Dog Grooming Hints

How to Groom a Long Haired Dog

Having been owned by four very long haired bearded collies for the past 12 years, I have learned the do’s and don’ts of grooming a long haired dog. I also showed my dogs, so have a few great tips for making any long haired dog’s grooming session a bit easier.

First of all, do not wait until your dog has mats all over his coat. The mats can be very difficult (NOT impossible) but difficult to get out and often results in going to a groomer to shave the poor dog.

Make up a spray bottle of water and add grooming conditioner. I am not talking about a conditioner you would put on the dog’s coat during bath time. This is a conditioner which can be put on a dog’s coat either wet or dry, and you do not have to wash out later on. There are many brands on the market. Crown Royale has a nice one, but there are many others that are great as well. I have tried all sorts of different ones, since I own two brown beardies, and two black beardies. The brown’s coat has a totally different texture than the blacks, so it has been trial and error to find one that works well. Everbody has their favorite.

You can buy grooming conditioner from a pet supply house or pet store or online. When you have chosen one, add water to a spray water bottle and put a teaspoon of the conditioner in the bottle. Shake it up and you are ready to go. Also, buy what is called a “rake”. It is in the shape of the “V”. It has teeth on it. I am not talking about the jagged edged ones you can get. This just has teeth protruding from the “V”. Also, buy what is called a PIN brush. I personally swear by pin brushes as opposed to others, because the pins get down nice and deep into the coat when grooming and that is what you are aiming for here.

Before starting to groom your dog, daily check his eyes to get the gunk out of them. This can build up and cause eye problems later on. Cleaning them daily can keep this from happening. Use a nice warm wet cloth for this.

Next once, a week or so check the dog’s teeth. Make sure there is no plaque on them. If you have a toothbrush (which you can buy both toothbrush and dogie toothpaste from your vet or local pet store) brush your dogs’ teeth.

One last thing, check weekly your dog’s nails. If they are too long cut them with a dogie clipper for toe nails. Do not take off the nail above the quick (that is the tiny red vein you can see running along the nail) or it will bleed. Cut just below this. If it bleeds, grab

If you care about your dog, you should learn the proper procedure for dog bathing which can make life much easier for you and your dog. Your dog should only get a bath when hes dirty and/or smells or you suspect he has fleas.

Most dogs dont really care for bath time. This is why knowing proper dog bathing techniques will help ease your dog into the bath time procedure.

When bathing your dog, if you plan to wash him in your tub, get him used to going in and out of the tub area by making a game out of it. The tub should be empty at this point. Once hes comfortable with entering the tub, slowly get him accustomed to being around water by having him hear the water running and then have him enter the tub with very little water in it.

Grooming is an important part of the dog bathing procedure. Introduce the grooming tools to him by having him sniff them. Be gentle when using the grooming tools for the first time because a bad experience, such as a nail being clipped to short or yanking on matted hair with a comb could have your dog running in the opposite direction every time its bath time. Investing this time will save you much grief later on.

Dog bathing procedure

Before you begin bathing your dog, make sure you have all the tools you will need for dog bathing and grooming. These tools are: Plenty of towels, hair dryer, comb or brush, cottonballs, ear wash, ear powder, cotton swabs, nail clippers, toothbrush, mineral oil, toothpaste, a small pitcher, blunt scissors, mineral oil, a stripping knife, dog shampoo and a few treats wouldnt hurt either. You dont want to leave your dog alone in the middle of a bath to get grooming supplies. The thought of what you might find when you come back can be quite scary.

Another thing you should do before dog bathing is brush him thoroughly. Remove all mats with a stripping knife, or for more stubborn matting, use a pair of blunt scissors because bathing can make matting worse.

Be sure to place a rubber mat in the tub (if you dont already have one) to keep your dog from slipping and sliding. He could get injured. For smaller breeds you can use a rubber basin. This can keep dog bathing from being a backbreaking experience. The tub should only be filled up a few inches.

Assuming youve accustomed him to the bath area, it should be no problem getting him into the tub. If you have trouble getting him in, you can try using a harness and a leash (different from the leash used to take him out). If he attempts to bite, use a muzzle until he gets comfortable. Hopefully, you wont have to use it all the time.

When starting your dog bath, wet your dog use a small pitcher or a detachable nozzle. Do not get water in his face, this can scare him and make him afraid of water. Use a washcloth with a mild soap to clean his face.

Dog shampoo is recommended for dog bathing. DO NOT USE ANY OTHER CLEANING AGENTS, such as dish washing liquid, detergents, or human shampoo, which can strip your dogs skin of its natural oils leaving it dry and chaffed. Use a dog shampoo that is appropriate for your dogs breed, age and type of fur.

With a cotton swab, apply mineral oil around the eye area. This will protect his eyes from irritation.

Pour the shampoo from the back of his head down to the tip of his tail and lather. You may have to apply more to each of his legs and paws. Lather him up good and try not get shampoo in his eyes, nose or ears. Dont forget to clean his belly. If your dogs ears dont flop over, put a cotton pad in each ear to keep water out. Dont forget to take them out when youre done.

Using a small cup, gently start to rinse his face avoiding as much as possible, getting water in his eyes, nose and ears. Do not use a detachable spray nozzle. This may be too aggressive initially. You can, however, use a spray nozzle for rinsing the rest of the body. Be sure to rinse a few times in order to get all the soap off the body because leftover soap can cause a skin irritation.

