Dog Grooming Hints

Grooming your dog is an essential part of being a pet owner. Not only does it keep your dog smelling good and looking great, but it is also good for your pets hygiene and over all health.

The grooming process is a simple one and I myself work as a groomer and know the benefits of keeping your pet regularly scheduled.

There are many things that you can do yourself at home to help out, or you can pay someone, like your local pet store, to do them for you all at once.

- Starting out, make sure you keep your dog regularly brushed. Shorter haired dogs once a week, and longer hair dogs once a day. A twenty minute brushing session will help dramatically cut down on shedding and any matting that may happen from everyday play. Make sure you use a brush that is appropriate for your dogs coat.

- Dental work is another really important thing for your dog. Keeping your dogs teeth brushed and clean reduces tartar damage and helps cut back on bad breath. In addition to using a toothbrush and toothpaste, some bones are specifically designed to help with this. After all, how often do you brush your teeth? Should your dog be any different?

- Keeping the ears clean reduces ear infections and even ear mites. Take a cotton ball with ear wash on it, and gently swab around the inside of the ear, being careful not to press to deep as you could cause damage. If your dog has a large hair build-up, using an ear power, and either hemostats, or your fingers, gently pluck out a little at a time. Clean ears means less build up.

- Bathing your dog once every 6 – 8 weeks depending on your dogs coat and your preference is also a necessity. It is also recommended that you use an oatmeal shampoo, which is wonderful for dry, itchy skin.

- Clipping your dogs nails once a week helps to keep the quick back and helps keep the nails short. Light colored nails are easier to clip then black nails. On a white nail you can clip up to the start of the pink in the nail. Black nails clip a little at a time until you see a dark spot in the middle of the nail.

If you take your dog into a grooming salon, please, for the sake of the groomers start when they are young. This helps get the puppy used to everyone and the grooming process. Your dog will be calmer and it will be easier for the groomers to make your pooch beautiful!

Hopefully this has helped you, and always remember that if you find something on your pet you are unsure of, please let a vet check it out before doing anything yourself.

There are many different breeds of dogs out there. The choices are too numerous to count. With each breed of dog you also have different colors of coat they will have, and the texture of their coat. Some dogs have short hair while others have long. Some breeds have a straight coat, while others are wavy or curly.

Tamming the Curls

No matter which dog you choose, you will need to know how to properly groom them. If you have a dog that has a wavy or curly coat, you will want to know how to take care of their coat properly. A dog with a curly or wavy coat will take more time and attention to keep looking good than a dog with straight hair.

When caring for a dog with curly hair you will want to make sure you keep the coat a good length. If you let the coat get too long it will get tangled easily, and twigs and debris will get stuck in it. This is especially important to people who show their dog, or use their dog for hunting. It is easier for your dog to be helpful while hunting if he has a coat that is well maintained.

Cutting the Curls

Most curly haired dogs will need to have their coat cut. Two inches is the best length for the dogs coat. It does take time and practice to master cutting your dogs hair. Some people choose just to use a buzzer, this is an easy fast way of cutting your dogs coat. Others choose to use a scissor, which takes more practice. If your dog is going to be in dog shows you may want to take them to a place that specializes in dog grooming.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when grooming your dogs coat yourself, or between visits to the dog groomer. First you will want to make sure you brush the dogs entire coat to get rid of as dead coat as you can, this also gets rid of the tangles. A pin brush and or slicker brush usually work the best for this. Next you will want to use a comb to make sure you get every tangle. To ensure that you do not rip any hair out you will want to take your time.

After you are sure you have removed all the dead hair, and the tangles you are ready to proceed with the cutting. The first thing you will want to do is remove any extra hair. Remember you should leave the hair about two inches long, and it should be a pretty even cut. Now you will want to proceed to the foot, and the foot pads. You will want to cut any excess hair from between the paws, the make the paw blend in with the leg hair.

After you have finished with the legs and paws you are ready to continue towards the torso. You will want to make sure you cut off excess fuzz, and shape the hair in a way that flatters your breed of dog. You will want to make sure you take your time and do a good job. Stop periodically to look at you work. Having a picture of your breed of dog will be a big help. This way you have an idea of what you are going for.

