How to Groom a Dog

If you groom a dog on a regular basis that will promote their overall health. The overall health of your dog will be reflected in the quality of their coat. A good quality dog food, exercise and regular bathing and grooming all contribute to their basic welfare.

How to groom dog basics will start with a quality brush. Here is a guide to dog brushes. A pin brush should be used on long hair dogs, a wire slicker for medium and a mitt or curry for smooth coated breeds. Frequency of grooming is as follows; long hair daily, medium weekly and short hair monthly. Frequent brushing will keep from buildup of hair and thick undercoat buildup. It is much easier to groom on a regular basis particularly with dogs with long coats. It can take hours to comb out mats and a thick undercoat. A shorter pleasurable grooming session will be much easier on your dog and you, rather than hours of struggling with mats and significant amount of dead hair.

Don’t forget trimming your dog’s nails and cleaning their ears. It’s recommended to start getting your puppy/dog used to these procedures early on. Be careful not to trim their nails too short, causing pain. Your dog will remember the event and nail trimming will be a much more difficult experience going forward. You will want to invest in good quality dog grooming clippers, scissors and nail clippers.

Using the appropriate dog shampoo will help maintain the health of your dog’s coat. Avoid shampoos with insecticides, since these chemicals can be harsh. If your dog has fleas use a gentle shampoo with pyrethin, pyretium or citrus oil. If you dog has sensitive skin an oatmeal based shampoo is recommended.

If you groom a dog often you won’t miss that your dog might have fleas and or ticks. Do not over look fleas & tick protection. An infestation can happen and grow quickly. Again preventive action is a prudent choice. It’s a lot easier to prevent an infestation of your dog and their environment than it is to treat an established problem. Regular attention to your dogs grooming needs will be a protective measure of your dogs overall comfort and safe guards his health.

Don’t overlook that when you groom a dog, that’s an opportunity to bond with your friend. Be sure to make grooming a pleasurable experience. If you don’t make the grooming session too long and be sure not to cause you dog pain they will look forward to their grooming . Don’t wait until your dog is all matted before taking up the dog brush. You want their tail to wag when they see the dog brush.


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