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Every dog doesn’t matter what’s the breed, grooming is one of the most important things in their life. It helps to improve the looks and the overall hygiene of a dog. It also helps in maintaining a tangle-free and shiny coat, it gives you a chance to check if there is any skin issue or not. You may also experience a fantabulous one-on-one bond between you and your sweet dog.
As we know that everyone can’t afford the monthly cost of the dog salon. So, here we have put up some of the most important dog grooming tips that you can use at home to maintain a good appearance and overall hygiene.
9 Best Dog Grooming Tips
1. Brush The Coat Of Your Dog To Keep The Skin And Furs Well
Regularly brushing your dog will bring immense benefits. It will help in distributing the natural oil and makes your dog’s coat more healthy and shiny. It will remove debris, dead hairs, dirt, and all that annoying odor. Brushing properly will be very beneficial in eliminating the tangling and matting which will make your next grooming more smooth and easy.
For the dogs with long hair, you will need to brush them for more than a time so that their coat can become matt-free. Do brushing with the help of a comb that is made up of metal, get down to your dog’s skin, and find any mats that may be getting started to form. Keep in mind that you should always use the metal comb very gently especially when your dog’s skin is sensitive.
2. Cut The Hairs But Be Careful
Nowadays, most dog owners prefer to visit their groomer for their dog’s hair cut. But if you go carefully, you can cut the overgrown hairs at home easily. You can trim the overgrown hairs around paws or eyes in between the professional groomings. When you will trim the hairs around the eyes, it will stop overgrown hairs from obstructing your dog’s vision, rubbing against and providing damage to the eyes.
While trimming the hairs of your dog, make sure that the dog is calm and easily lying down. Don’t rush, just go very smoothly and slowly and be more careful when the blades and scissors are close to the skin. When you are done with your job, give a treat to your dog for being calm.
You can also trim hairs inside of the ears, it will be very effective in air prevention and enhances air movement. This task can be done perfectly by an experienced groomer or your vet.
There are high chances that you may cut your dog by mistake. So, make sure to use caution while trimming. If you are feeling worried or nervous while trimming, then you should definitely go to a professional groomer.
3. Cut The Nails
Wondering when to trim the nails of your dog? Simple, when you hear them clicking very hard at your home’s floor. It will assist your dog in preventing discomfort because of those over lengthy nails. When you are trimming the nails for the first time, you must be aware of the right technique and safety tips. Get the complete guide for trimming your dog’s nails at home.
4. Brush Your Dog’s Teeth
Brushing your dog’s teeth 2 to 3 times a week would be a perfect fit. Just make sure that you have taken up the right toothpaste. The toothpaste that is specifically made for humans won’t be a good fit for dogs and can harm them. Go through this simplest guide on how to brush your dog’s teeth correctly.
5. Wash Up The Face To Kick Out The Bacteria
Many breeds like sharpies and bulldog have folds or wrinkles on their face. Moisture can easily gather up there and creates an ideal environment for the bacteria. And that bacteria can cause some of the worst infections such as dermatitis. Therefore, it is essential to keep these folds clear and dry. You can use a warm washcloth or even baby wipes will work fine. If you notice that redness or odor is becoming a problem then visit your vet.
This is one of those dog grooming tips that you must implement to keep your dog healthy.
6. Train Your Dog To Enjoy These Grooming Sessions
Most dogs and puppies demand some positive support and encouragement when they are newly introduced to their grooming routine. So, here are a few tips that can help you to take the home grooming sessions smoothly:
- Start things slowly and provide lots of treats and praise to your dog. This way your puppy will be very excited for the next session of pampering.
- Get a little vegemite and spread it on the washable floor and allow them to lick it off while you wash or brush them.
- Before the bathing time of your dog, set a slip-proof mat in the tub. It will be very helpful in stopping your dog from sliding.
This is one of the most important dog grooming tips that can be very helpful for the success of your dog’s grooming sessions.
7. Clean Ears To Prevent Any Infection
You must clean the ears of your dog, at least once a month. But if you are having a dog that has long ears and flop over the ear canal then you should go for the more frequent cleaning. A build of wax or bacteria can cause some serious infection to your dog. If you are not having a dog ear cleaner at home, don’t worry. There are a lot of recipes available online that you can use and make your own solution at your home.
Take a cotton ball and wet it with the cleansing solution that you have and first focus on cleaning the ear’s outer area and slowly move towards the inner part. Using a cotton swan deep inside of the ear canal is not recommended at all. But you can still use them to clean the inside area of ear folds on the outer ear flaps.
One more thing: If your dog swims oftentimes, you should clean and dry their ears every time after swimming.
8. Notice The Skin Of Your Dog While Grooming
Allergic skin infections are very normal in dogs, it can lead them to itchiness and will make them lick, chew or scratch their skin. Also, there are many parasites such as mites, lice fleas, and ticks that can convey diseases to your dog.
So, you should always keep a habit of checking your dog’s skin during every grooming session. You can simply start by running your fingers through the coat of your dog, it will help you to notice if there are any bumps or lumps. You can take it one step further by parting the coat to watch out the skin more clearly and closely for any rashes, sores, redness bald spots, and the sign of parasitic infestations.
9. Give Bath To Your Dog But Not Too Frequently
For preventing unwanted odor and hygiene problems, bathing is a must to include in the grooming of your dog. But make sure that you don’t bathe them too often because it can wipe out all the natural oils from the coat and lead the skin to dryness. Almost every healthy dog requires bathing every couple of months. Learn more about how often can you bathe your dog.
If you notice that your dog is smelling bad without any specific reason then you should visit your vet.
You should avoid bathing your dog with a shampoo that is made for humans because the dog’s skin has a slightly different ph level from ours. Always go pick up a shampoo that is specifically made for the dogs, it will work very smoothly and gently on the dog’s skin. Start pouring warm water on your dog until it gets completely wet and then start massaging the shampoo softly into the coat.
After getting done with all these activities, rinse off the shampoo with warm water and allow your dog to air dry outside of the home (if the weather is warm), you can also dry your dog by using a towel or use a blow dryer on the cool setting.
Grooming your dog with the help of these dog grooming tips won’t be helpful only in keeping your dog healthy but it will also build a strong connection between you and your dog.
