Austrailian Cattle Dog

•Brush out the topcoat with a natural bristle brush. This smooths out the top coat and removes loose shed hair from the undercoat. Starting with a wide tooth comb may also be helpful in removing mats and tangles from the thick undercoat.

•2
Apply a protein coat conditioner to aid in the removal of hair from the undercoat. This can make the process much less painful for the dog. Australian Cattle dogs shed substantially once or twice per year, depending on the climate and the sex of the dog.

•3
Bathe only when necessary. These dogs produce natural oils which help make their coats water-proof and bathing them too often strips away these oils and can potentially damage the coat.

•4
After bathing, use a high velocity dryer to help dry the coat quickly. Use a pin brush for a final comb out, as dirt can get stuck in the undercoat during the drying process



Read more: How to Groom an Australian Cattle Dog | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2103737_groom-australian-cattle-dog.html#ixzz15ZglONfs

Originally named as Blue heelers, this dog breed is also known as Australian Cattle Dogs or Queensland Blue Heelers and its origin can be recorded back to the year 1897. This dog breed is a mixture of Scottish Collie, Australian Dingos, Bull Terriers and Dalmatians. They have a sturdy and well built look in spite of its short stature. Grooming plays an important role in their good upbringing and training.
A Blue Heeler is an energetic dog breed which can perform various roles in a day to day routine proving themselves to be good as:

•Guard Dogs
•Rescue Dogs
•Cattle Chasers
•Friendly House Pets
To play its role efficiently, Blue Heelers need extensive training, regular exercise and a little share of pampering and grooming. 17-20 inches in height, this dog breed is comparatively shorter than the normal dogs and comes with a double coated fur with a handful of colors. Many Australian Cattle Dog (ACD) breeders make extra efforts to keep their dogs well maintained as they know the importance of a well groomed Blue heeler.

Australian Cattle Dog (ACD) puppies are generally easy to handle due to their patience and flexibility. Thus, it is highly important to train them strictly to tackle their dominance and to ease their grooming session.

Three most important things you can do to make your dog’s grooming sessions effective are:

•Firstly, make your dog used to water and bathing, as often dogs, when less trained and less groomed, tend to run away from water which can make cleaning them a tough job. Also, you don’t want them to spray all the water on you, for which, it is necessary to make your dog friendly with water right from its puppy stage. You can do this easily by taking him to the beach with you in evenings or give him his own small bath tub. Do not avoid the need of making your Australian Cattle Dog (ACD) puppy’s bath time a special one, as this will ensure a discipline towards its bathing session in grooming at a later stage.
•The second most important grooming step or stage is brushing. This breed has a double fur coat which can cause problem for many Australian Cattle Dog (ACD) breeders. The fur coats of Blue Heelers are double coated and come in variety of shades and thus it requires brushing thrice a week to maintain its look and fluffiness. This brushing also helps in removing any tick or dust particle on its fur coat which could go on to cause future skin problems. Compared to the other dog breeds, it is easier to brush or comb a Blue Heeler due to its smaller size.
•Thirdly, a healthy diet should always be a big part of an Australian Cattle Dog’s routine, as this breed is one of the most energetic and active breed and is also known as a “Working breed”. To make them fit and healthy for their daily routine, a good diet plays a special role in their dog care and grooming. Also, a healthy and hearty diet ensures a shiny coat!
Good pet grooming always affects a dog’s obedience, temperament, health and dog care. If this dog breed is well trained and well groomed, it is expected to live up to 13 to 15 years.

Bathing, brushing, massaging and healthy eating, all are necessary for a Blue Heeler and it’s bringing up. Remember, grooming takes a lot of patience and attention, and thus, if you wish to be an Australian Cattle Dog breeder, good pet grooming is something you need to adopt to make sure that you give your pet the right dog care he deserves.

The Australian cattle dog has a straight, flat and smooth double coat. This coat does not shed all year round but blows its coat(shed their undercoat and regrow it again as colder weather comes in) once a year.

Tools: Rubber curry comb, slicker

The curry comb will rid your dog of dirt and loose hair. Use the slicker as needed.

Eyes: Check dog's eyes daily.

Debris is flushed to the corners of the eyes and daily wiping with a wet cloth or paper towel can prevent the build up of bacteria.

Ears: Check ears once a week.

Your dogs ears should be pink and healthy inside. If not, don't do anything to them until you see a vet. Keeping your dogs' ears clean minimizes odour, removes dirt, bacteria and mites trapped in wax. Never use a cotton swab on the inner ear.

Tools: cotton wool balls or soft cloth and ear solution.

There are solutions made specifically for dogs but substitutes include: hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, mineral oil, witch hazel, and tea tree oil.

