Basic Home Dog Grooming

Brushing, bathing and other types of dog grooming play a crucial role in ensuring that your pets stay in good health and feel their best. If you have the right tools and knowledge, you can do most grooming in the comfort of your home. Keep the following basic pet grooming information in mind for your dogs.

Brushing Dogs:

Brushing helps keep dogs’ coats shiny and free of tangles, especially if they have longer or thicker hair. For shorter hair that’s also smooth, you should brush once a week using a rubber brush for best results. If your dogs have shorter fur that’s more coarse or medium-length hair, plan on brushing once a week using a slicker brush or a rubber brush. Afterwards, use a comb to remove any mats that have formed. For dogs with longer hair, use a slicker brush every day to prevent tangles. When you’re done brushing, use a comb to eliminate any lingering tangles.

Bathing Dogs:

Dogs don’t need baths every day or even every week, but you should bathe them at least once a month. Dogs that get dirty more often will need more frequent baths. When you give dogs a bath, use a shampoo designed for dogs. Before putting dogs in the tub for a bath, brush their hair to get rid of tangles. Avoid getting any bath water in their ears or eyes while bathing them, and thoroughly rinse their fur after shampooing it. After baths, dry your dogs with a towel.

Cleaning Dog Ears:

Dog grooming includes ear care, which involves looking for redness or other signs of ear infections on a routine basis. To clean your dogs’ ears, use a cleaning solution that’s safe for dogs and a cotton ball or cleaning pad to gently remove debris. Avoid reaching deep in the ears, since this can damage them.

Trimming Dog Nails:

Dogs typically need their nails trimmed at least once a month. When you trim dog nails, stop cutting right before their nails begin curving or before reaching the pinkish part. Avoid cutting higher, since this can lead to bleeding.

5 Grooming Tools You Can't Live Without

Keeping your pets groomed regularly is important for their health and happiness. You can do most grooming at home as long as you have the right kinds of supplies. The following are pet grooming supplies that you should have in your home.

Brush and Comb:

Brushing and combing your pet helps remove dead hair and prevent mats from forming. Brushing also helps keep your pet’s coat and skin in good condition. Choose the right brush depending on your dog’s coat. Common types include bristle brush, slicker brush, wire-pin brush, rubber curry brush and wide-toothed comb.

Dog Shampoo:

Bathing your pets on a regular basis is also important for keeping their skin and coat clean. Keep in mind that your pet grooming supplies for baths should always include dog shampoo. Never use human shampoo on pets, since it can hurt their skin. Choose a dog shampoo that will moisturize their skin if needed, and consider special ones, such as whitening shampoos or medicated ones, for dogs with certain coats or skin problems.

Ear Cleaning:

Keeping your pets’ ears clean helps lower the risk of infections. When choosing ear cleaning supplies, pick a cleaning solution that you can squirt inside the ears to reach deeper areas. You should also have cleaning pads that can help get rid of dirt and debris just inside the ears, but don’t use these in the ear canal or deeper parts of the ears.

Dental Supplies:

Clean teeth and gums help protect your pets’ health. For cleaning their teeth, you’ll need a toothpaste made for dogs rather than human toothpaste, which can hurt their stomach. You’ll also need a toothbrush with gentle bristles on it in order to clean their teeth thoroughly.

Nail Trimmers:

Keeping nails trimmed helps ensure that your pets can walk around comfortably. Choose nail trimmers based on the size and thickness of your pets’ nails. Common types include scissor nail trimmers, guillotine clippers and grinder tools. Trim your pets’ nails when they’re long enough to reach the floor while they walk, so they won't catch on anything and tear.

Good Dog Grooming During The Winter Months

Although dogs usually don’t spend as much time outdoors getting into dirt and mud during winter as they do in summer, regular grooming is still important. Taking care of their coat, skin and nails in winter helps them stay healthy all season long. Keep the following good dog grooming tips in mind this winter.

Give Moisturizing Baths:

Even if dogs don’t seem to get as dirty in winter as they do in summer, you should still give them baths on a regular basis. Depending on the length and type of coat they have, they might need a bath every other week or only once a month. Since heated air inside homes during winter can dry out your dog’s skin, use a dog shampoo that’s moisturizing. Make sure that your dog is fully dry if you plan on going for a walk afterwards. Damp or wet skin can put your dog at risk of getting hypothermia.

Brush Regularly:

Some dogs end up with thick winter coats that can get matted or tangled easily. Brushing your dog on a regular basis, such as once a day or a few times a week, is another good dog grooming tip. Brushing helps spread natural oils through your dog’s skin and coat, which keeps them healthy.

Trim Your Dog’s Nails:

Dog nails tend to grow longer in a shorter amount of time during the winter months, since they’re not out running around on sidewalks or other hard surfaces as much. Check your dog’s nail length more often in winter. Trim the nails down if they make a clicking sound while your dog walks around.

Check Your Dog’s Paws:

The pads on your dog’s paws can become sore and irritated from walking around on salt, ice and snow during daily walks. Wipe your dog’s paws off with a towel as soon as you come inside, and examine the pads for any signs of irritation or sores. Keeping longer hair trimmed on the bottom of your dog’s paws stops ice and snow from accumulating on the pads.