Dog Grooming Hints

Dog Grooming

Learn to groom dogs in 3 easy steps.

Article by E. Michaels

If you are anything like me, you love your dogs and want to keep them groomed as best as possible. Unfortunately, crating, packing up the car and then traveling to the nearest groomer can be stressful to both yourself and your dog, not to mention costly. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to provide your dog a top quality grooming experience in the comfort of your own home? I am going to share with you 3 easy steps that will allow you to begin dog grooming on your own.

Step 1: Learn to Brush. Brushing is the foundation of proper pet grooming, not only does brushing help your dog’s skin and coat health, it will also create a strong bond between you and your dog. Breed standards and coat will determine how often you should be brushing but a basic guideline is to brush daily for silky or long coated dogs and to brush one to two times a week for a short or curly coated dog.

Step 2: Give your dog a bath. Luckily for us, dogs in general tend to be happy to get into water and this makes bathing a snap compared to other home pets. The rule of thumb is that a dog should be bathed every 2 months or so and definitely no more than once per month. The reason for such long periods between bathing is to protect your dog’s natural oils. These oils are what allow dogs to be such great swimmers and also what allows their fur to keep them warm. In the warmest months of the summer, longer haired dogs may require washing as often as every two weeks but if so, it is important to use high quality pet shampoo’s to protect their natural oils and keep their skin from becoming irritated.

Step 3: Dry out your dog’s coat. When drying a dog most people choose to use a towel however it is perfectly fine to use a blow dryer or even a combination of the two. While keeping a calm tone, remove excess water by commanding the dog to shake or by simply petting the dog in long strokes that push out the excess water from the coat. Once excess water is removed, use towels to hand dry the dog from the head to the back and then from the sides to the underside, chest, legs and tail.

In this article I have shared the three basic steps of successful dog grooming: brushing, washing and drying. As always, consult your dog’s breed standard before grooming to ensure the highest level of care. If you have a knack for dog grooming and are interested in starting your own dog grooming business, I recommend you check out John and Debbie Pelton’s excellent online grooming course. Not only will they teach you all that you need to know, they will also provide you with valuable job assistance and a beautiful certificate.

Click here to view this excellent dog grooming course!

Rescued dogs in need of new 'best friends'
dog grooming
A veterinarian, under the animal act, asked OSPCA investigators to remove the dogs from the home when it was deemed unfit for animals. Dogs were found with severe dental damage, skin issues and fleas. "When they came in they required severe grooming," …
dog grooming question by KharronG: Does anyone know of any dog grooming classes in Escondido?
My friend and I want to take dog grooming classes so we can make some extra money around our neighborhood. she’s 13 and im turning 13 in june. Does anyone know of any dog grooming classes in escondido or near there for people at least the age of 12?

dog grooming best answer:

Answer by The Gooroo
Visit the local vet and ask them. I’m sure they have a list of grooming services.

Poodle Dog Grooming : Poodle Dog Grooming: Clipping the Body

For poodle dog grooming on the body of the dog, you should always clip with the grain of the hair. Learn more about clipping a poodle’s body with tips from a dog groomer in this free pet care video. Expert: Marie Jackson Contact: www.bubblesandbowsmobilegrooming.com Bio: Marie Jackson has owned and operated Bubbles and Bows Mobile Pet Spa, in Pinellas County Florida for 4 years. Filmmaker: Christopher Rokosz
dog grooming Video Rating: 4 / 5

Related Posts:

• Why Should You Groom Your Dog?
• Want to Save Money and Groom Your Own Dog?
• Groom Your Dog at Home and Save Time and Money
• Learning How To Groom a Dog Online and Easy
• Learn How To Groom Your Dog and Have Fun Doing It

by windygig

There are many aspects of Do It Yourself Dog Grooming that are easy to perform, and learning how to fluff dry your dog is one of the easiest ones to do. There will be times when you want your pet to have that “just came from the groomers” look, but you don’t have the time, or the money, to get her to a professional dog groomer. Depending on the size of your dog, and assuming she is on the smaller side, you can “neaten up” your dog in about half an hour.

The only items you will need to fluff dry your dog is a tub, shampoo, a blow dryer, and a dog brush. It is really important to wash him first, unless he was just washed in the last week or so. His coat will respond to the fluff drying process much better if it is relatively clean. If you don’t normally wash your own dog, the most important thing to remember is that you need to rinse him thoroughly. Leftover shampoo isn’t good for his coat, and will also make the fluff drying process much harder, if not impossible, because the areas of leftover shampoo will feel oily to the touch.

