When was the last time you groomed your dog?
Not a lot of dog owners do this important task on a regular basis. However, grooming is an important step in maintaining your dog’s appearance, as well as their health and wellbeing. Grooming assists your dog with the shedding of their hair and their dead skin. It also helps spread their natural oils evenly over their body. With so many benefits of grooming, it is important to ensure that you regularly groom your pet.
You should start grooming your pets as early as possible. When they’re still young and active, you might have a bit of trouble keeping them still for a long period of time. Thus, you should aim to groom your dog in multiple, short sessions that are only a few minutes long. Alternatively, you can aim to have your grooming session when your pet is a bit tired, such as after a long walk or after playtime.
Before you start grooming, you should check your dog’s paws, nails, ears, and teeth to make sure that they’re healthy. During the grooming process, you should also pay attention to your pet’s skin health. You should always let your local vet know if you notice changes in their skin, such as redness, lumps, or scaling skin. Any irregularities in your dog’s mouth, teeth, gums, or ears should also be noted and reported to your vet.
If you groom your dog on a regular basis, your dog will become used to this process and wouldn’t mind the periodic inspection. Also, make sure to offer them plenty of treats and encouragement through the process.
Grooming
Your dog might need a combination of clipping, brushing, and bathing as part of the grooming process.
Brushing
Brushing can help remove dead hair from your pet’s coat. Without brushing, your pet will lick their coats in order to remove the shedded hair. This can cause hot spots to happen, an irritating itch which causes your pets to lick and bite their skin extensively.
You should always remember to brush your dog’s coat in the same direction as the hair is growing. Continue brushing the coat until there are no more knots. There are a variety of different types of combs and brushes for you to choose from.
Bathing
You can simply bathe your dog in a bathtub or any tub that your pet can fit into at home. Alternatively, you can also bathe your dog in a temperature controlled hydrobath or at a local DIY dog washing facility. However, always remember to use a pet shampoo that is specifically formulated for your pet’s skin and coat type. Never, ever, use a human shampoo on your dog. NEVER. You can seek advice from your local veterinarian if you are unsure of what shampoo is right for your dog.
Clipping
There are different types of clipping. The first one is the removal of all the excess coat from your dog. The other form of clipping is the removal of knots and tangles from specific problem areas of the coat. Neither of these are easy to do, and you might risk scratching or nicking your dog. Clipping is probably best left for the professional to do, as they have the correct equipment which can minimise the risk of cuts to the skin.
If you have trouble keeping your dog still during the grooming process, here are some ways that can make the grooming process easier for you and your pet.