If you’re wanting to take on the job of grooming your furry friend at home, there’s a couple of key tips that you should know before you pull out that brush. Grooming is an important part of keeping your dog’s hair in a healthy and clean condition, and can be done in combination with a regular check up on your dog. However, sometimes grooming time can go a little haywire, so we’re here to make sure that you can create the ultimate dog grooming routine for you and your dog.
1. Regular brushing
No matter if you’ve got a Poodle or a Shih Tzu, making sure that you’re giving your dog a regular brush is not only great for giving their coat a nice shine, but it also encourages positive blood circulation. The regularity of this brushing will depend upon the texture and length of your dog’s hair.
Getting the matted hair out of your dog’s coat can be uncomfortable, so having a scheduled brushing session is good for making sure their hair doesn’t get out of hand. Removing that loose fur and untangling their hair can also result in you having to give them less regular baths.
2. Find a comfortable space for grooming
Getting your dog comfortable and relaxed will help grooming time to become a breeze. Think about where your dog feels safe, such as orthopaedic dog sofa beds, and if this could be a nice place to groom them. This can also help for them to enjoy grooming sessions, meaning that you and your dog won’t dread the moment that the brush comes out.
Otherwise, think about doing your grooming when you’re dog is relaxed, such as when they’re resting after a walk. This’ll be a good time to get some of that dirt and loose debris off their coat too!
3. Trimming nails
This is something you might forget about when you’re getting stuck into your usual grooming routine, but it’s essential to keep an eye on the length of your dog’s nails. A telltale sign that they may need a little trim is when you can hear them tapping on the floors of your home as they’re walking around. You’ll need to buy special nail clippers to safely and carefully trim their toenails, so they don’t start to develop any pain from long nails.
As a general rule of thumb, giving their nails a trim once a month will help to keep them at a good level. Be careful not to cut too much of the nail off at a time, as a dog’s nails contain a vein called a quick which would be painful and bleed if it was cut into.
4. Check their ears
As you’re grooming your dog, take the time to have a thorough check of their ears. Depending on the breed of dog, their ears may be hiding some signs of inflammation that can only be seen by lifting up their ear and having a look inside. Look to see if any of the tissue is most or inflamed, or if it’s giving off a bad smell. Try and give them a cleanout with a dog ear cleaner on a cotton ball.
If your dog seems to be scratching their ears or shaking their heads more than usual, there might be something irritating them. This could be a sign of an ear infection and you should take them to the vet as soon as possible.
5. Set a Schedule
Finding time to groom and properly check up on your dog can be difficult, so it’s best to set a schedule so you don’t keep putting the task off. Regular check-ups and grooming will help to make sure your dog stays healthy and can help you catch some smaller issues before they become big problems.