Once you have thoroughly rinsed the shampoo off your dog, you can towel her off to remove excess water. It is important here to not dry her too much with the towel, as you want the hair damp once you start the fluff drying process. This is especially true if she has curly hair and you are trying to straighten it out by fluffing.

After you have toweled off the excess water, put his leash on your dog and loop it on a door handle or heavy piece of furniture. The object here is to not allow him an avenue of escape! Most dogs don’t like the blow drying process, although if they are regular visitors to the grooming shop your little household blow dryer will seem tame compared to the dryers we use on them.

The heat and force setting you use on the blow dryer is really dependant on the amount of hair your dog has. The more hair that’s there, the higher the force setting you should use. Watch out for the higher heat setting, as you may dry her coat too quickly, and could actually irritate her skin if she has an extremely thin coat of hair and sensitive skin.

Now all you do is dry the dog with the hairdryer and brush it at the same time against the grain. If you start at his rear end, brush and blow dry toward the head. Basically, you are going to brush up, or towards the top of the dog. Use short, quick strokes, and do this all over his body. In most cases you can do some of the drying without the brushing, as long as you continue to dry against the grain. Once you have finished drying, brush him all over, still against the grain. If you find any areas that look out of place, or funny (too fluffy), just brush it back with the grain.

When you have finished, your dog will have that just been to the groomer look!

Learn tips and techniques on how to shave your dog in this free video. Expert: Anne-Marie Forde Bio: Anne-Marie Forde and Jon Fless have owned and operated The Sudsy Dog Grooming Shop for 8 years. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso
Video Rating: 4 / 5

More Dog Grooming Articles

Related Posts:

• Dog Grooming – Groom Your Dog Yourself
• Do it Yourself Dog Grooming Tips
• Master Grooming Tools Dematting Comb Rake For Small Dogs Small Reviews
• Safari Grooming 7-1/4-Inch Long Comb for Dogs, Stainless Steel
• No-Sit Haunch Holder Dog Grooming Restraint Sm Med Dogs

The Silky Terrier is a breed that was produced by crossing Yorkshire Terriers and Australian Terriers. Developed in Australia in the 19th century, the Silky is sometimes referred to as the Sidney Terrier. The coat of the Silky is prone to tangles and matting which requires regular care and grooming. Daily care consists of combing the silky coat and trimming long hairs but regular bathing and a full groom will keep the coat of the Silky in brilliant form.

The bathing process of the Silky Terrier has the same basic principles as with most breeds. Have your tools and equipment at hand before starting the bathing process.

-Brush and/or comb

-Dog shampoo and conditioner

-Sponge

-Heavy Towel

-Pet Dryer

-Cotton Balls

-Nail Trimmers

-Scissors

A universal brush is normally the only brush a groomer will need. This brush can be used on tangled or matted coats or a slicker brush can be used for delicate coats. A dog comb will usually suffice for the coat of the Silky Terrier. A mat comb can be utilized if the coat is badly matted. For extreme matting, the coat may need to be trimmed or even fully shaven before bathing. After the coat is thoroughly tamed, the Silky is ready for a professional bath.

The ideal water temperature is approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit. A spray hose connected to a faucet will make this task much simpler. Start with the hindquarters and completely wet the Silky. The excess water should not be left in the tub and should flow down the drain. The Silky is actually getting a “shower” rather than a bath. In case the dog decides to do the “shake”, a plastic apron will be very handy in keeping the groomer from being soaked during this process.

After the Silky is soaked, place shampoo on the sponge and on the Silky, from rear to front. Keep shampoo clear of the eyes even if the shampoo claims to be tearless. Work the shampoo into the coat not forgetting any areas including the bottoms of the feet. Rinse the shampoo thoroughly, letting the water rinse until it runs clear from the coat. If the Silky was heavily soiled, the dog may need two washings. A cream rinse can be used to help tame the fineness of the Silky’s coat.

Squeeze excess water from the coat and use a heavy towel to remove as much water as possible. If you have a cage dryer, this can be used to help the coat dry off what the towel didn’t. A cage dryer will get the coat damp-dry and the blow-dryer will be utilized to fully dry the coat. Working

Related Posts:

• Toy poodle grooming
• Shetland sheepdog grooming
• Tips On How To Successfully Groom Your Dog
• How to groom a Norwegian elkhound
• How to bathe a dog – Part 1

An ancient ancestor of the Spitz breed, the Pomeranian’s history can be dated back hundreds of years. Queen Victoria established her own breeding kennel in the 1800′s and even Marie Antoinette and Mozart were owners of this small breed.

The Pomeranian is a very small dog with a fluffy coat and a feathered tail that distinctly fans forward over the back. The undercoat is short but thick with an outer coat that forms a stand-off of the straight hair. Because of this elegant yet full coat, the Pomeranian requires frequent brushings and sometimes more often during the shedding process which can happen one to two times yearly.

