Dog Grooming Hints

How many are held back from becoming successful entrepreneurs simply because of the mistaken belief that they could never afford to start their own business? The truth of the matter is startlingly simple: you dont need loads of cash to start a business! What you do need are the drive to get started, the enthusiasm to find artful solutions to problems that will present themselves early on, and the commitment to not let problems that others throw money at stop you from living your dream.

For example, if you want to become a dog groomer, you dont need loads of cash to start that business. You need to know how to groom dogs. Without this skill, no amount of money will allow you to make any headway into the dog grooming market. In a very real sense, you need to become a guru a person to whom others come to answers to their dog grooming questions.

Once you have found your niche and educated yourself via classes, books, the Internet, or just personal hands-on training it is time to figure out where to conduct your dog grooming. Normally you would need to have a lot of money to rent a shop and equip it, but since commercial real estate leases are out of this world, you will want to do without it, at least until you have earned enough money to comfortably buy or lease a space of your choice. Proving that you do not need loads of cash to start a business, consider that you can work out of the back of your van, SUV, or at the clients home. You will own the tools of the trade, but the client will furnish the water, the bathing facilities, the electricity, and you do not even need specialized insurance!

Now that you have the what, how and where worked out, advertisement is the final major expenditure for new businesses. Fortunately, there are several cheap or free ways of getting targeted advertising without having to dip into your nest egg. Build a great relationship with those who deal with dogs every day. This includes the vet, the humane society, the pet store, and any other place dogs and dog owners will congregate. Ask to place nicely done color brochures you can do them for next to nothing on your computer in their offices, and in return promise you will place their names and phone numbers on your ads. Do some community events for free, such as the yearly humane society fund raisers where you can be highly visible turning little matted hounds into stylish pets anyone is eager to take home.

As you can see, from this example of a dog groomer you can quite easily extrapolate that you dont need loads of cash to start a business, and whether you want to be a dog groomer, typist, writer, copying service, or dry cleaner, there is a way unique to any profession that will lead you to entrepreneurship on a shoestring budget if you only have the will!

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Dog grooming is an important task that is needed for more than one reason. Good grooming covers things such as bathes, brushing the fur and brushing the teeth. Good grooming helps the prevention of parasites such as flees and ticks on a dogs skin. Depending on the length of the fur will depend on how often you will need to groom your dog. The longer the fur the more washing and brushing it will require. The shorter the fur the less it will require maybe once a week.

What You Do In Dog Grooming

When you groom a dog you are taking care of their whole outer body, cleaning it and making it look better. You can easily groom your dog at home by bathing your dog, clipping their hair and nails and cleaning their eyes, ears and teeth. If you don’t have the room at home to do these things you can go to a professional grooming service and have it done.

Hair Trimming

When you trim a dog’s hair you may need to leash the dog. You will need to brush the hair both before and after trimming it as the brushing removes dead hair and stimulates the growth of new hair. Gently combing the matted hair is important in dog grooming, as matted hair resistant to brushing should be cut off with scissors. To trim a dog’s hair you will need a pair of good dog clippers which can be purchased at the vets or pet shops. The longer the hair though the more trimming it will require especially in the hot seasons.

Bathing

Before you trim your dog’s hair you will need to give them a good bath to remove the debris inside the fur then dry the fur completely before starting the trimming process. During summered you can wash your dog outside with a hose but during the colder months a bathtub is a better option with warm water.

Nail Clipping

It is best to start clipping your dog when they are puppies so that they get accustomed to the process. You need to take extreme care when clipping a dog’s nail especially to avoid the quick from being cut. If you do cut the quick then press on the bleeding area until the wound stops bleeding.

Cleaning Eyes, Ears and Teeth

Don’t forget that the eyes, ears and teeth are an essential part of grooming your dog as well. The dogs ears need to be checked for parasites, dirt and scratches etc. Depending on the dog will depend on what eye care it will require. Some dogs have hair that grow around the eye which needs trimming occasionally other dogs will have weeping eyes that will need to be washed out on a daily basis to avoid infection. The groomer can remove any dirt or foreign matter from the eyes, or from around its corners, with a soft clean cloth. Dogs teeth can be clean by giving your dog bones once a week or using specially designed tooth paste and tooth brush for dogs as well as giving then good dog biscuits.

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As all dog owners know, the rewards of having such a loving and loyal companion are phenomenal. They cheer us up when we are depressed, and they lend us their ears when no one else will listen. With all that these wonderful companions have to offer us in our times of need, it is Imperative that we return the favor regarding their personal care and grooming.

The grooming of one’s dog is essential. Depending on what type of breed you own, will determine the amount of care your pet needs. Long haired and non shedding dogs will require much more attention than short haired dogs and dogs that do shed. These are things to consider when choosing a dog that will become a part of your family. By choosing a dog that you will be able to properly care for, you will ensure good health for your pet.

There are some basic guidelines for grooming that all dogs, regardless of breed, will require to help in maintaining good health and comfort.

#1. Keeping your dog’s coat healthy.

