Helping Your Maltipoo with Itching Issues

There are many reasons why your Maltipoo may be itching. It could just be a small one-time itch and that is very common, but if they are scratching regularly or just in one spot, it may point to a serious issue. The itching can also vary from being only in the paws to their whole body

What to look for when your dog itches

It’s normal for a dog to scratch here and there and you should only have to worry about it if they are constantly scratching or if it’s always in one spot.

If your dog is itching in one specific spot, you might want to take a look at it and see if there is anything visible that might be causing the itch. You also might want to talk to your vet if the scratching gets worse or continues.

What Causes Itching

Cleanliness

Sometimes itching can simply be a case of cleanliness. Even if you’ve recently given your dog a bath they may have rolled around in dirt or something else while they were outside. Check the area they are scratching for matted fur or other signs of uncleanliness. If you think cleanliness is the issue you can follow these Maltipoo cleaning tips and if the itching continues you should check for other issues.

Seasonal Changes

Seasonal temperature changes can have negative effects on your dogs skin. One cause of itchiness in dogs is dry skin which may happen in colder climates and winter months. If you think this is the cause ere are some tips on protecting your dog in the winter.

Fleas

One of the main reasons for scratching is usually caused by fleas, fleas can be really risky as they can transmit dangerous diseases. One of the best ways to keep fleas away is to use natural prevention, or if you see any fleas on your pup, you can give them a bath with dawn dish soap, it gets rid of the fleas and eggs without hurting your adorable puppy. Just make sure you don’t do it too often as it also strips their natural skin oils that can take 5-7 days to return.

Dry Skin

Dry skin is usually only a problem if you live in a low humidity area. Low humidity could cause puppies to have a lack of moisture in their skin, which leads to it becoming dry and itchy. Another cause for dry skin is the lack of Omega-3 fatty acids. Make sure the food you are giving your dog is high quality and provides all the nutrients they need.

Allergies

Another typical cause for your Maltipoos’ itching issues could be allergies. If you suspect your dog is allergic to something they are eating make sure to avoid the most common food allergies in dogs until you can get them tested by a professional. This website has a list of foods that are the most common allergens for dogs. It could also be an environmental problem, which would come from inside or outside. One thing that would help is to make sure you wipe down your puppy when they are coming back into the house. You can use a grooming wipe and wash off their paws with the outdoor hose or in a sink or tub if it’s too cold out.

You can also apply paw wax, this helps in many ways. It will help keep any of the allergens away plus it will add as a moisturizer. Vet Preferred Paw Balm is a good one, it has natural products and is non-toxic. 

Relieving Itchiness

Provide Fast Relief

There are a few ways to help your dog receive fast relief from its itching issue. You could help your puppy by giving them a cool bath or even just putting something cold onto the itchy area. But if you have access to any spray or anything else, that would also help your Maltipoo’s itching issues a lot.

Provide Long-Term Relief

One of the best things to do for long-term relief is to find the source. If you think it might be allergies, you can take them to the vet and get an allergy test. There are some anti-itch sprays and the website, Doggie Designer, has a list of their top ten favorite anti-itch sprays and they also list the pros and cons of each one. You can also use some home remedies like baking soda, you just mix one part baking soda to one part water, which will create a paste, and you can apply this to any irritated areas and let it dry. Another option is to use apple cider vinegar, again using one part apple cider vinegar and one part water, you’d then put it in a spray bottle and spray that on affected areas, just be sure to be careful of any open cuts and not put a lot there.

Should My New Puppy Receive a Haircut Before Coming Home?

At My Doodle Maltipoos often receive this question from future families asking if we include a hair cut before their puppy comes home either at 8 weeks old, or after they have graduated dog obedience training, when they’re 13 weeks old. Although we do not give your puppy a full haircut before going home, we will trim around the eyes and face to ensure your puppy can see clearly and hair doesn’t irritate the eyes or ears and we will give them a bath and blow dry before they go home.

There are a few reasons we don’t offer a full haircut before your puppy goes home. We’ll list a few starting with the most important reason.

Your puppy should be fully vaccinated before going to the groomers

Typically during your puppies time with us, they have not had their full round of vaccinations. Even at 13 weeks old (after they graduate training), they still require one more vaccination before it’s safe for your puppy to visit the groomers or any place that could have other animals. We will send your puppy home up-to-date on vaccinations and will provide records of each vaccine as well as recommended schedule for future vaccinations. You can read more about our recommended vaccination schedule, but we always recommend following the recommendations of your local veterinarian.

