Yes, swimming in the summer offers pleasant cooling sensations for our dogs, just like for us. However, there are various risks that come with it. Water quality is important. Dogs, like us, shouldn’t swim in waters containing cyanobacteria. Bad river water can cause various moulds and rashes, as any vet would tell you. Another danger can be caused by hot spots, where the skin under the fur can get inflamed and bacteria overgrow there. Dogs often lick these spots, spreading the bacteria to other parts of their body. And last but not least, there is the risk of cold, which can cause inflammation of the urinary tract or kidneys. Short-haired dogs have an advantage here, as they dry in a moment, or patting them down with a towel is enough. For dogs with long fur, it’s best to use a quality shampoo and blow dry them upon arrival at home.
How should we dry the fur?
Dog fur can hold up to 20 litres of water. Nature has arranged it in such a way that, for example, a Newfoundland dog or a Labrador Retriever can shake out almost all the water away. But these breeds were bred especially for work in water. If we take a breed such as the Samoyed or Husky, whose thick coat protects it from cold and bad weather, its coat type is not designed to get wet down to the skin. If you let such a dog dry naturally, it will take 15 hours. The top coat will be dry, but the undercoat and skin will still be wet. For these dogs, it is necessary to use a turbo hairdryer and get the water out from the undercoat. Breeds with very long fur, such as the Maltese or the Afghan Hound, need to be combed during blow-drying so that their hair does not tangle.
How to properly condition wet fur?
After each swim in nature, we put our dogs in a bathtub, shampoo them thoroughly and dry them with a blow dryer. When blow-drying, we use a suitable brush, which does not pull on the fur and smooths it into the desired shape. It’s actually similar to blow drying at a hairdresser.
What are the risks of not taking care of wet fur properly? Can we damage the fur?
Wet fur, if not brushed properly, tends to tangle. I brush long-haired dogs immediately, even if they get wet just from the rain. This is doubly true for swimming. We can only damage the fur if it is very dirty. That is why it’s important to keep dogs clean so that their fur does not break. But we can damage the fur also by blow-drying with air that is too hot. It’s important to use a quality blow dryer for dogs, as well as a quality fur brush.
Photo credit: Alena Vanžurová
If you have decided to buy a purebred cat, you still have a lot of questions ahead of you. Which breed should you choose? A female cat or a tomcat? A kitten or an adult? Only if you consider everything carefully, you'll get the right companion for...
Lots of rabbit lovers choose this breed mainly by its appearance. The cuter, the better. But maybe they don’t know that a certain kind from the order of lagomorphs lives in nature, and hardly any domestic rabbit can match it in its cuteness. The same...
If you've noticed that your fluffy friend excessively licks and nibbles at his paws, you should not leave it like that. It might have several causes. Whether it's a psychological problem, allergy, yeast or other problem, the situation must be...
Did you know that our senses include the perception of the magnetic field? While we have almost lost this ability already, dogs still have it and use it every day. Do you know for what?
The British Shorthair cat is without a doubt the most popular cat breed not only in the Czech Republic, but also in the rest of Europe. This is caused not only by its appearance of a small Teddy bear, but also a mild, trouble-free nature.
In individual rodents, we’ll find breeds that are more popular with breeders than others. One of those is the American Teddy, typical with its peculiar hair structure that gives it the appearance of a teddy bear.
There is certainly no doubt that the Labrador belongs among the best known and most popular dog breeds. The reason is his extraordinary versatility, adaptability, intelligence and loyalty. Like the British Shorthair cat, the Labrador Retriever can be...
To spend a few days outside of civilisation - in the forest, on the ridges of the mountains - away from the hustle of the cities, in the wilderness and ideally with your dog. An imaginary return back to nature is the trend that did not avoid even the...
Hunting and exercise. If the dog loves both these activities, then coursing is the perfect activity for it. This cross-country race is based exactly on the desire of the dog to catch its prey.
No matter how thorough we are with the prevention, a situation might come up when a dog or a cat will get to a poisonous thing, whether it’s by our inattention or it's somebody else’s fault. That’s why it’s not off-topic to prepare yourself for the...
Under the name of dogtrekking, imagine an orientation walk with the dog. Official rules rank it among extreme dog endurance sports.
There may be more causes of dog fear. And the first step to eliminate it is to find out its origin and cause.
