How to Properly Groom Your Dog at Home

Keeping your dog clean is an essential way to improve her health. Not only that, but it makes cuddling and bonding time more joyful and memorable. One of the best ways to improve your dog’s hygiene and cleanliness is grooming.

However, not everyone knows how to do it properly. In fact, grooming your dog in the wrong way may lead to injury and uneven haircuts. In this post, you will learn how to properly groom your dog at home!

Brushing

Brushing is a perfect way for you to get rid of dead hair and dirt. You need to brush starting from head to tail. When getting to the more sensitive parts of your dog like the tummy, be extra gentle. Brushing can be done every day of the week for dogs with long hair or simply once a week for those who have shorter ones. Trust your gut feeling when determining the frequency of brushing.

Every dog comes with a unique type of coat and hair. You may want to consult your vet or research further to know what type of brush to use. However, generally speaking, a high-quality brush or comb is recommended. For long hair, metal-pinned brushes would be ideal while a brush with rubber teeth is good for dogs with shorter hair.

Bathing

Make sure that you brush your dog first before you do bathing. Brushing can lessen dirt that might turn your bath water dirty. Use a shampoo specially designed for dogs. Avoid using cheap shampoos that may come with harsh chemicals. If you are going to use a water spray, avoid pointing it to your dog’s face. You might hurt his eyes or your dog might not like it and make bathing more of a struggle. Use lukewarm water to keep your dog relaxed and cooperative. Be systematic in shampooing and rinsing your dog so you don’t miss a spot. Pat your dog dry with a clean towel.

Haircut

After brushing and bathing, your dog is now ready for a haircut. Ensure your dog’s hair is dry. It is important that you use the right equipment for a haircut. Use professional shears and clippers to facilitate an easy and safe procedure.

When trimming your dog’s face, tail, and feet, use only the tips of a sharp shear to prevent you from cutting your dog especially when she suddenly moves. Place your fingers on the edge of your dog’s ears when you’re trimming that area. This ensures that you don’t cut beyond the ears. By the way, if your dog has a matted fur, don’t use scissors, but choose clippers instead.

Shaving

Shaving your dog can be a little tricky. Professional groomers recommend that you use no. 10 blade for the face, private areas, and underarms. Keep the blade flat against the skin, working your way from the neck down the body. If you are not confident to shave your dog, you might as well skip this step. Sometimes, shaving is better left to the professionals.

Nail Trimming

Trimming can be done with a dog nail clipper or a nail grinder. The procedure is straightforward, but the important part to remember is to avoid clipping the pink part of your dog’s nail. That’s the area where blood vessels are located. Damaging the blood vessels could lead to bleeding. If in case your dog’s nails started to bleed, apply styptic powder immediately.

If you don’t know how to trim your dog’s nail, then have a professional to do it for you. You can then observe how they do it and perhaps, next time, you’ll be more confident and skilled to trim your dog’s nails on your own.

You Can Do It!

A lot of pet owners, guardians, and parents are able to successfully groom their dogs right in the comfort of their homes. So, don’t think that this is an impossible task. .Don’t be nervous when grooming your dog. Your furry friend can detect nervousness. When you’re nervous, your dog can easily get nervous as well and make grooming tougher for you. In most cases, you won’t be too successful in the first try of grooming. However, don’t lose heart! This is a normal part of the process. If your dog isn’t comfortable with grooming, just do it again slowly until your dog eventually gets used to the process. Before you do anything, you might want to speak to your veterinarian first. Your vet can give you some pieces of advice and check if you have the right equipment and knowledge for the job. That way, you would not only have a beautiful and clean dog, but a happy and healthy one too!

            Remy & Louie

 

   …send wags and kisses! 

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