A great piece of advice when you first bring your puppy home is to call your local vet and schedule the remaining vaccinations and then call a local groomer to schedule their first haircut as most groomers are typically 2-4 weeks out on scheduling.

We recommend your puppy’s first hair cut be with a local groomer you plan to stick with

The first puppy cut experience is really important for your new Maltipoo. It helps you and your Maltipoo get familiar with the grooming process and build a relationship with the right groomer. Your puppy’s first haircut can be a scary experience that they aren’t used to yet. Groomers are not only trained to clean and trim your puppy, but also in how to keep them calm and learn to really enjoy this grooming experience over time.

Choosing the right local groomer is very important

If you visit the worlds largest Maltipoo Facebook Group, you will find many stories (good and bad) of their puppies first time at the groomers. Based on many recommendations from these group members on how to find the right local breeder, we have summarized a few tips that will help you.

If you don’t yet have a groomer in mind, I would highly advise that you talk to any friends or family that have a dog and ask for personal recommendations and why they like their groomer to help you make a more informed decision on the best groomer for you. You can also visit google and read through reviews and even customer submitted images to ensure you feel comfortable with the right groomer during this first-time experience.

We do offer a few exceptions upon request

Although we never bring any dogs to the groomers before they’re fully vaccinated, if your puppy ends up boarding with us beyond the time they are fully vaccinated, we will offer to schedule and bring your puppy to our local groomer upon request for an additional fee.

5 Things To Keep In Mind When Stocking Up For Pet Essentials During Lockdown

Coronavirus is here with us and it has changed how everything is done. From social gatherings to places of worship to learning institutions, etc. all things have come to a halt.

With everything that’s going on in regards to coronavirus lockdown, it makes sense to think about how you’ll survive during this period. Where will you buy essential items such as food, especially the perishable ones?

This explains why a lot of people are flocking the stores to make essential purchases such as food, not forgetting sanitizers, face masks, and toilet papers. It is not recommended to stockpile, though. You only need to buy items that will take you through the 30-day quarantine.

But even as you stock your own items, it is equally important to remember your pets as well. What will your pet be doing during the lockdown? Have you stocked their food? What about their medications and entertainment? Do you have plans in place to ensure that they remain healthy and entertained during this period?

Don’t panic, though. Here are some of the things to keep in mind when stocking up pet items during this coronavirus lockdown:

1. Entertainment

Social distancing and coronavirus lockdown have the same impacts on pets as it has on humans. Now that you’ll be working at home, pets will have you at home most of the time. Among other things, this will allow you to do things that you could not do with your pet before.

While you might enjoy most of your time with your pets, it can also be a challenge especially if your pets are used to spending time outdoors.

You, therefore, need to derive ways that can help keep your pets engaged and entertained as you continue with work, including:

Games

The lockdown period provides an ideal opportunity to strengthen the bond between you and the pets. Buy your pet’s favorite toys that you can play during this period. What’s more, you can use food and treats to keep your pet engaged.

Interactive Toys

In practical terms, you’re unlikely to spend all the time with your pet. Interactive toys are ideal to help keep your pets engaged when you’re working. You can also turn mealtimes into playtimes using puzzle feeders.

2. Pet Food

While pet stores will remain open during the lockdown, it is important to ensure that you have enough pet food in your house to avoid going out now and then. Be sure to stock foods that offer the required nutrients to your pets during the lockdown period.

Canned foods such as Wellness 95 Percent Salmon Canned Dog Food are not just easy to store but will also provide the purest way to include meat to your pet’s diet. Wellness 95% is a delicious meal that can complement the dry kibble.

Ideally, you need to stock up pet food items based on their shelf life. This way, you’re sure that you’ll have enough food to feed your pets during the lockdown without going bad.

3. Rest and Sleep

On average, adult dogs sleep 12 to 16 hours a day. Puppies will definitely need more than that. Remember your dog was sleeping during the day when you were at work. Now that we’re at home most of the time due to coronavirus lockdown, your dog may not get enough time to sleep during the day.

Consider having a quiet place where your pets can sleep without being disturbed by activities in the house. To that end, you may want to have a comfy bed to ensure that your dog gets enough rest.

For instance, you can have a scratching post in a high place so they can see what’s happening.

4. Medications

Our four-legged friends are not just pets; they are part of our family. You, therefore, need to ensure that they remain healthy during the lockdown.

If your pet has an existing medical condition, ensure to buy the required medication. Pets, just like humans, might need antibiotics, pain relievers, anti-inflammatories, etc.

Also, remember to stock antiparasitics to help prevent and kill internal and external parasites, for instance, intestinal protozoans, intestinal worms, fleas, ticks, and heartworms.

