The Basics of Dog Grooming

Dog grooming can be very expensive if you visit a pet grooming salon. But that’s no excuse to take chances with your dog’s health and well being by neglecting its grooming. Just like people, they also need some pampering and grooming every now and then so that they look and feel better.

Fortunately, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on dog grooming. It’s not that hard to groom your dog on your own right at home. Just buy some pets grooming supplies and read the following tips on how to groom your dog.

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. A critical pet grooming tool is a brush with soft bristles. You have to make sure that you brush your dog’s coat every day to prevent it from becoming tangled. Brushing also makes the coat shine since it distributes the natural oils throughout the length of the hair. It prevents shedding because it removes dead and dying hair.

Also, the dog’s coat should be clipped every month or so, depending on the length. If you plan on doing this yourself, you’ll have to get some clippers, scissors, a brush and a comb, all designed for dogs, not humans. You’ll also need 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. Your dog’s nails grow just like yours and longer nails can do a lot of damage to your home. They might also break off, which would be painful for your pet. Therefore, you must cut your dog’s nails about once a month. This is quite different from trimming your own nails since your dog’s nails are thicker and a different shape. You’ll need to use a dog nail trimmer. You’ll also need some powder to stop the bleeding if you should happen to cut your dog.

Twice a month, check your dog’s ears for fleas and infections. Then clean them using cotton balls, warm water, and mineral oil.

Finally, not only people have to brush their teeth. 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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