Dog Grooming Hints

A new pet owner may wonder what the purpose of buying top-grade dog grooming supplies is. You can easily borrow grooming supplies from other pet owners, right? And all brushes, soaps and shampoos are the same anyway. Why the need to be discriminating about the kinds of things you use just to make your pet prettier, if your priority is your pet’s health anyway?
But as all good pet owners know, dog grooming supplies not only make for a prettier pet – they make for a healthier pet as well. The cleaner a dog is, the fewer diseases he is likely to catch, and the fewer pests will be likely to prey on him. This is why you shouldn’t borrow grooming supplies like combs and brushes from other pet owners – though they may LOOK clean, they may still carry fleas, ticks, or random diseases that may be acquired through contact. Just as you wouldn’t borrow other people’s combs or toothbrushes, don’t borrow equipment for your pet, either!
Brushes and combs for dogs aren’t all the same. There are different grooming brushes for dogs with thin fur, and dogs with thick fur. Brushing your dog with the right size and kind of brush regularly will clear your dog’s fur of tangles and burrs, and massage out the oil from the surface of your dog’s skin… this will give the fur a nice healthy sheen.
It may not need to be said that not all shampoos and soaps are created equal. There are bath products just for enhancing the smoothness or richness of your pet’s coat, and then again there are bath products for eliminating pests and skin diseases. Which is your priority? Sometimes even pest-killing soaps and shampoos come with chemicals that are good for your pet’s coat; it doesn’t follow that medicinal bath products also mean a duller coat. Be careful about the strength of the shampoos you use, too – puppies and small dogs will need milder shampoos than large dogs, especially if they need pesticide soaps. It is best not to use pesticide soaps on your pet until your veterinarian has given the word!
A pet needs to be pampered too – not just with treats and praise, but also with careful cleaning and maintenance. Invest in the best grooming supplies and help your pet enjoy being squeaky clean! Good dog grooming supplies are an investment, one that may well last you and your pet a lifetime.

Why do you prefer to go to professional dog groomers and pay high fees for your dog grooming. You can even groom your dog at home , yes really You can do much of the grooming yourself at home and save money at the same time.

This article will let you know all necessary tools that you need for your dog grooming at home.

Dog grooming Hair scissors

Thinning scissors

Dog clippers

Dog/cat toe nail clippers

Dog Nose scissors

Dental scaler

Dog hair pulling forceps

Dog Tweezers

Brush and Comb

Dog grooming scissors:

Most important tools for dog grooming. Dog grooming scissors are usually long blade scissors having 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5″ sizes. Scissors are both straight as well as curved. Common size is 8.5″. Available in mirror polished, satin and titanium coated finish. These days titanium coated shears are very common because these are not only beautiful, but these shears have long lasting sharpness. Curved shears let you cut corners – literally. They are real time-savers. And, considering that most scissoring is supposed to achieve round or curved surfaces, it seems only natural to use curved shears on dogs ranging from Bichons to Bouviers. Gain experience with these shears by rounding off feet, topknots and tails. Experiment with them in reverse to create angulation above the hock joint. You might even use them to create the arch on some Terriers’ eyebrows. Many groomers who have had difficulty shaping round and curved edges seem to have more success when they are using curved shears. Now come to Filipino shears ,these scissors have wider blade than other grooming scissors. These are excellent for cutting bulk hairs. These scissors feature superb smoothness and sharpness.

Thinning scissors:

If your dog has very thick coat of hairs we recommend you to use thinning scissors. Thinning scissors are choice of groomers in hot weather because thinning scissors thin out the heavy coats of hairs giving dogs a cool feel. Thinning shears, in various lengths and styles, constitute “the shears of the ’90s” – and they are a necessary part of any groomer’s collection. Thinning shears with a 28-teeth blade (or finer) are excellent for finish work and blending. They give coats a soft-edged appearance and produce Schnauzer and Terrier furnishings that look natural. Used to thin over scissored Lhasas and similar breeds with silky, flowing coats, these shears blend in and remove blunt ends. Thinning shears give breeds such as Scotties and Westies a hand-stripped look. They also give trimmed ears and bangs a natural, smooth appearance. They even thin out heavy coats and help to prevent matting in breeds such as Cockers, Afghans, etc,

Nose scissors:

Yes nose is also very important to be cleaned while grooming your dog. Use good pair of nose scissors to remove longer hairs from nose of dogs. These scissors has blunt end , so they won’t disturb your dogs. Don’t use pointed scissors for removing nose hairs.

Brush and Comb

You need to brush and comb away the dead hairs before bathing your pet as water creates tight matts in the loose hairs. Pets with long coat require brushing almost daily, depending on the condition of its coat. If you exercise your dog in the garden, it is likely to get tangles in its hair. You need to comb out its tangles immediately after exercise to avoid the tangles becoming mats. Brush your pet from top to bottom. Use the right brush for your pet’s coat. Get advice from the pet shop if you,re unsure.

Dog clippers

purchase a set of professional dog clippers. Hair clippers for humans will not stand up to the rigors of dog grooming and should not be used. A good set of clippers can cost up to $200.00. Although the initial expense is large, the clippers will pay for themselves quickly. Make sure the animal is completely dry before using the clippers. If you wish to give your dogs specialty cuts like a poodle or a cocker cut, you should follow the directions that come with the clippers. You can also get books that have diagrams on giving special cuts. The clippers come with attachments that cut hair to the desired length for whatever effect you are trying to achieve.

Dog toe nail clippers

Dog nail clippers have 3 shapes. Guillontoin style used for removing and trimming toe nails of medium size and larger breeds. Scissors style clipper is usually used for cat nails. Plier style dog nail clippers are used to trim nails of smaller dogs. Plier style is more common among professional groomers. Care should be exercised with the toe nail clippers as if you cut the nails too short you will nick the vein that runs part way down the nail.

Dog hair pulling forceps and tweezers:

Hair pullers are fundamental tools for good grooming. Allow groomers to remove excess hair from the ear canal and reduce the risk of infections. Also used for removing ticks from pet hairs. Forceps come in curved and straight blades, having locked and unlocked handles. Forceps with polyethylene dipping handles are more commonly used these days because of firm grip and easy working.

Dental scaler

Yes dogs have also plaque problems. You can use Dental scaler, for removing plaque and cleaning teeth of pets.If you are unable to see plaque, then can use dental mirror as well.

You can touch up the grooming every two or three weeks. That way, the general grooming will not be as time consuming as it could be. Depending on how quickly your dog’s hair grows, you will need to groom him every month and a half to two months, or more frequently.

Groom your pet well and enjoy its good looks and companionship !