The amount of work for your dog’s coat will depend upon the breed that you own. A short haired dog’s coat is easier to care for, a simple bath with a moisturizing shampoo for dogs, and use of a soft brush every few days should be sufficient. There are also dietary supplements that one can purchase to help maintain the shine of your dog’s coat and also prevent dry skin.

However, long haired dogs and non shedding dogs will need more care. A long haired coat will require a stiffer brush and should be brushed on a daily basis, during the Springtime when your dog is shedding their winter coat and experiencing discomfort, you may want to increase your brushing to twice a day.

A non shedding dog’s coat will not shed in the Spring, therefore if you live in a very warm climate you will probably want your dog to be shaved during the warm seasons. This will take a great deal more effort, you might want to find a Professional groomer for this until you are comfortable enough to do this on your own. Once they are shaved for the season (which may need to be done every few months) than the basic care of washing and brushing should be enough.

#2. Keeping your dog’s eyes clean.

With many short haired dogs this is not a major concern, this is not something that would typically need to be addressed.

A long haired dog and non shedding dog will need to have their eyes cleaned on a regular basis. This is an easy process and should not create any hardships for You or your Dog. By simply being

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Dog grooming is the basis for preventive health care for your dog and puppy. It gives you a chance to see small changes in and on your dog’s body that could lead to health concerns such as a lump or problems in his ears or with his teeth.

Dog grooming can be a time of further bonding with your dog. This is some serious one on one time when he gets loads of your attention.

So what do you do and when do you start grooming your dog and puppy? As with most things with your puppy, you need to introduce him to dog grooming slowly and help him be comfortable with it. Start with short sessions of about five minutes and work up to the whole routine as he adjusts.

Begin with brushing and combing. There are several different grooming tools used for brushing and which you use depends upon the breed of your dog and the type of coat he has. Ask the breeder you got your puppy from for the proper techniques.

Brushing should be done before you bathe your dog or puppy. Bathing your puppy should begin when he is about 14 weeks old or sooner if he is a very dirty dog. Most dogs should need bathing only once a month unless he gets dirty. Wherever you decide to bathe your dog, bathtub, sink or some type of tub, place a rubber mat within to give him something secure to stand on so he won’t slip around.

Soak down his body but not his face. Keep water out of his ears. You may wish to block his ear canals with cotton balls to prevent the water from getting into his ears. Lather up your wet dog with a dog shampoo. Rinse well. Any leftover shampoo in his coat is likely to cause dryness or skin irritation. Wipe his face off with a damp cloth. Squeeze off the excess water and then towel dry your dog. Complete the drying process with either a hair dryer set on warm, not hot, or by leaving him in a warm room until dry.

Be aware that a dog will shake just as soon as you release him. This is why some people want to run their dog outside quickly after a bath on a leash to prevent him from rolling and getting dirty again. If this is not an option, such as in winter, you may wish to consider a professional groomer.

A professional groomer may be a consideration for some of the more difficult haircuts and dog grooming considerations such as the stripping required by some wire-haired breeds. This depends upon your ability to do the required tasks and your desire to do them as well.

copyright 2005. Sandra Dinkins-Wilson

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A new pet owner may wonder what the purpose of buying top-grade dog grooming supplies is. You can easily borrow grooming supplies from other pet owners, right? And all brushes, soaps and shampoos are the same anyway. Why the need to be discriminating about the kinds of things you use just to make your pet prettier, if your priority is your pet’s health anyway?
But as all good pet owners know, dog grooming supplies not only make for a prettier pet – they make for a healthier pet as well. The cleaner a dog is, the fewer diseases he is likely to catch, and the fewer pests will be likely to prey on him. This is why you shouldn’t borrow grooming supplies like combs and brushes from other pet owners – though they may LOOK clean, they may still carry fleas, ticks, or random diseases that may be acquired through contact. Just as you wouldn’t borrow other people’s combs or toothbrushes, don’t borrow equipment for your pet, either!
Brushes and combs for dogs aren’t all the same. There are different grooming brushes for dogs with thin fur, and dogs with thick fur. Brushing your dog with the right size and kind of brush regularly will clear your dog’s fur of tangles and burrs, and massage out the oil from the surface of your dog’s skin… this will give the fur a nice healthy sheen.
It may not need to be said that not all shampoos and soaps are created equal. There are bath products just for enhancing the smoothness or richness of your pet’s coat, and then again there are bath products for eliminating pests and skin diseases. Which is your priority? Sometimes even pest-killing soaps and shampoos come with chemicals that are good for your pet’s coat; it doesn’t follow that medicinal bath products also mean a duller coat. Be careful about the strength of the shampoos you use, too – puppies and small dogs will need milder shampoos than large dogs, especially if they need pesticide soaps. It is best not to use pesticide soaps on your pet until your veterinarian has given the word!
A pet needs to be pampered too – not just with treats and praise, but also with careful cleaning and maintenance. Invest in the best grooming supplies and help your pet enjoy being squeaky clean! Good dog grooming supplies are an investment, one that may well last you and your pet a lifetime.

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