Part Two, Interview with Suzanne Bretsch
We continue our interview with professional breeder/handler/judge, Suzanne Bretsch. In this second part, Suzanne has offered a few of her tips for choosing the right dog for you.
Many folks when choosing a new puppy for their family consider the grooming they will have to do for their dog. Which breed do you find the easiest and which the most challenging to groom and why?
Suzanne: I think any short-coated breed is easiest for obvious reasons. Coat care is critical for the health of the dog's skin, flea/tick exposure and general cleanliness for those relegated to the kid's beds. Short coated breeds are the simplest, even the hairless dog! Then temperament needs to be considered with the coat, convenience cannot take the place over temperament especially where children are involved in the home life. A lot of short-coated breeds make poor pets. Also, a lot of short-coated breeds don't do well in cold climates and this should also be a consideration. Even if you have a short coat, you still have to stimulate the coat and skin with brushing and have the necessary flea bath maintenance particularly in the spring, summer and fall months. The flea's cycle is every ninety days so I would definite give flea baths, sprays or dips at a minimum every sixty to ninety days and thirty days preferably. Remember tapeworm comes with fleas and can make the health of your dog endangered if a major infestation got out of control. Toenail clipping if your dog doesn't wear down its claws on the earth can become a real issue and nails start turning into the pad. A groomer can keep up with this problem when going in for flea baths. Along with bathing for healthy stimulation and cleanliness, a groomer will evacuate the anal glands and clean the ears of you dog. These are extremely important issues since ignoring them can lead to infections and other expensive vet treatments. Proper maintenance is preventative medicine in a positive way for you and your dog. This is an important consideration no matter how long your coat is.
Medium coated breeds are also requiring attention under the same flea maintenance program and brushing. Combing becomes more important along with brushing since you are now dealing with possible matting. If matting does occur and nothing is done to get it out, it will cut off the circulation to the skin and a rash or sore may result. A fungus or bacteria infection may
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