Grooming
Many foster dogs come in needing some intense TLC in the grooming department- many have never had a bath, a proper nail trim and are covered in ticks, fleas or lice. It's our job as foster parents to give them a "Spaw" day they'll never forget and help them feel relaxed and happy!
Bath Time
When you bring your foster dog home, one of the first things you will want to tackle is the smell! It might seem a bit mean to give the dog a bath when it's already dealing with being in a new situation, but trust us, it will make your pooch feel much better. If you use the same shampoo as you do on your dogs it will actually help your foster to smell like the rest of your pack which can help with integrating them into your home easier.
Nail Trim
Less is more when it comes to nail trims. Be sure to have clippers that have the guard on the back to prevent you from taking off too much of the nail and nicking the qwik. If this is the first time your foster has had their nails trimmed, you will want to have a second person on hand to help with feeding them treats to keep them distracted. Start with one paw at a time, and be sure to praise your foster for being calm.
Tick Removal
If your foster is coming to you in the summer months and was living outside, the chances of them having ticks somewhere on their body is quite high. You will want to remove the ticks as soon as possible to prevent them from becoming engorged and falling off on their own, or being transferred to your own pets. Dogs that have been living outside can have ticks everywhere and anywhere- not just on the common hotspots we normally check our own dogs for. Take your foster outside with a set of tweezers and a container of peroxide and let the tick hunt begin! The University of Manitoba has published an excellent video on how to safely and properly remove a tick.
Bath Time
When you bring your foster dog home, one of the first things you will want to tackle is the smell! It might seem a bit mean to give the dog a bath when it's already dealing with being in a new situation, but trust us, it will make your pooch feel much better. If you use the same shampoo as you do on your dogs it will actually help your foster to smell like the rest of your pack which can help with integrating them into your home easier.
Nail Trim
Less is more when it comes to nail trims. Be sure to have clippers that have the guard on the back to prevent you from taking off too much of the nail and nicking the qwik. If this is the first time your foster has had their nails trimmed, you will want to have a second person on hand to help with feeding them treats to keep them distracted. Start with one paw at a time, and be sure to praise your foster for being calm.
Tick Removal
If your foster is coming to you in the summer months and was living outside, the chances of them having ticks somewhere on their body is quite high. You will want to remove the ticks as soon as possible to prevent them from becoming engorged and falling off on their own, or being transferred to your own pets. Dogs that have been living outside can have ticks everywhere and anywhere- not just on the common hotspots we normally check our own dogs for. Take your foster outside with a set of tweezers and a container of peroxide and let the tick hunt begin! The University of Manitoba has published an excellent video on how to safely and properly remove a tick.