ASK RISIN STAR

DEAR RISIN STAR:

I WANT A BLACK AND WHITE BORDER COLLIE THAT I CAN NAME SAM. MY DAD AND I, HOWEVER, DON’T SEE EYE TO EYE ABOUT DOGS, AND WE LIVE IN THE CITY. PLUS, WE ALREADY HAD A SHETLAND SHEEP DOG. HOW DO I GET THE DOG OF MY DREAMS? HELP!

ANSWER:

SAM WOULD BE A FINE NAME FOR A BORDER COLLIE -- SHORT AND SWEET, WHICH IS TRADITIONAL FOR THIS BREED.

HOWEVER, LIVING IN THE CITY WITH A DAD WHO DOES’T SHARE YOUR PASSION FOR THE BREED, YOU DREAM SOG MIGHT HAVE TO REMAIN A DREAM A WHILE LONGER. BORDER COLLIES ARE VERY ACTIVE DOGS WHO NEED PLENTY OF SPACE TO RUN AND EXERCISE. BRED TO BE WORKING FARM DOGS, BORDER COLLIES NEED SOME KIND OF USEFUL JOB OR THEIR NATURALLY HIGH ENERGY CAN GET THEM INTO ALL KINDS OF TROUBLE. THOUGH IT’S POSSIBLE FOR A BORDER COLLIE TO LIVE A CITY LIFE, IT’S DIFFICULT TO KEEP ONE BUSY AND ACTIVE ENOUGH THAT HE STAYS SATISFIED AND HAPPY.

DON’T GIVE UP ON YOUR QUEST THOUGH. FIND OUT ALL YOU CAN ABOUT BORDER COLLIES FROM BOOKS AND MAGAZINES, AND TALK TO PEOPLE WHO OWN THEM. LEARN ABOUT THE JOBS AND SPORTS THAT BORDER COLLIES LIKE! ALSO READ OUR ARTICLES ABOUT FINDING THE RIGHT DOG FOR YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE.

DEAR RISIN STAR:

MY FOUR DOGS ARE ALL MIXED-BREEDS AND HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HAIR. IT’S EASIER TO BATHE THEM ALL AT ONCE, BUT HOW DO I KNOW WHEN AND HOW TO BATHE THEM?

ANSWER:

IF YOUR DOGS’ COATS SMELL UNPLEASANT OR FEEL GREASY OR STICKY, IT’S TIME FOR A BATH. START AT THE NECK AND WORK TOWARD THE TAIL. WET THE DOG WITH WARM WATER BUT NOT HOT (TEST THE WATER ON YOUR WRIST FIRST) WASH YOUR DOG’S HEAD LAST.

WORK A MADE-FOR-DOG SHAMPOO INTO THE WET COAT. KEEP THE WATER AND SOAP OUT OF YOUR DOG’S EYES AND EARS. AFTER LATHERING, RINSE THREE TIMES TO BE SURE ALL THE SOAP IS OUT. ANY SHAMPOO LEFT IN THE HAIR WILL ATTRACT DIRT AND MAY CAUSE SKIN IRRITATIONS. THEN, DRY THE COAT THOROUGHLY SO YOUR DOG WON’T GET CHILLED.

AS FOR BRUSHING, MOST DOGS SHOULD BE BRUSHED THOROUGHLY AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK, BUT DOGS WITH DIFFERENT COAT AND SKIN TYPES HAVE DIFFERENT BATHING NEEDS. EXCESSIVE BATHING CAN CAUSE DRY, ITCHY SKIN, SO IT MAY NOT BE BEST TO BATHE THEM ALL ON THE SAME SCHEDULE. IF YOU BRUSH YOUR DOGS SEVERAL TIMES EACH WEEK, YOU MAY FIND THATSOME OF THEM CAN GO MONTHS BETWEEN BATHS.

DEAR RISIN STAR:

WHAT SHOULD I USE TO CLEAN MY DOG’S EARS?

ANSWER:

HEALTHY EARS USUALLY DON’T NEED MUCH CLEANING. WIPE THEM OUT GENTLY WITH A SOFT TISSUE WRAPPED AROUND YOUR FINGERTIP TO REMOVE NORMAL SURFACE DIRT. DON’T POKE YOUR FINGER OR ANYTHING SMALLER INTO YOUR DOG’S EAR CANAL; THAT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES.

IF YOUR DOG’S EARS SMELL ICKY OT HAVE DARK-COLORED GUNK IN THEM, THEY MAY BE INFECTED OR HAVE EAR MITES (TINY BUGS THAT CAUSE ITCHING). IN THAT CASE, TAKE YOUR DOG TO THE VETERINARIAN. ALSO IF YOU SEE MORE THAN JUST A LITTLE SURFACE DIRT INSIDE THE EAR OR IF YOUR DOG SEEMS SORE OR HOLDS HIS HEAD SIDEWAYS YOU MAY WANT TO GET HIM TO A VET. THAT’S USUALLY THE SIGNS OF A EAR INFECTION. ALSO IF YOUR DOG DOES GET EAR INFECTIONS OFTEN YOU MAY WANT TO CHECK INTO A NATURAL VET AND HAVE HIM TESTED FOR ALLERGIES THAT COULD BE CAUSING HIS EAR INFECTIONS. I HAD TO DO THAT FOR MY GERMAN SHEPHERD BECAUSE HE WAS GETTING THEM ALMOST EVERY OTHER MONTH. SINCE I TOOK HIM TO THE NATURAL VET WE HAVEN’T HAD ONE SINCE.