Dog Grooming 101
It can be quite costly to take your dog to a salon for its grooming. However, you must not compromise your pet’s hygiene and overall physiological and psychological health by ignoring its need to be well-groomed. Just like people, they also need some pampering and grooming every now and then so that they look and feel better.
Happily, it’s not necessary to spend a lot on grooming your dog. It’s not that hard to groom your dog on your own right at home. All you have to do is purchase some pets grooming tools and supplies and follow these tips on how to properly groom your pet.
The first thing you have to consider is your dog’s coat. Cleaning and grooming your pet’s coat is essential if you want to keep pests such as fleas from making their home in it. One very essential pet supply is the soft-bristled brush. You have to make sure that you brush your dog’s coat every day to prevent it from becoming tangled. Regular brushing will also make the coat shiny because it stimulates and spreads the natural oils found in the coat. By getting rid of the hair that’s dead or dying, it will cut down on the amount of shedding your dog does.
As well, you need to have your dog’s coat trimmed every month or two, depending on the breed. If you want to do this on your own, you need to have clippers or trimmers, scissors, a brush or a comb, a blow dryer, and towels.
The next step is giving your dog a bath. For this you’ll need a shampoo formulated for dogs, some soap, a comb and brush, and lots of towels. Before the bath, brush your dog’s coat so that it doesn’t become tangled when it gets wet. Your dog needs a bath once a month if it has long hair, and every two months if it has short hair. Sometimes it will need an extra bath if it’s been engaged in particularly messy activities. Routinely giving your dog a bath will keep fleas at bay, and help to avoid various skin conditions. It also keeps the dog smelling nice and feeling clean.
Nail clipping is another important component of grooming your dog. A dog’s nails are continuously growing, and if they’re long they can more easily do damage to your carpet and furniture. As well, they could break off, which can be a painful situation. So you need to trim your dog’s nails on a monthly basis. This isn’t like clipping your own nails because a dog’s nails are shaped differently and are much thicker. You’ll need to use a dog nail trimmer. You should also have some blood-clotting powder handy if the need arises.
Twice a month, check your dog’s ears for fleas and infections. Then use warm water, mineral oil and cotton balls to get them clean.
Lastly, it’s not just humans who need to keep their teeth clean. Dogs too can get cavities and other unhealthy conditions on their teeth and gums. You need toothpaste and a toothbrush designed for dogs; use them a couple of times each week.
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