How to Groom a Dog: Keeping Fido and FiFi Looking Good
Are you trying to figure out how to groom a dog? Read this article to learn more about keeping Fido and FiFi looking good.
There’s nothing better than coming home to a puppy that acts as if they haven’t seen you in years.
Man’s best friend is full of a lot of love, and also… a lot of hair. Because of that, it’s important that you groom your dog to keep them in great shape.
Even a few weeks without grooming (for some breeds) will leave their coat looking scruffy. Part of that is their own fault, for running through mud puddles, but mostly, it’s up to you.
Here are several tips you can find over this website: https://www.veterinaryschoolsu.com/grooming/ on how to groom a dog at home, without messing it (and your carpets) up.
1. Research Your Dog’s Breed
You wouldn’t wash your car without first knowing the type of products that it needs to hold its shine, right? The same rule of thumb applies to the breed of your dog. Many different breeds have many different coats and hair types. Some require far more attention than the rest.
You want to make sure that you find the balance between not grooming them enough and grooming them too much. The best way to learn that balance is by researching your dog’s breed and establishing the grooming routine recommended for it.
For example, if you have a poodle mix, like a Cavapoo, you would want to use specially formulated cavapoo shampoo for their bathing needs. Research can be trickier when you aren’t sure what breed your dog is. In that case, search by coat type for your grooming needs. Some dog coats are longer and will have a need for fighting out some serious tangles in their hair. Learn more about that here if you feel that your dog falls in that category.
This might be a bit trickier for those of you that rescued your puppy and aren’t sure what breed it is. In that case, search by coat type for your grooming needs.
2. Brush Their Coats Often
Your pup’s coat is just like your hair, it can collect some awfully disgusting stuff throughout the day.
Things such as dirt, dead hair, food particles (from standing right underneath you while you eat), and many other items are lodged in their coat at times.
The best way to maintain their coat is for you to set aside some time to brush through their hair every now and then.
The brushing also helps their coat’s natural oil to be spread out evenly among their hair which will help it keep its shine.
Typically a metal brush can be used for almost any sort of dog coat, but if your puppy’s coat is on the thinner side, then be cautious in using it. Brushing too hard can lead to scratching your dog’s skin.
3. Leave the Cutting to the Professionals
If your dog’s breed requires its hair to be cut, then you might want to leave that burden up to those that do it for a living.
If you’re a professional dog groomer yourself, then that’s one thing. But trying to cut your dog’s hair without any prior experience won’t end well.
You can save a significant amount of money by doing the brushing, bathing, and other upkeep at home and just taking them to the groomers for a hair cut.
Doing so will keep your puppy looking fresh, young, and healthy. It will also keep them cool during the warmer months that are approaching quickly.
4. Trim Their Nails
It’s understandable that you would want to avoid this task at all costs. You don’t want to clip your own nails, much less clip your dog’s and possible clip a bit too far.
A good idea is to simply clip the tips every 2 to 3 weeks, just enough to keep their nails happy and healthy.
If you clip a bit too far and notice their nail is starting to bleed, then simply apply a bit of baking powder to the nail to stop the bleeding.
Just entice them with a treat to have them sit diligently while you trim the nails and there shouldn’t be an issue. If your dog doesn’t ever stop moving, it might be easiest to leave the nail-trimming to a professional groomer or your veterinarian.
5. Wash Their Face While Bathing
One common mistake that many dog owners make while bathing their dog is not washing the puppy’s face.
They often feel that doing so might get soap in their eyes or be especially frightening to the dog when they apply water to their face.
However, the face of your dog is where bacteria like to hang out the most. If you have a dog that likes to sniff the ground or roll in the grass, water, mud, etc. then there are a lot of germs on their face that need to be cleaned off.
Invest in a tearless dog shampoo so that if it were to get in their eyes, it would not be painful.
Then, have a small washrag nearby while bathing the dog to use for their face. Place a bit of shampoo on it, apply water to wash it off, then dap at their face with a dry rag.
The entire process will be painless for both you and your doggo, and they’ll remain as comfortable as possible while in the shower.
Another trick is to purchase baby wipes and give your dog’s face a once-over every now and then. Whatever method you feel is best for your pup!
How to Groom a Dog at Home: Be Diligent
Now that you’ve seen a few helpful tips on how to groom a dog at home, it’s time to equip yourself with the proper products.
Don’t over-purchase products before grooming your dog for the first time. Just invest in a few supplies such as a brush, shampoo, dog nail clippers, etc. then add something else if need be down the line.
Be sure to browse our website for several other articles that pertain to both dogs as well as other helpful topics.
