Does your dog scoot across the carpet on his rear end? Or does he continuously chew under the base of his tail? Have you ever found brown foul smelling streaks on your carpet? You may be dealing with an anal gland issue. American dog owners spend a considerable amount of money yearly on vet trips and grooming appointments to keep this problem in check, but with a little practice you can learn to express, or empty, these glands at home.

The anal glands, or anal sacs, are basically scent glands located near the rectum of some mammals. To give you a better idea, think of skunks. Ever seen a skunk spray? This is an example of directional anal glands. Thankfully dogs don't express their anal glands in any fashion similar to that. Many dogs are able to express their anal glands on their own without any assistance. For some this can happen when passing stool, but for others they accomplish this by scooting across your nice clean rug. Some dogs are unable to express the glands on their own which can lead to problems. As the glands fill with fluid without being expressed, the fluid can begin to thicken. This thickening fluid can impact, or block, the gland leading to a painful infection, in some cases requiring surgical repair.

I can't promise you that expressing anal glands will be fun, or even that it won't be nauseating, but I can promise that you will be able to do this easily. To express the anal glands, gather your essential equipment. This consists of rubber gloves or paper towels, an area outdoors or in a bathtub, a way to clean the dog afterward if needed, and of course the dog. Do this with two people until you learn how your dog reacts to it. Have one person hold the dog, usually one arm in front of the dog's chest and around its shoulders, with the other arm around the dog's abdomen and hips; holding by reaching under the dog rather than over will be effective and less strenuous on shoulders. Now, approach the business end, but a word of advice, don't stand directly behind the anus, as very full anal glands can squirt a considerable distance. With your non-dominant hand lift the tail by grasping it at its base; doing this should cause the rectum to be more exposed. With your dominant hand, place your thumb and forefinger on the sides of the anus, roughly at about 4:30 and 7:30, about an inch away from the anus on each side. Slowly press your fingers in and roll together, you should be able to feel the glands, which if full will feel like two marbles. Gently squeeze while rolling your fingers together and away from the rectum which will express the glands. It may spray which is why i recommended the glove or paper towels. If the secretions are overly thick, blood tinged, or contain pus it is time to get the dog checked out by a veterinarian. Depending on the dog this may need to be done as often as every 4-6 weeks; you will learn the warning signs and how to anticipate when it's needed.

• Internet Telephones Can Save Firms A Lot Of Money

• Lost Canadian Money

• Cover Insurance Money Policy

• Make Money With Blogs

  There are several lists with ways to make money with a website on the Internet, but none of them seem to be complete. That is why I decided to create this one. If you ...

• Making Fast Money