After cutting your dogs hair you will want to give your dog a bath. After the bath all you need to do is towel dry your dog. By towel drying you are allowing the dogs natural curls to show. This will look much better than if you try and blow dry it.

What do you know about properly grooming your dog? Dog grooming is extremely important and your responsibility as a dog owner. Dogs generally need to be bathed once a month, brushed weekly, have their nails clipped, and some dog breeds need to be taken to the groomer every couple of months to have their coats trimmed. A properly groomed dog is a happier and healthier dog and makes for a happier dog owner!

Many dog breeds do not need regular visits to the groomer. Shorter-haired dogs like Labradors, Boxers, and Bulldogs do not need to have their coats trimmed, but longer-haired dogs such as Collies, Scottish Terriers, and Poodles do need to visit the groomer every 4-6 weeks for a trim. Regular visits ensure that your dogs coat is free of tangles and well-maintained.

Dog grooming also includes brushing your dogs coat, whether he has long or short hair. Regular brushing removes your dogs dead hair. This dead hair is what normally will shed, but with regular brushing you can brush out most of the dead hair and your dog will shed much less as a result. Brushing your dog also distributes the hairs natural oils, which makes the coat shiny and healthy looking. Its amazing what a good brushing can do in making your dogs coat shine. Not to mention, what dog doesnt like a good brushing?!

Proper dog grooming also means trimming your dogs nails. This may seem like a daunting task to some until you and your dog get used to it. You can buy a good nail clipper at any pet store. Make sure to buy one that fits your dog. Some dogs have small nails like Chihuahuas; other breeds like Labradors need a much larger nail clipper. If you dont feel comfortable clipping your own dogs nails, many pet stores offer this service for a reasonable price. Proper exercise of your dog should keep his nails at a good length but they will need to be trimmed occasionally. Be very careful not to trim the nails too short as dogs have a fleshy material inside their nails called quick. If nails are trimmed too short and you cut the quick, it is painful for your dog.

Are you bathing your dog once a month? This is a general rule of thumb. If your dog spends a lot of time outside running around or going to the beach, chances are he will need to be bathed more often than a dog that spends most of his time indoors snuggled up at your feet. Its important to spend a little bit more on dog shampoo, especially if your dog has any kind of skin conditions. Unfortunately, the less expensive brands of dog shampoo have harsher ingredients that can strip away too much of your dogs natural oils, drying the skin and possibly causing skin irritations. You may want to ask your vet for recommendations for the best shampoo for your particular dog.

Dog grooming is of the utmost importance in dog ownership! Most dog owners take pride in having a healthy, well-groomed dog. Bathing your dog, clipping his nails, and brushing him are also good bonding experiences for dog and owner. Take your time in grooming your pooch and enjoy the experience. A happy, healthy, well-groomed dog makes for a happy owner!

Dog Grooming & Routine Care

All dogs need regular grooming. It improves the appearance of short coated dogs, and is essential for those with long coats. It also does much to stop unwanted hair on the furniture and carpets. Start as soon as you get your dog or puppy. If you get dogs used to grooming from an early age they will accept it as a normal routine and become to enjoy it.

For the shorter haired dogs a fairly firm clothes brush will be sufficient, but if you need one that’s a bit stiffer your local pet store should have a wide choice of brushes. Regular brushing will remove the loose hair and give a shine to the dogs coat. For long haired breeds a strong steel comb as well as a brush is essential. So many owners think they are grooming their dogs when they are actually only running a brush over the surface of the tangled coat. A daily grooming should prevent the formation of matts and tangles, even in spaniels and poodles.

Parasites

Remember while grooming your dog to look for parasites such as fleas and lice which may have been picked up by your dog. To see how to deal with these, please visit our pet website which is shown below.

You may also find grass seeds in the coat, and especially between the toes. These, if not removed, may penetrate the skin causing painful abscesses. A daily examination of the coat will also give you the opportunity to check for skin irritations that may need attention.

Foot Care.

The feet should be examined daily, especially the hairy types of dog such as spaniels, for the presence of thorns. It is better to keep the hair between the toes and under the pads trimmed short, and to wash the feet after exercise in muddy weather. The accumulation of grit and hard packed mud under the pads may contribute to the formation of cysts or boils on the feet. Keeping your dogs feet clean is a must.