Here are some dog grooming tips on how to get the best out of your grooming experience for both you and your dog. These tips will also go a long way to keeping your dog happy and his coat and skin healthy.
1) Start from a young age:- Start grooming your puppy from day one, first with a soft brush to get him used to being brushed, moving on to a more appropriate brush for your dogs coat type. That way, grooming will become a part of the everyday routine, like feeding and walking is.
2) Be consistent:- Its very easy to fall out of habit so make it a priority to groom your dog daily to keep the knots at bay because once the coat gets knotted that’s when the problems begin. The knots pull on the skin and hurt, resulting in your dog making negative association with the brush.
3) Check the paws :- As with brushing, it is very important to check your dogs paws on a regular basis to get him used to it. Most dogs don’t like having their paws looked at because they are simply not used to it. This could cause serious problems if your dog has cut himself , maybe have glass in his paw or if a grass seed has found its way in (a very common problem in summer time). If this is not dealt with promptly it can travel up the leg resulting in the dog possibly needing it surgically removed.
4) Check the ears:- The ears are also an important part of your dog’s daily grooming regime. Long , floppy ears are very prone to infections because they are covered and don’t get much air circulation. Regular cleaning will help to prevent serious ear infections which can be very painful for your dog as well as very costly in vet fees. As with the paws, your dogs ears can also fall victim of foreign bodies such as grass seeds. Many long haired breeds have hair growing inside the ear canal, this is easily removed (plucked) and causes no pain but needs to be started from puppyhood to get your dog used to the sensation. Regular plucking your dogs ears will also help in the prevention of infections.
5) Minimise the bathing:- All of the above are far more important than bathing your dog. Dogs should not really be bathed more than two or three times a year as this strips the coat of its natural oils, thus potentially causing skin problems. Obviously, if your dog has a tendency to roll in disgusting things such as fox mess, then bathing is inevitable, but mud is easily brushed out when dry or even rinsed off with plain, lukewarm water.
Remember, grooming your dog should be fun for both as long as you are gentle and consistant. Piroska Charalambous is a professional dog groomer with over 15 years experience and offers london dog grooming. If you wish to learn more about dog grooming at home and home dog grooming then visit Piroska's personal website www.londondoggrooming.co.uk.
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