Dog Grooming

The benefit of having a Maltese/Shihtzu is she does not shed. The bad: her hair grows very fast and requires frequent grooming. If I let it go for more than a week, it will turn into a clumpy mess.

BATH
Frequency: Once a week
We give her lots of treats when she's getting groomed, so she is great when it comes to bath time. We use Buddy Wash Shampoo and follow with Conditioner. We tried to sneak teeth brushing but so far no luck, she will not let us do it. I will have to find another way or bring her to a groomer. After blow drying, we soak up a cotton ball with Ear Cleaner and clean out her ears. I say we because this is usually a team effort, with one giving her small bites of treats.

In addition to giving her Angel Eyes for tear stains, I wash her face every other day. I use a toothbrush to comb out the boogies and use a combination of shampoo and Eye Wash.

BRUSHING
Frequency: 2-3 times a week
She generally hates this routine, so I try to wait for the rare occasion that she's tired. I place her on the bathroom counter and give her treats throughout. Using a Slicker Brush is the best way to get her mats out. When there are clumps of mats, I cut them out using small scissors.

NAIL TRIM
Frequency: Every couple of months
I can usually do this once she's returned from a long day of daycare and passes out. Her nails are light and it's easy to see the quick, so I have no issues with cutting them too close.

OVERALL HYGIENE
I try to check her buttie after every poo to make sure there aren't any clingons, and wipe her peepee with a warm paper towel to keep it clean. I always ask the groomer to cut the hairs around her unmentionables super short. Occasionally in between haircuts I trim them myself.


Got mah hair did

Dog Food Review

BREED: Maltese/Shih Tzu
WEIGHT: 7.5 lbs
AGE: A little more than a year old

HISTORY
When Mochi was brought home from the breeder, she was fed Eukanuba Puppy Small Breed Formula, which wasn't entirely horrible but I wanted to start her off eating the best food possible. We started introducing her to Innova Puppy, which she wasn't crazy about. She actually started to pick out the triangular-shaped food and set it aside. Then I tried EVO Red Meat Small Bite, which she kind of ate, but it made her poo soft.

For the next couple of months we tried California Natural, Canidae, EVO, Orijen, Solid Gold, Taste of the Wild, Halo, Merrick, and Solid Gold, with mixed results. Yes, she is an extremely picky eater. Luckily her tummy adapted well and she never got sick through the different transitions. I was able to get samples of these foods from my local pet store, so it did not cost me anything to get her to try new them. She was about 3 lbs at 3 months, and now she's 7.5 lbs. From day one she has been given filtered water.

CURRENT FOOD

From about 7 months of age until now she is being fed Lotus Puppy food. She is a little bit over a year now and I have not switched over to Adult food yet. She really likes this stuff, and I like the ingredients as well as the fact that is is baked food. Mochi is not a big eater and does not gorge herself. Of course with treats, it's a different story. I have also been mixing the dry kibble with a spoonful of canned Lotus Turkey, which she loves. The reason is to have more water in her system due to her UTI and bladder stone surgery about a month ago. You can read about that ordeal HERE.

TREATS
I give her a variety of jerky flavors from Wellness. They work extremely well for training. Mochi also loves apples, peanut butter, and cheese. She will pounce on biscuits but has no real interest in eating them. Occasionally she gets rawhide when we can watch her. Also, when we are away we let her have her "Crack ball" which is a great chew toy that you can insert treat discs in.



TEAR STAIN PREVENTION
I'm sure owners of light-haired breeds have probably heard about Angel Eyes, and I have to say it's the only thing that has treated and prevented tear stains. Mochi did not have it that bad, but the stinky yeast smell was horrible. We sprinkle this in her food and saw results in about a month or so. It is costly, so I use it maybe 2-3 times a week, and wash her face every other day. I use a toothbrush to comb out the boogies and use a combination of Buddy Wash Shampoo and Eye Wash. See my dog grooming tips HERE.




Tear-stain free in '93