Presented by Donna Stekli, A*starz Kees, www.astarz.net
For the Capital Keeshond Club
Last Updated: 12/16/2008
Clean out dead hair:
Before bathing a kees, the dead hair should be removed from the coat. Using a pin brush, line brush the coat down to the skin. If necessary, use a comb to remove dead hair. If you cannot see the skin, you are not getting down to it, therefore not brushing properly. If the coat is dry/brittle, use a mist bottle of water as you line brush to prevent further breakage. When you are finished removing dead hair you should be able to get a comb through the entire dog without running into mats or snags. That is the test.
Bathe the dog:
I use a regular dog shampoo, such as Lambert Kay Premium Protein or Pro-Coat. Protein or PurePet shampoos. Cream rinses are not necessary for a normal kees coat. Be sure not to get the soap/water in the dog's eyes or in the ears. You may want to put a couple of drops of Murine Eye Drops in each eye and a couple of cotton balls in the ears. Be sure to rinse out the soap well! If soap remains in the coat and drys on the skin, it may cause irritation. I don't wash the dog's head with soap and water; I use a waterless shampoo on the head after I bathe the dog, such as Ring 5 Quick Clean no rinse shampoo. (Remember to remove the cotton balls from the ears if you put them in.)
If you have a flea problem, don't use a flea shampoo AND a dip. Any shampoo will kill fleas because of the detergent in it. You will see fleas flee when your dog is lathered up. I use a flea comb to remove the escapees and promptly plop them into a small jar of flea dip mix to kill them. I do this as I am bathing the dog. I usually let the lather remain on for about 5 minutes before rinsing. After rinsing the shampoo out WELL, a dip may be poured onto the dog. I use a squeeze bottle for hard to reach places. Usually 1.5 gallons of dip will treat an adult kees. Work the dip well into the coat while it is wet. For complete flea control, you will need to treat your yard, your house and anywhere your dog roams. Fleas don't live on the dog, they live in carpets, beds, couches and grass and just jump on the dog and you to suck your blood, then they leave. That is why you just can't treat the dog alone. Avoid flea collars. They don't work. They are a systemic and can cause your dog to become ill and, in some cases, die. Be careful of the combinations of chemicals you are using in your total flea control program. Some are poisonous in combination with one another.
Towel dry your dog well:
For a normal adult kees with a normal coat, this will require about 3 bath towels and 4 hand towels, assuming a non-damp day and ample shaking of the coat by the dog. Towel dry well, including legs.
I blow dry my dogs with a non-heat dog blow dryer. It is important during cold weather, to dry your dog thoroughly. During hot, damp days, it is also important as your dog may develop a rash or hot spot if the hair doesn't dry and lays on the skin for a day or so. As you blow dry, you should brush with a soft brush, such as a Mason-Pearson brush. Avoid pin brushes on a wet coat as they will tear out hair and rake the skin.
Clean your dog's ears:
Q-tips, cotton balls and baby oil are all you need. Barely get a bit of baby oil on a q-tip and insert into the ear. Clean around the nodules in the ear and all around inside the ear. Contrary to popular belief, it is almost impossible to get to the dog's eardrum without using an "L" shaped instrument. If you dog's ear is particularly dirty, use the cotton balls to wipe it out as you go. If you notice a lot of black dirt in the ears with the dog being sensitive or always itching the ears, have your vet check for mites. Other than that, Kees ears usually don't get very dirty and should not be very oily. If so, that would indicate a problem you should check further.
Cut the toenails:
Toenails! This is a bad topic for most folks. Toenails must be trimmed short on a kees or he will loose the correct cat foot shape, may end up lame and may walk funny and be in pain if the nails get long. You are the boss and must make your dog get through this nasty chore. I do toenails about once every two weeks on my normal crew and every week on show dogs and puppies under a year old. I use the scissor-type clippers and an electric grinding tool after that to round them off and to further get down to the quick of the nail. If you are afraid of using a grinding tool, a piece of coarse sandpaper stapled to a small piece of wood can act as a dog-emery board for you to obtain good results. Don't invest in metal dog nail files or regular people emery boards. They are a waste of money. If your dog has nails that are long and nasty, you will want to slice off a bit each week to work the quick back.
Don't be afraid to cut the nails. If you accidentally nick one, unless your dog has
abnormal clotting, the bleeding will subside in a few minutes. Quick stop powder can be
purchased or you can use regular corn starch to clog up a bleeding toe. Don't sympathize
with your dog if you cut too close; that will only let the dog know toe nail cutting is awful.
