Got a scooting dog? Sigh....

This is definitely one of those topics that won't earn you any party invitations if you're discussing this out in public, but here at wikiFido, we don't hold back. We tell 'ya what you need to know! So, here goes...

Dogs have anal glands that are two small sacks located just inside the dog's anus. Even worse, they are filled with this wretched, foul smelling, once-you've-smelled-it-you'll-never-forget-it type of liquidy yucky stuff, which needs to be emptied periodically. If you're lucky, you've got a dog whose natural bowel movements handle the whole job, and it's just not something you need to worry about...

But (no pun intended), if you're unlucky like me, and you have a dog that needs a little help, to the tune of once every 10 days, then you'll need to either take your dog into a trained professional, the vet, or to a groomer, or handle it yourself.

Groomers express anal glands using an external method. They squeeze the area and the nasty stuff is expelled. This works for some dogs, unless you're unlucky like me, and they just keep right on scooting. The upside of having a groomer do it, is that is usually comes with the grooming package, or you can have it done ala carte for somewhere between $3 to $5.

Vets do the absolute best job at expressing anal glands. They actually use an internal method (making them even more popular with your dog), which is very efficient and keeps them from scooting for quite a while. They use a gloved hand, lubricant and use the thumb and forefinger to work the yuck out. The downside here is that going to the vet costs even bigger dollars. Expect to pay about $15-$20 just for the service and if this is the only reason you are visiting your pet vet, you may get hit with an office use fee also, which could be another $15+ (again, lucky me, to be able to tell you all this from experience.)

So, if you've got pet that simply has to have it done frequently the best thing to do is to learn to do it yourself! (Just what you wanted to hear!)