Marley's Grooming

Grooming is an essential with many pets, especially Marley, my puppy. 

He doesn't shed his hair so has to be groomed on a daily basis, which he loves.  He didn't at first and grooming could be quite an ordeal for both of us as he wanted to play and chew his comb.  I had to persevere and gradually over the last few months he has become accustomed to his pamper sessions, the only problem now is he lays on his back with his legs in the air which can make things slightly difficult. I bath him once a week and he looks forward to being blown dry with the hairdryer. 
Click here to find more information about grooming and caring for your Shih Tzu.

This picture shows a Shih Tzu with the Long Hair style.  This involves a lot of grooming and if neglected can get matted and smelly.

This picture shows a Shih Tzu with the Short Hair style.  This is much easier to groom and care for and keeps the dog cooler in warmer weather.  This is the cut I prefer Marley to have.

Marley has to visit the the professional dog groomers approximately every 6 weeks.  He has a bath, his nails are cut, ears are cleaned and his hair is clipped short.  We found a lovely lady called Joan who has a shop in Runcorn Old Town called Best Friends Dog Grooming.  I was reluctant to leave him on his initial visit as it was the first time we had been seperated, Joan reassured me he would be fine so I left him in her very capable and caring hands.  Two hours later when I returned to pick him up I found him happy, relaxed and playing with Joan's Westie dogs which were in the shop with her.  I couldn't believe he was the same dog, we could see his eyes for the first time and his coat was shiny and short and he was so much happier not having to carry his thick winter coat around with him.  He is due to visit Joan on the 16th of March so I will take some before and after photos so you can see how much difference a visit to the groomers can make.

Garlic Tablet Update

We've been using garlic tablets on Marley for almost a month now and i'm very pleased to say it seems to be working.  The itchiness has decreased considerably and he appears to be a lot happier.  I'm really glad it has worked as the usual flea remedies didn't seem to have an effect.  I didn't like the thought of applying chemicals to him all the time so this natural remedy has many benefits.  The cost of the non natural remedies was also very high.  I can now keep Marley free from Fleas for 3 years for what I was paying for 3 months supply of Frontline.

Pets and Their Pests

The problem with having so many pets is keeping up with flea control.  Because Joey goes out he usually brings little visitors in (Fleas) which he then kindly passes onto the rest of the pets.  I have spent a lot of money over the years on flea treatments and find the fleas seem to be immune to these remedies recently.  The groomer who I take Marley too recently suggested Garlic tablets as the fleas hate the taste when they bite and then jump off and die.  The tablets take around a month to work so I will update you on Marley's itchiness over the coming weeks.  If anybody has any other tips for ridding pets of pests please leave me a comment - anything is worth a try!

Introducing Our Many Pets

Over the years my family has managed to acquire a collection of animals.  These include four cats, a dog and a hamster.  The house is never quiet as there is usually something with four legs running around the house.  They all have different personalities and temperaments, which can sometimes be a challenge.  But, just like people, they make allowances for each other and the majority of the time they live in relative harmony.

Joey - Is a black and white, longhaired Tom cat who is 8 years old, and likes to think he rules the roost.  He has a very short temper with the other pets so tends to slink off upstairs whenever he's in the house.  He is the only cat out of them all who is allowed to go outside.

Ellie Mae - Is a 6 year old, blue tortie, Ragdoll Cat.  She has a long silky coat and stunning blue eyes, the colour of a swimming pool.  She's a very vocal cat (drives you bonkers) who will cry for attention and let you know just what she wants.  She is very loving and motherly to the other pets and also very clever.  We don't allow her to go out alone as she is so friendly she would follow someone home.

Bailey - Is Ellie's brother.  He is a seal point mismatch which means although he is pedigree I can never show him as his colour is completely wrong.  We don't care because he is so handsome! His eyes are like sapphires and he has a thick long coat. He's quite mellow but does have food issues.  As a kitten he didn't feed and was hours away from death so know he has a real fixation with food and panics when he can see the bottom of his food dish!

Ziva - Is a tiny blue cat with stunning yellow eyes.  She's three years old but still looks like a kitten.  She is the sneak thief in the house and has a very sweet tooth, scotch pancakes, scones, fruit cake, nothing is safe!  She tends to keep away from Bailey as he took an instant dislike to her the moment they met.  Ellie treats Ziva like her own kitten and will let Bailey know if he's being a bully.

Marley - Is a 18 week old Shih-tzu/Westie Pup.  He's black, white and brown and has a white stripe running up his head.  He's the baby of the house and is always playing, chewing and weeing everywhere.  Bailey has adopted him and they can often be found play fighting and chasing each other, Marley tends to hang off Baileys ears but he soon puts him in his place.

Dizzy - Is a one year old Syrian hamster.  He's very friendly and quite enjoys being held and played with.  I sometimes wonder what he thinks of when he's running round in that wheel that keeps us up at night!