Mohawk

Life on the street isn't easy. A dog can get into a lot of dirt and grime. So when Mohawk arrived to Orphans of the Storm as a stray who had been living on the streets for who knows how long, we knew we needed to call in the experts.

Loving Care Pet Services heeded the call. They picked up little Mohawk in no time flat and went to work with their magic. It wasn't long before they got through all of the dirt, street grime, and even a few dug-in burs to reveal the beautiful, sweet poodle that had been hidden.

Today, thanks to Loving Care, Mohawk is looking more like himself and enjoying life in the senior room with the other older dogs while he waits and hopes for adoption.

Mohawk is a 10 year old male poodle who gets along well with other dogs of all ages, is playful, obedient and knows his commands. He enjoys walks and is very alert to the visitors who look in on him each day. In addition, it was discovered during his visit to the vet for a routine exam that he has a permanent condition from a thyroid deficiency so he is now on a daily medication which corrects it. One pill a day and he is good to go. He should have his blood checked every six months to adjust his level of medication. Whoever lost Mohawk lost a really great companion. Maybe he could be your next new friend?

A few grooming tips from Loving Care

There's no doubt about it, poodles look and feel best when they are well-groomed. One thing you may not know about the Poodle is that its hair grows forever! The only part of a Poodle where the hair doesn't grow is the bottom of its feet; tip of its nose and around the eye rims. Because poodle fur grows so quickly, Loving Care Pet Services Master Groomer, Rene Padron, highly recommends a professional poodle haircut about once every six to eight weeks.

Although a professional groomer is the best choice when it comes to styling your poodle's fur, following are a few helpful "quick tips" Rene would like to share:

• Poodles should be brushed on a regular basis to remove the dead hair, or it can become a tangled mess.
• Although caring for your Poodle's coat is important, attention needs to be given to its teeth, nails and ears as well.
• Keeping the feet cut short helps prevent dirt and mud from tracking in your house
• A dog like Mohawk, (see make-over before photos) whose coat is heavily matted and had burrs needs professional care, as removing mats is a time-consuming, delicate process, and mistakes can result in injury.
• To remove mats place the matted fur between your fingers. Break up the knots instead of tugging and pulling with a brush. Do not wet the fur, and do not give your dog a bath before grooming, as matting is worse when it is wet. Spray a de-tangling spray on the dog's fur to allow the brush and comb to slide more smoothly through the fur. Brush the matted fur out of your dog using a slicker brush. Hold the matted fur between your fingers as you brush, to prevent pain and possible injury from yanking.