Place a few drops of ear solution in ear and rub and massage to loosen wax. Swab out with cotton wool balls or cloth.

Teeth: Regularly.

80% of 3 year old dogs have periodontal disease due to lack of brushing. Cavities and gum disease are painful for your dog; they diminish its pleasure and ability to eat. Bacteria that develops can infect the heart, kidney, liver and brain. Really bad breath is usually a sign of gum disease.

Tools: Toothbrush/finger cap/cloth, doggie toothpaste, tooth scraper.

Never use human toothpaste. It is not edible.

Starting your Australian cattle dog off with this practice takes patience. Reward it constantly.

Start off by getting it used to its mouth being handled.

Progress to touching the teeth with your finger.

Get some meat-flavoured toothpaste and apply with your finger.

Then introduce the brush. Clean a few teeth at a time and soon you will have a routine that takes just minutes.

Brush in a circular motion and get under the gum line.

If you don't want to brush everyday, use a tooth scraper once or twice a month to get rid of the build up of plaque. It accumulates mostly on the outside of the teeth and on the back molars. This won't be much fun for your or your dog though. Lots of bones and hard, crunchy foods can minimize plaque but not to a truly effective degree.

Nails: Every two weeks.

Nail care is very important for your Australian cattle dog.

Nails that aren't trimmed can splinter and infect the quick or grow and curl into the flesh. This can be painful for your dog to walk on. It will affect its gait, posture, and eventually it's skeletal and ligament health. Nails should never touch the ground. When your dog is standing its nails should rest above the ground. If you hear clicking on the kitchen floor, clipping is overdue.

Tools: Doggie Nail Clippers (scissors, pliers, guillotine), Dremel or file, Styptic or Kwikstop.

Introducing your dog to nail clipping should start off by getting it used to its paws being handled. Stroke, touch and manipulate your dog's paws whenever you are giving it affection.

Getting it used to the Dremel is your best bet to avoid clipping altogether.

Sit beside your dog and put your arm around its shoulders if you can so that you are clipping from underneath and at the right angle.

Lift the paw and press on it to expose the claw.

If it has a clear nail you should be able to see the quick: a dark bundle of nerves and blood vessels. Clip from underneath close to the quick but do not cut into it. If you do, your dog will soon let you know. Use Styptic pencil or Kwikstop to staunch the bleeding.

Buff the ragged edge with a file or Dremel.

If it has a dark nail, clip just under the curve of the nail and then you will be able to look inside and see the quick if you look close enough. Clip using tiny snips at a time.

Don't forget to check for dewclaws: an extra claw dogs may have farther up on the leg that works like a thumb. It is better to clip your dog's nails frequently as this encourages the quick to recede farther away from the tip.

Paws: Check daily

It is very important to check your cattle hound's feet for foreign objects that may have wedged there, and to check the pads themselves for cuts, scrapes and infections.

Expressing Glands: Every 2 to 4 weeks

This is a task normally done when you take your dog in for professional grooming. Your dog uses scent glands in the anus to mark its territory.

These glands also excrete when your dog defecates. At times, they may get impacted. Signs of this include: increased doggie odour, excessive licking and chewing of the behind and worst of all, scooting (when your dog drags its bottom along the floor or carpet).

There is no risk of overly expressing these glands so it's best to get accustomed to doing it regularly as it will lessen dog odour.

Tools: Warm cloth

Lift the dog's tail and hold the cloth against it's behind. Place your fingers at 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock and press inward and squeeze to expel.

Bathing: As needed

Australian cattledogs do not need regular bathing. It has natural oils in its coat to moisturize its skin and coat.

If it so happens that it becomes a necessity, use a shampoo that won't dry out the skin and is made for a harsh coat.

Tools: Non-slip mat, sprayer hose, dog shampoo, leash, towels.

Choose a place where you can block escape routes and expect 1-3 water-spraying shakes.

A leash tied to a higher point than your dog's head will keep it standing and prevent it from escaping. This is highly recommended as it's really difficult to hold a slippery dog.

Never bathe your dog in standing water and never use human shampoo.

If you choose to bathe your Australian cattle dog outside, attach the hose to the tap of your kitchen sink for warm water. Grooming salons often offer self-service use of their well-equipped facilities.

Wet your dog using your hand to massage it.

Avoid getting water into the eyes, nose and ears.

Cotton wool can be stuffed into the ear canal to deter water.

Massage the shampoo into a lather.

Rinse thoroughly as leftover shampoo can severely dry out and irritate your pet's skin.

Squeeze out excess water by running your hands along its body and pressing.

Dry with a towel.