Once hes been rinsed thoroughly, wrap him in a towel and towel dry him in a playful manner. This will help make dog bathing a pleasurable experience for both of you.

You will want to groom your dog after drying him because dogs tend to be very restless when they are wet. Use a hair dryer at a low setting to fluff dry your dog. If the weather is warm, you can lay out a few towels outdoors for him to lie on and leash him in the sun. He will use the towels to rub his ears against and the towels will keep him from getting dirty all over again. If you plan to put him outdoors, you may want to groom him first if you can keep him still.

Grooming your dogs coat, ears, eyes, nails and teeth is part of the bathing routine. You will find more information on grooming through each of the links above. Remember, if grooming your dog is too much of a hassle, leave it to your groomer and just have him groomed more often.

Remember, dog grooming won’t be a hair-raising experience if you take the right approach.

Dog grooming is an art that goes from basic pet care to almost spa-like pampering. The essential grooming requirements depend on the dog’s breed and its characteristics. The first thing a pet owner deals with is dog hair.

Long hair dogs that shed need more frequent grooming than short hair dogs or those who only shed seasonally. Dogs with curly or frizzy hair need daily care to detangle the hair and remove debris or foliage that gets caught in the coat while the dog is outdoors.

Sending your dog to a groomer each week gets expensive. But if you want the best for your dog, you can even hire mobile dog groomers who have a full grooming station in their vans.

The groomer parks in your driveway and does the complete grooming onsite. This is a great convenience and avoids the “wet dog” smell lingering in your bathroom. To save money, you can also learn to do many of the basic grooming techniques yourself.

Dog grooming isn’t just a luxury – it’s a necessity. A dog that doesn’t get proper grooming in a timely manner is at risk for illness, gingivitis, parasites and damage to both fur and skin.

Your dog may not be thrilled about getting a bath, but you can’t let that stop you. Bathing is a health issue for dogs just as it is for people. You wouldn’t stop bathing your toddler just because she screams at bath time, would you?

If you aren’t sure about the right techniques for bathing, brushing and detangling your dog’s fur, find a good online resource or ask if you can watch the dog groomer work. You may also take a class from a pet store or vet’s office to learn the correct procedures – as well as get some expert tips on how to deal with your dog’s anxiety or fears during grooming.

The skin under the dog’s fur can be highly sensitive. Avoid aggressive scrubbing while bathing your dog or you can remove too much of the natural oils that protect both skin and hair follicles.

Adding powder or scents that aren’t formulated for use with dogs adds the potential for skin irritation or infection. If a product isn’t made for dogs or the type of fur on your dog breed, then make it a rule never to use it.

Be patient when grooming. Take time to talk gently to your pet, rub his head or tummy and lend a playful quality to the grooming session. If you’re rushed or impatient, then don’t even start the grooming. Your dog will pick up on your attitude and be fearful or difficult to manage.

Even if your dog spends most of his time outdoors, you still need to do basic grooming. Without regular bathing, your dog is at the mercy of fleas and parasites that thrive on his lack of cleanliness.

Use the right tools. Don’t use your old hairbrush on your dog. Get special brushes and combs that are made for your dog’s fur. You don’t save money using your castoffs if you damage the dog’s skin and create a big vet bill.

You might save some money by bringing the dog to a groomer monthly or alternate weeks, while you handle the bath and simple hair brushing on the other weeks. Dog grooming is an essential part of maintaining your dog’s health – as well as his good looks.

Owning a dog can be a fun and enjoyable experience. But the potential pet owner needs to realize that the dog, if cared for properly, will require a lot of work. Be sure you can commit to the amount of time and work pet ownership requires.

Rather you choose a short haired breed, or a long haired breed, both will require time and work on your part to insure a happy, healthy pet. Long haired dogs, like Shih Tzus, Cocker Spaniels and Maltese, will take a lot more time to keep their coats long, tangle free and shining.

A professional groomer will happily do this for you, but that can be a very expensive convenience. Unless you have a champion show dog, a groomer is neither necessary nor worth the price of something you can do yourself. Bathing and grooming can be a good bonding routine; wouldn’t you prefer your dog to bond with you, instead of its groomer?

Bathing the dog is a process that should be started as soon as he is comfortable with you. If the dog gets anxious or upset at your first attempt, remove him from the water as quickly as you can. Rinse really fast if you have too! Wrap doggy in a warm blanket or towel and do some cuddling and reassuring.

Everyone gets frightened, even dogs, and it will do you no good to “force” bath time. Take it slowly and try to coax and reassure your dog into accepting longer bath times. Soon, he will understand the process, and will no longer “fear” an unknown situation.

If you have chosen a long haired breed, combing needs to start immediately, to familiarize the dog with the routine. As a puppy, he may not necessarily need a daily detangling, but as the hair grows, so will the time spent detangling if you don’t keep at it. A wide toothed plastic comb designated just for doggy will do in the beginning.

Dogs love to relax with you, so make this a part of your evening relaxation. As you sit and watch television or a movie, have doggie’s comb handy. Pet and soothe your dog to relax him. Stroke the comb through his hair, not as an invigorating detangling, but more of a soft, gliding touch. Be sure not to pull any tangles. Gently ease through the rough spots, much like you would your child’s hair.

Use your nightly relaxing routine to prepare your dog for nail clipping. Hold and rub each paw and examine each nail, as if you were clipping them. If the puppy pulls away, don’t forcible hold on; just try again until he gets use to it. When it’s really time to clip his nails, he will be relaxed and use to the