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.

What You Should Know About Pet Grooming Costs

When you take your dogs to a dog grooming facility, the price you end up paying can vary widely. Although more basic services cost less than specialty ones, the average pet grooming cost differs based on certain factors. If you’re trying to estimate how much it might cost you to have your dogs professionally groomed, take the following factors into consideration.

Size

One of the main reasons why grooming costs vary is the size of the dog being groomed. The average pet grooming cost for larger dogs is typically more than the average cost for smaller dogs, especially toy breeds. This is due to the fact that larger dogs require greater amounts of grooming supplies, such as shampoo, and the longer length of time it takes to bathe, brush and cut or style their coat. If you have a larger dog, you can expect to pay more for pet grooming.

Coat

The type of coat dogs have also determines how much their pet grooming cost will be. Dogs who have coats that are more difficult to work with or coats that are more prone to tangles, mats and other problems, such as with wiry coats, typically need more care at the groomer’s than dogs with smoother or shorter coats that are easy to work with.

Breed

The breed of dog you have can also affect the price of dog grooming depending on the type of style or cut you get. Certain breeds have more complex styles, based on breed standards, than others. This means more time in the pet grooming facility, which can increase the cost. You’ll also need to find a groomer who is skilled in providing your dog with breed-standard haircuts or styles, which could also cost more.

Additional Services

Basic services for grooming, such as brushing, bathing and nail trimmings, generally have low prices. When you get into more specialized services, such as medicated shampoos, manicures or massages, this can also drive up the final price. These services typically cost more than basic ones.

How to Find a Good Dog Grooming Place

Bringing dogs to a professional groomer helps ensure that they look their best and stay healthy. Professional dog groomers know how to trim nails, give haircuts, bathe and brush dogs while keeping them calm. Before you make an appointment, keep in mind that it’s important to find a good dog grooming place for your dogs, so they’ll be handled safely. Keep the following tips in mind as you look for a professional dog grooming place.

Visit in Person

Don’t just call a dog grooming facility and schedule an appointment. Visiting in person gives you a chance to check out the place and make sure that it’s clean and in excellent condition. When you visit, keep an eye out for red flags that should steer you away from bringing your dogs there, such as messes that aren’t cleaned up, or a grimy or dirty appearance in general.

Meet the Staff

Going to a dog grooming place in person also lets you chat with the staff. Meeting them gives you an opportunity to find out more about them and see whether or not they have a calm and friendly demeanor. You might also be able to see how they handle pets in general, so you can tell if they do so safely and gently. Keep in mind that staff should also be skilled at grooming dogs of all sizes and temperaments.

Check the Requirements

Good dog grooming places that are reputable will have certain requirements that all dogs must meet in order to be groomed there. This usually includes showing proof of an updated rabies shot and other vaccines. Stay away from dog groomers who don’t enforce these requirements or let you know about them. The safest facilities make sure that all dogs have up-to-date vaccinations in order to reduce the risk of spreading illnesses among pets.

Ask About Special Services

Some dog grooming places offer special services in addition to basic baths, haircuts, nail trims and ear cleaning. You might find a place that offers spa services or special shampoo to help dogs look as clean and shiny as possible.

What You Should Know About Puppy Grooming

Puppies need regular grooming as part of helping them stay healthy and happy. However, grooming isn’t something that pet owners should rush into. Puppies need to get used to being handled for bathing, brushing and other grooming tasks, so that they won’t become fearful or aggressive. Keep the following tips in mind to help your pets get used to puppy grooming.

Start Early

Don’t wait too long to introduce puppies to grooming. You can give puppies baths, brush them and clip their nails at home when they’re still young. This helps them learn not to be afraid of being handled. If you plan on having puppies professionally groomed, you’ll need to wait until they’ve had their shots. Most places that offer pet grooming require this in order to help protect puppies from getting sick or spreading germs to other puppies and dogs.

Make Grooming Rewarding

Puppies respond well to being groomed when they receive something positive out of the experience. Offer puppies treats as a reward for getting into the tub for bathing, for staying calm while having their nails clipped or being brushed. You can gradually ease up on the rewards and stop giving them to puppies when they’ve learned to stay calm during grooming. Avoid yelling or punishing puppies if they don’t behave while being groomed. This type of reaction makes grooming a negative experience for them and teaches them to be fearful.

Go Slowly

It takes time to get puppies used to being handled for grooming. Give puppies a chance to explore the bathtub before filling it with water and bathing them. Once you have water in the tub, you can gently put them in it and let them explore some more. For nail trimming, gently handle their paws so they get used to having them touched. Before brushing, let puppies sniff the brush so that it won’t be an unfamiliar item to them.

Above all else, make sure you stay calm while grooming puppies. This is an important part of helping puppies feel at ease while being bathed, brushed or having their nails trimmed.

Benefits of Dog Boarding

Although you love your pets, you can’t always bring them with you when you travel. If you’ll be going on a business trip or vacation, dog boarding provides a good solution for pet care while you’re away. Boarding facilities offer a number of important benefits for dog owners who need to travel without their pets.

Safe and Secure Environment

As long as you find a high-quality boarding facility for your dogs, you can count on them being cared for in a safe and secure environment. Look for facilities that have secure fencing around outdoor play areas, so your dogs won’t run off and get lost or injured. The inside of the place should be clean and have fresh water available for your dogs.

Skilled and Caring Staff

Dog boarding facilities that offer exceptional care have staff members who know how to handle dogs of all sizes and temperaments. These staff members have the right training and skills, as well as good rapport with dogs, to ensure that your pets will be happy and safe. This can provide you with peace of mind when your dogs are under someone else’s care.

Plenty of Playtime

Some boarding facilities offer playtime sessions for dogs, which gives them a great way to stay busy, burn off energy and meet other pups. If your dogs stay at one of these facilities, you can count on them having plenty of playtime while you’re gone. This will keep them stimulated and happy while also preventing boredom or anxiety.

Luxury Amenities

Some dog boarding places also offer luxury amenities, such as spa services. Check into the amenities offered at the facility you’re planning on having your dogs stay at. You might find that the facility offers special shampoos, manicures and similar services. Your dogs might also be able to get one-on-one playtime or snuggle time at night, as well as gourmet treats or meals at certain times.