Dog grooming is nothing but caring for your dog that includes cutting its hair, bathing it, trimming its nails, cleaning its teeth, ears, etc. thereby maintaining good dog health, hygiene and improving the appearance of the dog in general. It is recommended that you practice grooming your dog from when it is young because many times it is a bit difficult to groom the older dogs that are not used to this maintenance.

Tips on Grooming Your Dog

Tips for Bathing Your Dog

Big or small, every dog needs bathing after a fixed interval of time. Since dogs are active pets that love being outdoors, they get dirty often and hence need regular bathing. Bathing is necessary not only for keeping your dog clean but also for keeping it away from various diseases and infections. Small dogs need bathing after two to three months, while big dogs may need after every one month. You may need to immediately bathe the dog in situations when the dog gets too dirty by rolling in mud or messing up with yard waste. Before you bathe the dog, it is necessary that you brush the dog with a comb to remove mats, if any. See that you use shampoo and other products that suit your dog. Ensure that you cover the ear holes of the dog with cotton buds before bathing. Place a rubber mat for proper support to the dog feet. You can use a tub for bathing the dog along with a hose spray. Wet the dog thoroughly and then apply the shampoo to its body. Then rinse the shampoo gently from head to tail and form lather. You have to be careful while shampooing the dog's head as many dogs dislike this. See that the shampoo does not get into its eyes. Use lukewarm water for washing the dog. Once you are done with bathing the dog, use a blower to dry the dog. See that you maintain proper temperature of the blower and work on a single area at a time. Do not bathe your dog very often, as this will remove the natural oils present on its skin.

Tips for Brushing

Routine brushing is must for every dog and is considered as one of the most intensified jobs to keep your dog's coat clean and healthy. Brushing is necessary to keep the dog hair in good condition, like removing tangles formed, skin dirt, dog fleas, dead skin and keeping the skin clean. Brushing period depends on the type of hair your dog has. For smooth haired dogs, brushing once in a week is enough while for those with long silky hair it is necessary that you brush on a daily basis. You need to be careful while brushing your dog; see that you start brushing from the head and gradually end up at the tail and legs. In case of mats, remove them carefully by holding the skin where the mat is formed. Brush the dog in the direction of hair growth. Use brushes that are specially made for pet dog grooming. Regular brushing is necessary to uniformly spread the natural oils on the dog skin.

Tips for Cutting Nails

The grooming part that dogs hate the most is nail clipping. This can hurt your dog if you are not careful enough while operating the clipping equipment on the dog. Overgrown nails can lead to many problems and hence need to be removed at the earliest. Many times it happens that dogs are not used to others touching their feet, so it is necessary that you initially make your dog get used to this, for proper nail clipping. It is important that you make the dog habituated to nail clipping from young age. Gently lift its leg and move your hands around its feet and make it feel comfortable. Nail clipping can be painful hence you need to handle it very carefully. Purchase a nail trimmer especially made for dogs from a nearby store. Nail grinders are also one of the good options for nail clipping that hurt less. The best time to clip the nails is when your dog is calm. Hold the paw of the dog firmly in your hand and work on the overgrown nails. See that you do not cut near the quick, that contains nerves. In case you cut it by mistake then apply some powder on the area and hold it for sometime. Professional dog grooming may be required for nail clipping if you are not confident enough to do it on your own.

Tips for Cleaning Ears and Teeth

Clean ears and teeth are important for dogs as for humans. Ears must be cleaned regularly to prevent ear infections. Since dogs have long ear canals, it is necessary that they be cleaned from time to time. Use a recommended ear solution by a veterinarian and use it to clean the ears of your dog with the help of a clean cloth or soft cotton ball. Follow the instructions given on the ear solution and clean the ears accordingly. Teeth should be cleaned regularly using recommended pet toothpaste. Cleaning teeth is necessary because your dog performs a number of activities with its mouth. Plaque can build up in your dog's teeth that may lead to many other dog health problems. Regular cleaning can help avoid these problems. Do not use human toothpaste for cleaning dog's teeth and purchase a brush specially made for dogs.

The importance and benefits of grooming your dog are many and you can ensure good health of your dog with the above-mentioned dog grooming tips. As mentioned earlier, many of the pet owners opt for professional dog grooming as they are afraid. But you can have a great time with your dog during the grooming process and improve the bonding between you two.