When it comes to dog grooming, pet owners come up with different opinions. Some say that the concept of grooming your dog is pretty new. In earlier days, no dog owner had even heard of grooming their pet, leave aside the thought of taking them down to a professional groomer. Then there are others who are of the opinion that taking your dog to the per salons or the professional groomer is a must as it takes the loads of the owners hands. But, then why do you need to keep a pet at all if you have to hire someone to take care of it? What is called grooming is basically taking care of your furry friend and that can be done very easily at home.
With a little guidance, you can take care of your dog and keep it in the best shape possible. There are specific dog grooming products that can either be purchased at a store or ordered online. With all the correct dog grooming products, you will be able to keep it clean and well looked after. Also, grooming your dog at home also gives you the chance to bond with your pet which you should definitely not skip.
How Can You Groom Your Dog At Home?
There are certain steps to proper dog grooming and when you have decided to take care of your dog at home, then there you should know how to go about it.
Bathing – Here is where you can start. Dog owners know that giving your pet dog a bath is a challenging job. There are some dogs who love to splash in the water while there are some that will hide in any corner they find to avoid getting all soaped and drenched. Getting them to the bath tub is a hard job and the owner will need to do a lot of running around to catch it, hold it and then give it a proper bath. However, make sure that you are not using the soap or shampoos that you use. All bathing products for your dog is different and needs to be carefully chosen. You can choose anti-itch shampoo or calming shampoo. You can also get a conditioner that will moisturize the coat after being washed.
Dog owners also needs to keep certain things in mind while giving a bath to their pets. Follow these handy tips:
- Use a bath mat, especially when you are giving a pup a bath
- Use lukewarm water
- Keep shampoos and soaps away from the eyes and mouth
- Rinse thoroughly. There should be no traces of soap or shampoo left in the fur
- Blow dry your dog so that it does not wet everything in the house
Brushing – Dogs simply love this and it is one of the easiest things that owners can do at home. They just need to have the proper kind of brush and comb that would do the job perfectly. When you are getting the dog grooming supplies, read the information or the product description to see which kind of brush will be perfect for your dog.
As a dog owner, it is also important to know the frequency of brushing your pet's coat. Long haired dogs needs to be brushed daily as it keeps tangles at bay. Dogs with medium hair can do good with brushing once a week and those with short hair can be happy with brushings once in a month. But if possible, give them a brushing every day as dogs simply love it when their owners pamper them like that.
Some quick pointers that you can remember while brushing your pet dog includes:
- Check for the ticks while brushing
- Use a rubber brush, then a bristle brush and then use a chamois cloth if your dog has a smooth coat
- Use a slicker brush for removing all the tangles if your dog has a dense coat. Then use a bristle brush. This should be same for dogs with long coats.
Taking Care of Nails and teeth – These are the hard parts to deal with but then you have chosen to take care of your pet and groom it at home. Get nail clippers that will make the job of clipping your dogs nails easier. It is surely a tough job handling those sharp pointed and hard nails. With the right kind of clipper you can easily clip the nails without hurting your dog.
Keeping your dog's teeth clean is also a must for its well-being. Often plaque build up on a dog's mouth can lead to bacterial infection which might enter the blood stream and cause harm to the vital organs. Hard biscuits, toys and dental treats surely help, but the best solution is to brush their teeth at least twice a week.
Dog grooming might appear to be a hard task, especially when you are doing it at home. But with the right dog grooming products, the job will be pretty easy.
