Come see how I groom my dogs

Update: Many of you have been asking where to obtain Traumeel ointment. You can find a list of local  suppliers at Heelusa.com. Or you can search online, many online retailers carry the ointment.

When it comes to my pets, I believe that cleanliness is certainly a virtue. I make a point of bathing them frequently and keeping them well groomed. It's really important to inspect a pet from top to bottom, looking for ticks and any other maladies. Pets may not like such close attention at first, but if you are persistent they will get used to it and come to expect it. Francesca and Sharkey have a daily regimen, which they now seem to rather enjoy. Take a look.

A nervous Francesca, waiting to be cleaned and groomed.

We use this homeopathic ointment for many things -- it's a wonderful remedy. On Francesca, it soothes the deep crevices on either side of her nose.

First, I wipe the dog's face gently with a damp, warm rag

Using another damp rag, I wipe the feet, not forgetting to go between the toes.

Look how dirty this paw was after the early morning squirrel run!

Francesca is very well behaved. Actually, all of my animals have come to expect and love their daily grooming.

These deep facial wrinkles are not a characteristic of every Frenchie.

I am gently wiping around the eyes and ears.

I clean around the mouth and even inside, also checking the teeth. And I always inspect for deer ticks, which are pervasive in our neighborhood!

I apply the Traumeel ointment carefully with a fat cotton swab.

The Traumeel must taste pretty good.

A closeup view of the convoluted moonlike surface of Francesca's adorable face.

Sharkey is much more cooperative when being groomed.

Unlike Francesca, she does not have deep wrinkles

But her paws were equally dirty.

Of course, always check and clean the other end, too!

Here, I'm checking her ears for ticks and any other problems. I thought the hair was a little thin from too much doggie licking, so I applied a tiny bit of Traumeel to the affected areas.

Sharkey looks quite relaxed; she just loves her cleaning.

Dabbing on the Traumeel.

Nail clipping is not easy. The dogs are a bit apprehensive -- as am I.

Always use a special dog nail clipper. They come in different sizes, and be careful to snip only the very tips and never into the quick. That really hurts the animal -- there will be bleeding and the nail can become infected.

Francesca's nails are black and very well groomed.

I decided they didn't need a trimming.

More Blogs on Francesca and Sharkey!

Francesca and Sharkey go hunting

Posted July 6, 2008

Fun photos of my pets!   

Posted March 17, 2008

Come see my dogs!

Posted February 7, 2008

My doggies and Paw Paw in costume!

Posted October 31, 2007

Comments

[chia berry]

Beautiful photos as usual. I love seeing pictures of Francesca and Sharkey, but I'm even more interested now since my younger sister just got a Siberian Husky puppy. I can only hope that little Moxie will eventually come to enjoy her grooming as much as your pups do, I can assure you she is quite the handful now!

Thank you for sharing your tips.

[Isle Dance]

Smooches to the pooches!

[steven]

It's comforting to see Martha you have stacks of papers and "stuff" on your kitchen counters too! A tour of some rooms that are truly "lived in" would be a treat :)!

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Martha, Talk about "Up close and Personal"! This is probably the closest I will ever get to your beautiful little Frenchies. I LOVE THIS BLOG! Your little girls are most likely the cleanest, healthiest and most active dogs around. They always seem so bright eyed and happy as they pose for these pictures that you so graciously share with us. Thanks so very much for sharing. Oh, before I forget, how is Martyn doing and what did you finally name the cattle? Jan

[Cherie L.]

Great quick tute Martha! My big ole' dog is almost as cooperative! LoL On another note, I saw something someone made in your honor on a crafts website that I thought you'd appreciate.

Here's the link to the thread in question: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=255304.msg2849946;topicseen#msg2849946

Note to those who moderate this blog: Sorry if this is not the right forum for this. Could not find a direct link to send anything to Martha and as a lifetime fan, I really thought she'd appreciate it. If you do not allow this to be posted, could you please find a way to get this to Martha? I think she'd get a smile out of it! Thanks!

[ann]

Hi Martha, I wish my Frenchie behaved like that when I try to groom her. SHE HATES IT!!!! It's a battle trying to wipe her face and forget the nails, I have the professionals do that. I'll have to try the Traumeel ointment, she always has little scabs from roughing up my 100 pound labs. She'll go from a sound sleep on the sofa to flying off and jumping on their heads to play. She looks like a flying fat bat.
Thanks for sharing your photos.
Ann

[Shirley Hawksby]

Martha,
Will you get another Chow??? I miss your two little gremlins with a little puff ball.....

