Dog Grooming: 6 Top Tips to a Routine
Owning a dog is possibly the best feeling in the world. There is nothing like spending your weekends snuggled with your furry family or returning home to be greeted by their love. However, as a pet owner, you have responsibilities to keep your dog safe, happy and healthy. One element of this is maintaining health checks and dog grooming routines.
Learning how to groom your dog is not as difficult as you think. It takes a bit of patience and effort and the benefits are well worth the time. If you regularly groom your furry family, you can help your dog feel safe when being touched (which will help with any future vet visits) and avoid the process becoming out of control. Here are some of the ways you can develop routines to groom your dog.
Why Is Dog Grooming Important?
Before we share the top 6 ways to groom your pup, we want you to understand just how important dog grooming is. The fact is that the appearance and hygiene of your pup reveal how much you love them and are willing to take care of them.
A clean and healthy dog makes for a better pet and is less likely to transfer infections. Proper dog grooming will help protect you and your dog from yeast infections that cause skin irritation and excessive itching. Your dog will also be more comfortable with clean, groomed fur and skin.
Set the scene:
It is important to build up to a dog grooming routine. Start, if possible, from puppyhood and gradually get your dog used to being touched. Do the grooming in a quiet, calm setting, using plenty of praise when your dog allows you to groom them. Never use force or discipline your dog if it pulls away- they need to feel safe and this requires time and patience. What are the 6 top ways to groom your dog?
1. Fur!
To make sure that your dog has healthy fur and skin, you need to brush their coat regularly. When you brush their coat, you get to remove dead hair, dirt, and debris. It helps distribute natural oils, which keep the coat healthy and shiny.
By properly brushing the coat, you get to eliminate tangling and matting, which will ensure that the next professional grooming appointment you make for your dog goes smoothly. To ensure that their skin and coat are healthy, consider using fish oil (you can get this from Mighty Munch) which can also help strengthen their immune system.
If you have a long-haired pooch, you would need to use a metal comb for follow-up brushing. However, you must gently comb your pup, especially if it has sensitive skin. Find out more about the ways, tools, and tips to brush your dog’s fur, depending on their type of coat, hair texture, hair length, and more, on this dog website.
2. Teeth!
It is important to brush your dogs teeth regularly. The worst mistake that you can make is getting your dog’s teeth brushed only when you take them to the groomer or vet. It will make the process stressful for your dog and also allow plaque to build up, possibly leading to health issues.
It is vital to use a dedicated, good quality dog toothpaste to brush your dogs teeth- never use human toothpaste. Buy a small, gentle dog toothbrush or finger brush to make the experience calm and kind for your dog. There are also ranges of dental products which you can add to your dogs food or water if they dislike brushing.
3. Nails!
Dogs nails grow faster than human nails and they may need trimming very regularly depending on their exercise routines. My dogs need their nails trimming roughly every 4 weeks and I take them to a fantastic local groomer.
Nail trimming can be a tricky task as some dogs (and owners!) dislike the sensation. Overgrown nails can be painful for dogs so it is important to find a solution that works for you. Consider taking the nail trimming process step by step, and perhaps using a nail grinder. With careful training, dogs can grow to tolerate the trimming whilst others may prefer a visit to a professional.
4. Ears!
Your dog will need its ears checked regularly to ensure that they are healthy. To do this feel the temperature of the ear. Smell the ear to check for unusual odour and gently, with a torch, look in the ear for wax. If there are any unusual signs do seek advice from your vet.
For a normal build up of debris, use a damp cloth to wipe the external areas of the ear gently and carefully. Do not enter the ear or be tempted to use cotton buds. If you have a dog that swims frequently, dry its ears after a dip!
5. Face!
Dogs are often busy snuffling in grass, dirt and worse! Their faces can therefore get pretty grubby. Some dog breeds, such as bulldogs, that have skin folds or wrinkles on the face will need additional help with their face hygiene.
Use a clean, damp cloth to gently wipe your dogs face. As with all of these areas of dog grooming, approach this gradually so that your dog becomes relaxed with you touching their face.
6. Eyes!
Some dog breeds are more likely to need their eyes cleaning due to discharge or tearing which collects in the corners. This can also be a sign of dietary issues. If you notice any unusual discharge, smells or redness in or around your dogs eyes consult a vet straight away.
To clean normal day to day debris, use a warm cloth to gently loosen it first. Hold your dogs head to help them feel secure and remove the debris carefully.
Dog grooming tips:
Dog grooming is not only necessary for your furry family’s health and wellbeing, but can also be a really lovely bonding experience for the two of you. Use the time as a positive chance to connect, making it pleasurable for you and your dog. Use plenty of praise and even a treat or two when your dog is calm during grooming. Enjoy!
More dog friendly living information here.
Thanks for all the tips. I have a nervous rescue and am able to do all of this apart from cleaning his teeth. He won’t let us do it, unfortunately. I know it’s not the best alternative, but he has toothbrush chews at the moment – until he gains more confidence to let us
I don’t have a pet so I don’t relate to that. But this post was specifically centered on dog’s cleanliness which would keep it away from diseases too, making it healthy. I appreciate the tips and post. Would know them now if j ever keep one. Thanks. Xx
Isa A. Blogger
What a fab round up post; so many useful tips here. They deserve the best from us!