Ultimutt Dog Care

What's Happening at Ultimutt This WeekIts back to school! We've enjoyed getting our summer daycare dogs back to play! We uploaded a video on our facebook page of everyone playing inside so go check it out. We've been busy with grooms and are still continuing grooming but we are looking for an experienced groomer to come on staff. If you know of anyone who would be interested, please have them contact us.Ultimutt Dog Care is sponsoring the 1st Annual Ultimutts Bark for the Cure!! The 2 mile Fun Dog Run/Walk is set for Thursday, September 30, 2010 at Fort Chaffee - Chaffee Crossing. This event is for the entire family and Fido so grab the kids and dogs and come help as we Bark for the Cure with proceeds benefiting your local Ozark Affiliate of Susan G. Komen. Registration will begin at 6pm and end at 6:30. The race will begin at 7pm. A t-shirt will be guaranteed for all participants that register before Sept 15th. It is $20/person (1 dog per person is included in registration price) in advance or $25/person the day of the race. You can register at Ultimutt Dog Care or call 479.242.1186 to reserve your spot. Ultimutt will also host pet photos each month. Check out our calendar of events to see when they will be. The photo shoots will include Razorback, Halloween, Fall, Christmas and Valentines. There will be a $5 sitting fee and a sheet is $12. A sheet consists of 1 - 8 x 10, 2 - 5 x 7, 3 - 4 x 6, or 12 wallets. The sitting fee must be paid at the time of sign ups. Some of these photos will be during the day so bring your dog to daycare and have their picture made while they are here!We're also starting to get reservations for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays so call or email us today to reserve your spot! They will go quick! `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Shedding Allows Dogs to Prepare Their Coats for Fall/Winter
As the days grow shorter and the nights grow colder, you may be observing what seems rather odd for a body preparing for winter: Your dog is shedding more than usual.
Be reassured: It's perfectly normal.
Dogs typically lose their winter coats in the spring, when it is replaced by a shorter, lighter one for summer. In the fall, this cycle is reversed, as the summer coat is shed to make room for heavy protective fur for winter. The change is most obvious in "double-coated" breeds such as collies, shelties and keeshonden. Those breeds carry not only a harsh, protective long overcoat, but also a soft, insulating undercoat -- and they lose masses of fur from both in spring and fall.
The amount of shedding varies widely from breed to breed. German shepherds, for example, are prolific year-round shedders, while poodles seem to lose little fur at all. Shorthaired breeds may shed as much as the longhairs, but since the hair they shed is easily overlooked, it may seem as if they are shedding less.
All shedders -- even the heaviest -- can be tamed by a regular and frequent schedule of combing and brushing. After all, the fur you catch on a comb won't end up on a rug. Work against the grain and close to the skin to catch as much of the ready-to-fall fur as possible. Bring your dog to Ultimutt for a bath and de-shed to get the lose hair out.
If you have a purebred, or a dog that has the characteristics of a purebred, ask a breeder for grooming advice, especially in regard to the proper kind of grooming equipment. The slicker brush that works fine on a poodle won't make much headway in the thick mane of a full-coated collie at the height of a seasonal shed. For a shorthaired dog, a curry comb or hound glove will do the job well, catching the short fur before it ends up on your rug.
No matter what the breed, shedding -- and heavy seasonal shedding -- is normal, but some heavy shedding can be a sign of health problems. Skin allergies and skin parasites may trigger shedding, and poor nutrition can also be a cause of coat problems.
Become familiar with your pet's normal pattern of shedding, and ask your veterinarian for advice if coat condition seems to dull or excessive hair loss is noticed.