At least finish the foot you are on if you have a bad experience. The next day, finish the
entire job.
Cut the hair between the pads of the feet. Dogs perspire in only two places: their tongue and the pads of their feet. In order to keep your kees cool in the summer and provide traction for them all year long, the hair that grows between the pads must be cut.
Clean the teeth:
There is more of an awareness of dog dental care today than ten years ago. You
can purchase a canine teeth cleaning kit and brush your dog's teeth regularly.
You can obtain a tooth scaler and get the plaque off yourself. You can have your
vet clean your dog's teeth, but unless they are bad, it is not worth the risk of
sedation. The most important thing is to feed a diet that is mainly dry dog food
and not the moist or canned foods. Rawhide chews (in moderation) and cow
hooves can also be purchased. I find the cow hooves last a very long time and
my dogs work them well and end up cleaning their teeth very nicely. My 9 year
old looks like he has the teeth of a 4 year old and my vets are impressed. There
is a note of caution, others have experienced their dog's chipping their teeth on
cow hooves. While that has not been my experience, it is a consideration.
Clip the hair off your dog's tattoo:
If you dog is tattooed, be sure to clip the hair around the tattoo so it can be read.
Don't shave your Kees:
Avoid shaving your kees if at all possible. Sometimes, if cut too close, the hair follicles will die and your dog will be bald in the shaved area for the rest of it's life. If your dog must undergo surgery, the area shaved may not grow back. This is more of a possibility of the shaving occurs multiple times. Have your vet shave only when absolutely necessary. It is not necessary to shave a dog's leg for a heartworm blood test. If you are considering cutting your dog down for the summer, leave at least 1.5" of hair on the body. The keeshond has a double coat for a reason: to protect their skin. If you remove the hair, the skin is more subjected to pests, sun and dirt which can cause a multitude of problems. Make an intelligent decision when you are considering cutting your kees' coat down. If you would like to discuss the reasons why and why not, feel free to contact a CKC member.
Wintertime coat care:
If you kees is an inside dog, the heat in your house will dry the coat out in the winter. Use a conditioning spray on your dog a few times a week to keep the coat lustrous and moisturized. This may also keep your dog from getting dry, itchy skin in the winter. You can use Avon Skin So Soft oil mixed 1 part to 7 parts water in a spray bottle and adjust the dilution more or less to suit your dog's needs.
Summertime coat care:
In the summertime, you may have to bathe your kees more often due to fleas and pests. Depending upon your weather and if your kees has just shed their coat, it is a good idea to mist them. To do this, keep a spray bottle of water in your refrigerator and mist the coat several times a day. This keeps the coat from breaking off while it is growing back and puts a bit of moisture back on.
Grooming Tools
Pin Brush: Scalpmaster #125, PSI (Toy or Medium size), Safari, Hindes. (Do not use tipped pin brushes.)
Uses: All around body grooming.
Cost: Ranges: $8-$20
Bristle Brush: Mason-Pearson, any kind that has boars hair & plastic bristles
Uses: During blow drying a wet dog or on a dog that has sensitive skin, or a dog who has blown coat and doesn't have much hair.
Cost: Mason-Pearsons are upwards of $40, Look alikes around $10-$25
Comb: Original Belgium Greyhound 7 ½" OR Resco #80 Coarse. Accept
no substitutes! (Pictured is the Greyhound comb)
Uses: Clean out the coat after brushing. Comb out feathers on front lets. Comb head. Great for getting out dead hair without stripping the coat. Cost: $12-$20
Slicker: Soft Slickers. Either Puppy or Mini sizes for all uses.
Uses: The only brushes that work on puppy coats! Brush hocks, legs, head, ears.
Cost: $8-$15
Nail Clippers: Scissor style: Millers Forge scissor style, Guillotine style: Resco or Twinco.
Electric grinders: Sears Craftsman dremel-type, cord or cordless.
Cost: Regular clippers $4-$8, electric grinders $20-$60
scissors style guillotine style electric or cordless grinder
Flea comb: No handled, plastic end with metal teeth. (No photo available)
Uses: Get hair off shedding ears, face and for flea removal.
Cost: around $4
The finished product!
"Candee"
WORMS, etc. and Your Kees
Worm you dog on a regular basis if you have many stray animals, wild game (rabbits, etc) or if your dog frequents the toilet areas of other pets, such as parks and school yards or residential parks where everyone walks their dogs. I worm my dogs about 3-4 times a year without having stool samples checked. My logic for this is explained below.
