Don’t underestimate care of your dog’s ears, teeth and nails; this is often forgotten, but for me it is one of the most important parts of good grooming.

EARS

There are three things to check regularly:

• Visually: do you see a lot of dirt or are there too many hairs growing in the ear canal?
• Smell: do you notice a strange sweet, sour or bitter smell?
• Reaction: does your dog scratch its ears a lot?

With healthy ears, less is more and you should leave the environment natural, but if changes are discovered early on, you can usually get a good grip on it yourself with the right product. In my salon, ear hairs are plucked and cared for with a gentle, nonirritating product.

TEETH

Misalignments, broken teeth and pet cavity can be painful, and should be shown to your veterinarian. Tartar and gingivitis lead to bad breath, and can affect your dog’s overall health. I will help you to recognize – and control – possible problems early. Tartar is removed as best as possible with a professional tool and without sedation.

NAILS

Overgrown nails can become deformed by the pressure against the ground and nerves growing diagonally. This can result in pain and discomfort, and possibly even affect your dog’s ability to walk or even stand comfortably.

Nails and nerves grow for a lifetime; if the nails are not regularly trimmed and shortened, it is almost impossible to cut the nails without injury as the dog ages, and an already stiff senior dog has more and more trouble walking, especially on slippery floors.

Regular nail trimming in the salon is therefore essential.