Dog Grooming Hints

by Barboni

Dog grooming can be a frustrating and time consuming chore for you and your furry friend. Here are 6 tips to keep your home free of pet hair and your dog healthy and happy.

1. When choosing a dog or cat, keep in mind that animals with long or silky coats will require regular daily grooming. Some dogs, such as Poodles, Bichon Frises, and Bedlington Terriers, do not shed at all, but do need to be clipped on a regular basis. Smooth-coated cats and dogs are the easiest to groom. All you need is a comb or a grooming mitt.

2. Regular grooming is easiest when you get your pet accustomed to brushing from an early age. You can do this in one of two ways: using brushing as a therapeutic tool or make it a game. Either way, grooming becomes an opportunity to bond with your pet as well as a simple way to keep your home from being overrun with pet hair. It’s also a good time to check for fleas and ticks.

3. If you choose to make brushing a game, your goal is to get your pet excited about being brushed so that eventually just seeing the brush will bring your pet running to you. Start with short sessions. With brush in hand, ask in a happy voice, “Do you want to get brushed?” Stroke your pet with the brush and then say, “Good boy!” Repeat the stroking a few times and use the word “brush” to help your pet associate it with the activity. Gradually lengthen the sessions.

4. Alternatively, you might opt to use brushing as a therapeutic tool, particularly if your pet is not used to regular grooming. Wait until your pet is in a comfortable, relaxed state and then alternate stroking with your hand and stroking with the brush. Speak in calm, soothing tones to reassure the animal. If your pet gets agitated, stop brushing, revert to stroking with your hand, and try again another day.

5. Before brushing, run your hands through your pet’s coat from back to front to massage the skin and loosen dead hairs. This massage will help to stimulate and distribute natural oils in the skin, which gives a healthy shine to the coat. Then use the type of grooming that is best suited to your pet which can be a brush, comb or mitt to brush your pet from head to tail. Don’t forget to brush the underbelly and also between toes and pads which can collect small stones, chewing gum and other debris. To avoid scraping your pets’ skin, try not to press too hard with a wire slicker brush.

6. If you come across matted hair, first hold the matt close to the skin. Next insert the end tooth of the comb into the matt and try working the matt loose. If you find this isn’t possible you might want to cut out a matt so you don’t cause your pet any unnecessary discomfort. After your pet is matt-free, comb down to the skin. Remember to comb or brush your dog against the lay of the coat.

Dog grooming really can be an enjoyable experience. A little prevention can go a long way and it also saves you time cleaning fur off your household furniture and carpets.

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