NAIL TRIMMING Of course, you've conditioned your dog from puppy hood to having his feet handled and his nails cut without a fuss.
Dogs who hate having their nails cut or their feet touched usually can trace their phobia back to something the owner did wrong.
Gentle handling of a puppy's feet and matter-of-fact nail tipping on a regular basis should result in a well-mannered dog who accepts this kind of attention without fuss.
On the other hand, if nail cutting is accompanied by lots of sympathy from you, the puppy will grow up believing this is a horrible experience, and it will be-for both of you.
When cutting the nails, start with the back feet and you'll be halfway through before your dog even knows what you're doing.
In addition to cutting the nails, check the pads of the feet to make sure they're not harboring any foreign objects, ticks or sores.
Foot hygiene will be enhanced if you clean excess hair from the pads, carefully using blunt-nosed scissors or an electric shaver.
EAR CLEANINGS Frequent ear cleanings (at least once a week) with a cotton ball and warm water or cleaning solution provided by your veterinarian will help ward off painful, pesky and potentially costly ear infections.
A sure sign that you've missed the boat is frequent head-shaking by your basset hound.
Once this starts, a visit to the veterinarian is probably inevitable, unless the doctor previously provided you with a good all-purpose antibiotic ointment to keep on hand for such emergencies.
TEETH CLEANING Maintaining your dog's teeth will help minimize the risk of bad breath, gum disease and the other problems inherent to bad teeth.
Your veterinarian can instruct you in brushing your pet's teeth and maintaining a healthy mouth.
Not only will this keep your dog in top-notch shape; it ultimately will save money on expensive veterinary bills for dental work.