[Nan Ashby]

Francesca and Sharkey are loving this attention and daily routine. They are very lucky to have such a dedicated owner, who not only loves them, but takes such good care of them. Martha, you are a responsible dog owner. Saw Francesca on yesterday's previously recorded show, and I could tell that she so loves you because she was listening to every word you spoke. She is so intelligent and has such a love for you as I'm sure Sharkey has also.

[kim Kropf]

Where can we get the Traumeel? I have a cat who has skin allergies and I wonder if that would be good for my Georgie.

[Barb]

I adore your dogs (almost as much as I love my own!) - Francesca and Sharkey are wonderful. Just curious - was Sharkey named after Kevin? (This just occured to me recently - as I'm fairly new to your blog, I may have missed how they got their names.) Thanks.

[Rhea]

Good work on the pups! My dog is a Lhasa apso, so his hair grows just as fast as human hair. I brush him, but really rely on a professional groomer to get him into good shape with the full treatment every six weeks.

[AKG]

If you give your dogs garlic capsules, they ticks won't bother them!

[Margie]

How do you remove the ticks? We have not had ticks this year nor fleas but some wet years, wow, what a chore.
I wonder, do the dogs get put up on the counter after a stroll in the horse pasture---and how about that Herford cow pasture? Sharkey would not be so creamy in color for sure.

[Trish]

You are so brave to clip their nails! I was always too nervous to even try it. Sharkey and Francesca are so cute I just want to kiss their sweet little faces! Please give them a kiss for me. Trish

[Pam from California]

You are such a good Mama Martha. Can't wait to hear about the chow puppy you select for your next family addition they should be about four weeks old now right?The pup should be ready to come to you for your birthday present perfect Martha timing! I see you are STILL wearing your watch the same way, I love that I won the bet to NYC on why do you wear your watch the way you do! Pretty neat. Your camera are awesome! The Frenches look to be enjoying the extra bath attention.

Pam from HOT California

[LInda]

Hello Martha:

I just love Francesca and Sharkey. I've come to know them thru your blog and the wonderful pictures. They love to be groomed by you because they know they are loved and you pamper them so wonderful. How well behaved and cute they are!! Thanks for sharing these cute pictures.

Linda
Phila., PA

[Marie]

It's so true about getting the pets used to "close attention." My cat Patches hated being groomed at first, but now she can't get enough.

[PJ Broadfoot DVM]

I am so impressed that you use Traumeel, Martha! We have used it in my practice for c.10 yrs. It is a remarkably safe anti-inflammatory with a huge range of applications, from sunburns, and burns, to sprains and strains. It promotes healing on the cellular level, while decreasing pain and inflammation. Since it comes in many forms, from injectable, to topical, to oral formulations, it can be used for a myriad of painful conditions, without fear of adverse effects.

[Martha Stewart]

Dear Ann,
I miss Paw Paw very much.. and yes!! I am thinking of getting another Chow.
Thanks,
Martha

[joan vogt]

Hi Martha,

Love the photos of the dogs and enjoyed seeing how you groom them. I try to do the same every day with my Persian cats - they tolerate it. Glad you are thinking of getting another Chow.

[michelle]

Martha,
I love the blogs about Francesca and Sharkey. They are adorable dogs! On another note, I am very sorry to hear of the passing of your friend Bunny. I listen to the Whatever Girls, and my heart breaks for Jennifer and her family. Wouldn't it be great to know that Bunny and Big Martha and Paw Paw have all found each other and are having a fabulous time together in the afterlife!

[Martha Stewart]

Dear Barb,
Yes, Sharkey is named after Kevin, just for fun. Francesca is an Italian name meaning 'from France' - appropriate for a French Bulldog - no?
Best,
Martha

[Mary]

Martha, I watched the show this morning and watched you preparing their food. I turned away to put my kids outside, but got back in time to see you adding meatballs?Were they raw? Is it mixed with anything? Your recipe is very close to my recipe. My girls love rice and carrots mixed with everything. But would love to know the meat part of your mixture. Thanking you in advance.

[Denise in CA]

Hi Martha:
This was a great lesson. Your dogs are gorgeous. Do you also groom your cats? I have an old, one-eyed Himalayan and I wash her face and ears ( using your bar cloths, too- HA!), but I haven't had much success trimming her nails. She's an inside girl, with occasional leash walks on pavement. Thanks- we miss your show, but this is even better, in some ways!

[Sherry]

Love the grooming pictures! It's great to see you show in detail how the dogs get groomed. The information is valuable to dog owners. It's really good to start when their a pup, especially the nail cutting & bath!