You can also stock other medications such as insulin for diabetes, atenolol and pimobendan for heart conditions, and methimazole to regulate thyroid hormone levels.

However, remember to call your veterinarian if you faced with a complicated situation.

5. Grooming

You may also want to buy grooming tools to help keep your pet healthy during the lockdown. By grooming your pets at home, you’ll make them feel loved.

Tools such as nail trimmers, comb, or a brush come in handy in this exercise.

Maltipoo Cleaning Tips

Image Credit: Well Pet Coach

There are many factors to consider when keeping your Maltipoos skin and coat healthy. Minimize your maltipoo coat problems by getting to know your maltipoos needs. You can follow these basic guidelines:

Bathing Your Maltipoo

Bathing your Maltipoo too often can strip away essential body oils. Daily baths is not practical or advised. It is advised to give your Maltipoo a bath once every 3 weeks. But what do you do if your Maltipoo gets dirty within those 3 weeks (which is highly likely)?
Fortunately, there are easy ways to keep a Maltipoo looking very clean and smelling nice in between baths. Many of the methods to keep a Maltipoo clean have added benefits that contribute to good health, so this is definitely a win-win.

• Keep the face clean with eye wipes when necessary. 

• Brush the coat on a regular basis. 

• Keep teeth clean with brushing, a spray, or a supplement powder and offer a dental treat once per day. 

Brushing Your Maltipoo

Thoroughly brushing the coat every 2 to 3 days will help keep your Maltipoo clean by removing dirt and debris. Brushing also frees the coat of dead hairs which is an important step in keeping a dog smelling nice. Though Maltipoos do not shed like other breeds that have fur, hairs on the coat are always in 1 of 3 phases of a cycle: growth, rest, or fall-out. Hairs that fall out and stay in the coat end up coated in body oils, and if not removed will start to smell.
If your Maltipoo has medium to long hair, a pin brush with polished tips will work well. If your Maltipoo has a short puppy cut, a lightly compacted bristle brush is the way to go.

Cleaning Your Maltipoos Ears

The Maltipoo breed has drop ears which put them at a disadvantage compared to dogs with standup ears. Hanging ear flaps mean that dirt and debris stay in the ear and excess wax can accumulate fast. In addition, dogs with drop ears that trap moisture tend to have more frequent ear infections. Below are a couple of different options to keeping your Maltipoo’s ears clean.

1. Regular use of ear wipes. With a good ear wipe, you can keep the ears clean before matter makes it way down into the ear canal. You may wonder if you can use a general grooming wipe for this; but, there are 2 main reasons that ear wipes are preferred over general wipes: 1) Wipes designed specifically for the ears, contain witch hazel which is ideal to clean the ears and 2) these wipes are only semi-damp and therefore do not introduce moisture into the ears which can lead to infections. 
As often as every other day or at least once per week, take one ear wipe for each ear and clean the entire inner ear (just try not to push this down into the canal). 

2. Use an ear cleanser. This is a liquid that flushes out the ear canal. If your Maltipoo is prone to ear infections, cleaning the ear canals every 2 to 3 weeks with a quality ear cleanser can be quite beneficial. 
Place a few drops into the entrance of the ear canal, massage the base of the ear for 1 minute, and then use a clean piece of gauze, a cotton ball, or an ear wipe to swipe up any goop that comes out. 

Keeping Your Maltipoo’s Face Clean

Baths alone are often not enough to keep up with facial staining. Stains under and around the eyes and sometimes down the cheeks, around the mouth, and/or on the chin can make a Maltipoo’s face look unclean. 
Stains around the eyes can be due to a number of causes including additives in food, allergies, or partially blocked tear ducts. Natural tears may stain hairs at a faster rate if a dog drinks tap water that contains a high mineral count. 
Other causes of stains, both around the eyes, and over the face (and particularly around the mouth and/or chin) include hairs staying wet after drinking water, eating kibble that contains artificial coloring, and/or eating or drinking from brightly colored plastic bowls. 

1. Take steps to reduce stains by kibble that has no artificial coloring, use only stainless steel or ceramic bowls, and have any allergies or excessive tearing diagnosed and treated. 

In addition, do not offer unfiltered tap water. Aside from possible high mineral content, tap water contains hundreds of contaminants ranging from traces of prescription medicine to known carcinogens. Instead, offer bottle spring water or invest in a filtering device.

2. Routinely wipe the face. Using a fresh wipe each time, swipe over and around the eyes, as well as down the cheeks, around the mouth, and over the chin if needed.