Our grooming and washing tips will keep your dog healthy and looking good.
All dogs should be groomed regularly. It helps to maintain their shiny coats, and allows you to look for skin problems and parasites, which will improve your dog’s overall health. Grooming is also a great way to bond with your dog.
Dogs with long, easy-to-care for coats still need to be brushed, trimmed nails and bathed regularly. Even dogs with long coats need to be clipped and trimmed. You may want to make regular grooming appointments, especially for trimming and clipping your dog’s coat. However, these tips can help you create a routine at home.
1. Brush your dog’s fur regularly to avoid matting
No matter what breed your dog is, it will require regular brushing in order to maintain a shiny coat. Your dog’s length of hair and its texture will determine how often you brush your pet. Golden retrievers, collies and other longhaired dogs will require more frequent brushing.
Badly matted fur can be painful for longhaired breeds. In order to relieve the irritation, dogs will bite or lick themselves. This can lead to skin infections. In a matted coat, foreign bodies such as grass seeds may hide and even cause abscesses. Brushing regularly your dog’s long hair will prevent matting.
Brushing is beneficial for all dogs, even shorthaired ones. Brushing your dog will remove loose hairs, dirt, and dander, which can extend the interval between baths.
2. Use caution when trimming your dog’s coat
The majority of dog owners will take their dogs to the groomer for a haircut. If you are careful, you can still trim the overgrown hairs around your dog’s eyes and paws between professional grooming sessions. By trimming the hairs around your dog’s eyes, you can help prevent them from blocking their vision or rubbing on and damaging their eyes.
Wait until your dog has calmed down and is preferably lying flat. Use extra caution and move slowly when the blades of your scissors are close to skin. After you finish, reward your dog for his calm behavior with a tasty treat.
The hair in the ears should be trimmed to improve the air flow and prevent infections. This is best left to an experienced groomer, or your veterinarian clinic.
Always be careful when trimming your dog’s hair. It is easy to cut them accidentally with clippers or scissors. Trim your pet’s fur with care. If you are nervous, or just don’t want to, hire a groomer.
3. Trim your dog’s nails safely
When you hear your dog clicking their nails on your hard floor, trim them. It will keep your dog’s nails from becoming too long. Before you begin trimming your dog’s nail for the very first time, there are a few things you should know.
4. As you brush your dog, check the skin.
Dogs are prone to allergic skin conditions, which cause itching and make them lick, scratch or chew their skin. External parasites such as fleas and ticks or lice, mites and mites not only make your pet miserable but can also transmit diseases.
Every time you brush your dog, make it a point to check the skin. You can start by rubbing your finger along your dog’s fur to feel for any lumps or bumps. Part the fur to inspect the skin for signs of infection, such as sores and rashes.
5. Your dog will love grooming sessions if you teach him to do it.
When you introduce a new grooming regimen to your dog, they will need positive encouragement.
Here are some tips to help you get started with your first at-home grooming session.
- Spread some Vegemite onto a surface that can be washed and let your puppy or dog lick the Vegemite off as you wash or brush them.
- Give your dog lots of praise and treats to make it look forward for the next time you pamper him.
- Lay a mat that is slip resistant in the bathtub before bathing your dog to keep them from slipping.
6. Check your dog’s ear regularly
When you are grooming your pet, don’t forget to pay attention to its ears. If you see any of these changes, or if your dog shows other unusual behaviours, then take him to the vet.
- Inflammation or moisture in the ear canal.
- It is a strange smell (often the dog’s ear infection smells sweet).
- Your dog may scratch its ears or shake its head.
- It is possible that the ears have a discharge of a more intense or different type than normal (a small amount of wax in your ears is perfectly fine).
- When you inspect the ears of your dog, it will yell or whistle.
7. Do not bathe your pet too frequently
To prevent unpleasant smells and hygiene problems, most dogs have healthy skin that only needs to be washed once or twice a year. More frequent bathing can remove the oils and skin from your dog’s coat.
You should consult your veterinarian if your dog is smelling bad, but you don’t think it has rolled around in anything nasty. The underlying issue may be a dental infection or skin infections.
Keep these things in mind when bathing your pet:
- Dogs have a pH that is different from human skin, and therefore should never be washed with shampoo for babies or humans. Select a shampoo that is soap free and specially designed for dogs. This will make their skin softer.
- Massage the shampoo gently into your dog’s coat after rinsing it with warm water. Do not shampoo the eyes, the mouth or the inner ear of your dog.
- If the weather is hot, rinse the shampoo with warm water and let the dog air-dry outside. If it is cooler, you can dry your dog’s coat by using a towel or blow drying the hottest setting.
Regular bathing, skin checks and regular ear and skin inspections not only keep your dog in good health, but also demonstrate your love and quality time with your pet.