Whipworms, one of the worst worms to "acquire", will run your dog's system down badly. If your kees coat gets "mangy looking", you see mucous/blood in the stool or diarrhea that reappears without rhyme or reason and a very foul odor to the stool, your dog may have whips. You cannot see the worms or their larvae in the stool. They are almost impossible to get rid of once they are in your soil. Whipworms can actually live in formaldehyde and cannot be killed by clorox solutions or any type of cleaner known. They are very difficult to detect in vet flotation of stool samples. In advanced cases, "explosive" diarrhea may occur. There are only a few medications which are effective on this worm. Once diagnosed, a dog with whipworms needs to be routinely treated for two years along with a program to clean up and revamp the environment where the dog defecates.
Hookworms and roundworms are common and can be gotten rid of easily using Nemex wormers. Hooks cause blood in the stools and loose stools. You really can't see hooks. Rounds can be seen when they are passed and look like spaghetti. Typically, puppies will be born with roundworms and need to go through several wormings to get rid of all the cycles of rounds in their systems. One way your Kees can get these worms is by eating rabbit feces.
The key to keeping your Kees worm-free is to pick up the stool after defecation and avoid areas where other animals roam and defecate. If you get whips, you would need to remove a few inches of the soil in your dog's defecation area and replace with fresh dirt. You may consider putting in about 7" of gravel and spray with a high pressure hose after each stool pick up (which should be twice a day). All the worms are contagious to other dogs. They are picked up most often through contact with the pads on the feet which are then licked by the dog and go into the system.
Tapeworms are easily detected as "grains of rice" on the rear and pants of a Kees. Sometimes in a bad infestation, a segment or two of a tapeworm can be seen in the stool as well as blood in the stool. Tapeworms do not eat the blood of the dog as do the whips and hook worms. They eat the food in the intestines. They will cause your dog to look "scrubby" after a while and usually cause a dog to eat more food. Tapeworms can be easily gotten rid of by orally administering Droncit wormer tablets obtained from your vet. Tapes are carried into your dog's system through ingestion of the larvae from eating flies, fleas and crickets. The dog eats the bug that contains the larvae which attaches itself to the intestines while the bug is being digested.
Heartworms are probably the most known worm because of the public awareness about them. I won't go into much on this because most vets will prep you on them in detail and sell you systemic pills to keep your dog from getting heartworms. Before your dog is put on heartworm preventative, a blood test must be performed to be sure none exist in the dog.
Coccidia, although not a worm (it's a protazoa), is a common pest. It can be picked up in unsanitary areas, from your dog drinking "bad" water, eating things found in yards or fields, or from feces of other animals including bird droppings. Coccidia shows up as diarrhea and/or blood in the stool. It can be detected by a fecal exam under a microscope by your vet. If you dog sustains an injury to his spine (neck/back), the coccidia can move into the spinal column and show the same symptoms as meningitis. To get rid of coccidia, you must obtain antibiotics from your vet and be sure to go through the entire dose. Left unchecked, this can cause death especially in a young or senior dog.
Giardia, another protazoa, commonly affects younger dogs, causing mild to severe diarrhea. They can be identified in the feces of the dog by a vet. Giardia is most commonly obtained from contaminated water.
This is the most economical way to shop to get the supplies you need.
Cherrybrook 1-800-524-0820 www.cherrybrook.com
Dog supplies including grooming items
Foster and Smith 1-800-826-7206 minimum order is $50
Dog supplies including grooming items and vaccines www.drsfostersmith.com
J-B Wholesale 1-800-526-0388 minimum phone/mail order $25
Dog supplies including grooming items and vaccines www.jbpet.com
Jemar Show & Pet Supplies 1-800-458-6598 www.jemarpet.com
Dog supplies including grooming items
The Natural Pet Care Catalog 1-800-962-8266
Natural pet care products including supplements
Omaha Vaccine 1-800-367-4444 www.omahavaccine.com
Dog supplies including grooming items and vaccines
R.C. Steele 1-800-872-3773 minimum order $50
Dog supplies including grooming items
Springtime, Inc. 1-800-521-3212
Natural supplements for dogs, horses and people
The Dog's Outfitter 1-800-FOR-DOGS minimum order $50
Dog supplies including grooming items and vaccines
Wow-Bow Distributors 1-800-326-0230
Health food for pets
UPCO 1-800-254-8726
Dog supplies including grooming items and vaccines www.upco.com
Keeshond CONTACTS
Capital Keeshond Club (CKC) email address:
For more information on keeshonden, visit these web sites:
http://www.capitalkeeshond.org
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