The grooming procedure for the Pomeranian is very simple since the dog only needs bathed when dirty. Many breeders and groomers only “dry bathe” their precious Pom Poms. If you should need to bathe your Pomeranian, take extra caution to not get water in the ears, eyes or nose. After washing in a gentle shampoo, use thick towels to remove any excess water from the coat and then the Pomeranian will need to be blow-dried. A hand blow-dryer on a low setting works well. While drying, brush the coat against the grain and then back down until the coat is fully dry. This process will give the coat that “puffy” natural look that the Pomeranian is so popular for.

A natural bristle brush, slicker brush or pin brush with flexible pins are excellent choices for brushing the Pomeranians coat. Any mats can be gently picked out using a smooth metal comb with large teeth. A detangler may need to be used to help brush out mats and knots in the hairs. Start brushing from the head area and brush the coat forward. The coat will fall back into place on its own. Work the coat down through both layers, separating all of the hairs until the entire coat has been thoroughly brushed through.

Any unruly hairs can be trimmed away being careful inside the ears and the bottom of the paws. Keep hairs trimmed around the anus area since that area can become dirty and matted easily. Use a cotton ball lightly dampened with water to clean out the eyes and ears. The Pomeranian is susceptible to early tooth loss. Clean the teeth regularly and take your Pom Pom to the veterinarian for regular check-ups.

Keep the toenails clipped which can either be done by yourself or a professional groomer. If attempting the process yourself, be aware that the toenail has a “quick” and can hurt the dog or even bleed if cut into. If your dog has light colored nails, the quick is usually visible and easier to trim. Cut the toenail within 2 millimeters of the quick. For dark colored nails, trim the nails in small cuts to minimize the chance of cutting into the quick.

Ideally, the Pomeranian needs brushed daily with no less than two thorough brushings weekly. Proper and frequent grooming is a necessity for the Pomeranian. If their coat becomes heavily matted and neglected, the dog may need to be fully shaved of its magnificent coat. Many times when a Pomeranian has a full body shave, the coat will not grow back to its prior thickness or to the beauty that was intended.

Related Posts:

• How to groom a Pomeranian
• Tips For Grooming Your Curly Or Wavy Coated Dog
• How to bathe and groom Silky Terriers
• How to groom a Pomeranian – Part 1
• How to groom a Pomeranian – Part 2

An important aspect of dog ownership is regularly bathing your dog. This will help not only to keep your dog clean and odour free but will also help to keep the skin in healthy condition, free from irritation caused by natural toxin release, environmental pollutions and dog saliva which can cause hot spots.

As a former dog groomer, I’m going to guide you through how to have a pleasant experience with little mess and limited strain on your back.

THE PREPARATION

Preparing the Dog

There are two things to consider in preparation; the bath area and the dog. First let’s talk about the dog. The single most important thing you need to do before you even turn on the water is to make sure the dog’s coat is prepared to be wet. You MUST brush the dog first. This is particularly important for long-haired breeds. The coat must be tangle and knot free before it gets wet or the tangles will set and form huge mats that will be very difficult to brush out later. If you have a double-coated breed, its important to brush out that under coat or big clumps will come off in the bath causing drain blockages. Even with a short-haired breed, use a rubber curry comb to rid your dog of as much excess hair as possible.

Now that that is done, its time to protect your dog’s ears. Taking two cotton balls, gently insert them into the ears. This will keep out any water avoiding possible ear infections later on.

Preparing the Area

Now that your dog is ready, let’s choose our area and prepare it. To avoid strain on your back, where you bath the dog is important. If you have a smaller dog the best choice is a laundry sink. It’s elevated and deep so you will avoid spilling excess water on the floor, and it is bigger than a kitchen or bathroom sink.

If you have a large dog, consider taking it to a U-bath facility. These are usually found in a grooming salon where they have an extra elevated bathtub for clients who want to bathe their own dog. If you don’t have one of these in your area then the next best thing is your own bathtub.

Next most important thing is to get a hand held shower attachment, the kind that have a long hose with a shower nozzle on the end. You really aren’t going to give your dog a bath; you are going to give it a shower.

Let’s talk about the shampoo. You need to buy a good quality PET shampoo. A human or baby shampoo is PH balanced for a human- not a dog- and it will cause irritation and dry out the coat. If your dog has dry, oily or other

Related Posts:

• How to bathe and groom Silky Terriers
• Dog Grooming – Brushing and Bathing
• Dog breed: Cocker spaniel
• How to groom a beagle
• Shetland sheepdog grooming