When dog owners give their pet physical attention, it’s either by way of a pat or a scratch. While you might think you are doing Rover a big favor by patting their head, or scratching their chin, dog trainer Rick Bell is speaking for your pet. "Give your dog a massage", says Bell.

Photo: sponng

Bell explains that dogs have two or three spots where they love to be massaged. "Assuming your pooch is injury free, the areas most enjoyable for him to have massaged are his head: there’s nothing like a good noggin rub, the base of his spine (just above his tail), as well as his chest and belly."

There is also a technique pet owners should utilize when touching their pets. Bell says, "Massaging your dog with your fingertips will be more soothing to him than rubbing, petting or scratching." Bell adds, "Think about it, when you go in for a message, the last thing you want is to be patted repeatedly on one spot or be scratched over and over again. Massage a dog like you like to get massaged, with swirling motions and squeezes of the legs from the torso to the paws."

A pet owner does not have to be a licensed massage therapist in order to properly massage a canine. "There are a number of good books on the subject," says Bell, "and an internet search of "dog massage" will provide you with video links that will show you where and how to massage your dog."

Denise Mahaffey is the Founder of Malama Marketing, President of http://www.Petbirthdayparty.com and is also the proud owner of the laziest chocolate lab in the world, Koa. 
   

The first thing you are going to want to do when you are clipping dog nails is to make sure the nails are pliable. The easiest way to do this is to clip the dog nails after your dog has had a bath. You should give your dog a bath each month, after which time, you should commence clipping his nails.

Photo: doityourself.com

Just like a human, dog nails grow until they are cut or break off. Dog nails can dig into furniture, your skin and even the skin of your dog. They can also, if uncut, become ingrown and infected. This would entail the nail actually growing so long that it grows back into the skin.

You need to have good dog nail clippers in order to do a proper job. This is not the time to skimp. You can get good clippers by looking at a variety of different places online. Take a look at what is available and get a decent pair of dog nail clippers made for the breed of your dog. One option is to ask your vet as to the best type of clippers for your dog.

If you get cheap dog nail clippers, chances are that they will not last a long time and you will be stuck paying for better quality again. Instead of throwing good money after bad, why not get the best quality dog nail clippers you can get from the beginning?

You are going to have to hold the dog still when you clip his nails or else you can hurt him. Take his paw firmly in your hand while you have him on your lap. If he is a big dog, it might be necessary to have someone else hold him the first few times. Hold the paw with one hand and use the other hand to clip the nails. Do not clip too far, just take off the very tips. This should only take a few minutes.

It will be easier to clip the front paws than the back and as those are more important when it comes to your furniture and even yourself, those are the first you should clip. If your dog runs from you, do not make a big deal out of the clipping. Try to do a little more each time. Be firm, but do not yell or frighten the dog or else he will run every single time you take out the clippers.

Most dogs will begrudgingly put up with having their nails clipped. A few dogs like it but most dislike it. If you talk in a soothing tone to him while you are clipping his nails, he will most likely be more cooperative when it comes to nail clipping time. Again, if you embark on this task after the bath, you should have a much more positive results.

Clipping dog nails takes practice. The more you do this task, however, the better you will get at clipping the nails of your dog and the easier it will get for your dog as well.

To learn more great tips about clipping dog nails and other great puppy related information take a look at http://www.takingcareofapuppy.com/