Dog Grooming Hints

Introduction:

Grooming and brushing a dog is not quite as simple as it sounds. If you think you can use any of the several types of brushes available to groom and brush your dog, you will be so wrong. Each of the grooming tools available in the market is meant for a specific use, and a good understanding about the specific application is necessary to make grooming easier for you.

Professional dog groomers have the expertise to look after your dog in a better way than you can manage. The expert dog groomers would use slicker brushes to remove knots, mats and tangles from the dog’s fur for all types of dog coats. A slicker brush would remove dead hairs from the undercoat and the coarser hairs from the outer coat of the dog’s fur.

There are various kinds of brushes which are used for grooming and brushing:

Undercoat rakes:

Undercoat rakes are useful for dogs that shed. The brush has one row of metal prongs which remove the dead hairs from the dog’s undercoat. To remove hairs from the soft loose undercoat of your dog, you should use an undercoat rake which is especially designed for this purpose.

Undercoat rakes remove the loose hairs without disturbing the longer hairs in your dog’s upper coat. During the time of the year when your dog starts to shed, an undercoat rake becomes very useful to keep your dog from shedding, and it also helps to maintain skin health by gently stimulating circulation to the skin and removing dead skin.

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Wire-pin brushes:

The wire-pin brush is an excellent tool for general grooming of small to large dog breeds. The loose hair in your dog’s coat is lifted out smoothly by this brush, taking out the debris from the fur. Brushing your dog every day, or at least every alternate day, keeps the skin of your dog healthy, while distributing the oil present in the hairs evenly through-out the dog’s coat.

You can also use the wire-pin brush to remove the fluff from your dog’s coat by brushing against the direction of hair growth. Wire-pin brushes are available with or without rubber tipped ends, and these brushes are mostly preferred for dogs with medium to long hair and those with curly or woolly coats.

Slicker brushes:

These brushes are essentially used to remove mats and tangles from your dog’s coat, and as you brush your dog the brush helps to remove dead hairs. Slicker brush gently stimulates the skin of your dog as the layers of the dead skin are taken out leaving the blood to circulate evenly. A slicker brush is often used at the end of grooming and brushing, giving a finished shining appearance to your dog’s fur.

There are various sizes of slicker brush available for the larger to smaller dogs. Slicker brushes are generally made from thin metal wire mounted on a soft padded material, looking somewhat like a hair brush. The soft padded material on which the wires are mouthed ensures that the dog does not get hurt as the brush is used.

Summary:

Brushing your dog helps to remove dead hairs from your dog’s coat and clean the surface free of parasite as well. Brushing also helps to keep away fleas, and while you brush you can check for the physical appearance of the animal.

While you groom and brush your dog you can easily find out of presence of any unusual bundle, or bald spot which you may take care of immediately. As you brush your dog as frequently as every day or every other day, you slowly build up a bond between you two, and brushing would become a friendly invitation for your dog.

Dog Grooming Table

Master Equipment Zinc-Plated Steel Overhead Pet Grooming Arm

- click on the image below for more information.

• Master Equipment overhead grooming arm offers maximum versatility in restraint options while grooming
• Heavy-duty arm has two 3/4 square inch vertical 48-inch height posts that clamp to each end of the table
• Connector has a 12 placement options for any noose or restraint
• Grooming arm comes with seven eye bolts
• Made of durable zinc-plated square tubular steel with adjustable powder-coated aluminum clamps that accommodate a table up to 1-1/4-inch thick

This overhead grooming arm maximum versatility in restraint options while grooming. The heavy-duty arm has 2 3/4 square inch vertical 48-inch height posts that clamp to each end of the table with a horizontal 28-inch length by 7/8-inch width overhead connector bar. The connector has a 12 placement options for any noose or restraint. The grooming arm comes with seven eye bolts. Adjust the connector length to fits tables from 36-inch to 48-inch and position grooming restraints in a variety of pos

Master Equipment Zinc-Plated Steel Overhead Pet Grooming Arm

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Big Hairy Dog’s Bath Time!

Article by Andrew Dillon

I used to own a Boarder Collie and he was one hairy dog and I can tell you giving a large dog a bath will not always be an easy task but in the end you will have a much cleaner dog that will be a joy to have in your household!

You see big hairy dogs tend to smell more than little dogs especially if they have been out for a walk and decided to jump in the local swamp for a paddle.

grooming table or picnic table if possible a big dog harness for the dog hose with water that is mixed warm and cold spray nozzle on hose ice cream bucket for the water if you don’t have a hosedog shampoobucket for mixing up shampoo dog conditioner eye wash or plain saline eye dropsscissorssteel-toothed comb wire pin brush baby wipes paper towel woolly large terry cloth towel one or two assistants dog treats dog crate or enclosed space blanketfan

1. Put the harness on the dog first of all.

2. Get the dog up onto the grooming table. Have the assistant there to hold the dog and give it an occasional treat. Or as mentioned above you can groom and wash your dog outside with a gardening hose. Whatever is easier for you.

3. Turn on the water and check to see that it is “tepid” (the same temperature as your own skin is ideal).

4. Turn the spray nozzle to mist setting or use a sprinkler on your hose.

5. Place the nozzle directly onto the dog’s coat, starting at the top of the head and completely wet the dog down from head to tail.

6. Pour the shampoo into a bucket and add water so that it is sudsy. Or if washing outside place shampoo directly on to your dog.

7. Starting at the dog’s head, suds the dog all over, using your hands and pouring the suds out of the bucket when needed. Or rub the shampoo into the dogs coat until you have a well lathered dog.

8. Once the dog is all suds, then rinse the suds out of the coat well making sure not to leave any soap residue.

9. Pour the dog hair conditioner into your hand and massage into the dog’s coat thoroughly. This is a vital part of grooming and washing your dog so you need to make sure you do it correctly and thoroughly

10. Once again rinse the dog all over thoroughly

11. Dry the dog all over with the woolly towel and then the dog dryer if you have one, or just do what I do and use a normal hand held one. But a word of warning please don’t have it too hot that it will burn your dog.

12. Put the blanket into the crate or an enclosed space or just let your dog loose in the garden on a patio area but not the lawn or near any soil as it will mean having to re-bath your dog, it is up to you.

13. If you have decided to use a crate or enclosed space then you need to put the dog into the crate or enclosed space.

14. If you have decided to use a crate or enclosed space then you need to turn on the fan on medium so that it blows on the dog dry.

If you don’t have warm water in your hose (mixed) then use a bucket with the water in it to pour over the dog.Massage the suds into the coat well and leave set the required amount of time if it is a flea shampoo.

Using the conditioner will help to keep cocklebur’s and sticks and things from sticking in your dog’s coat.

Using the harness makes it easy for your assistant to hold onto the dog.

It is perfectly ok to use the soap and water in the dog’s ears, it will help to flush out grime and hardened wax.

Absolutely do NOT use cold water straight from the tap! It is too cold for the dog and can make him sick!

Rinse the dog very thoroughly, leaving soap “scum” in the coat will cause hot spots and dermatitis.

Be careful not to get shampoo in the dog’s eyes, use the eye drops immediately if this occurs and wipe them out with a paper towel. Dry the dog well with the woolly towel and do not leave the dog outside, it will get muddy again!