James Gorman once said about dog grooming, "A dog's idea of personal grooming is to roll on a dead fish". Maybe Gorman was a cat person and there is nothing to deny that compared to felines, their canine counterparts are a little less finicky about licking themselves clean. But maybe with so many humans ready to serve them for their grooming demands they need not bother themselves. After all the sheer number of tools available in the market will point towards the rapidly growing industry of dog grooming. In this article we take a look at the dog grooming tools that are the most important constituents of a groomer's tool bag.

Dog Grooming Tools: A Comprehensive List

Combs
They are necessary to untangle the knots in the coat of long haired dogs like the German Shepherd or the Spaniel. Most combs have rigid metal points and have handles made of either wood or plastic. Combs may be of different types, ranging from fine-toothed, medium-toothed or even wide-toothed. You can pick combs depending on the breed of your dog. There are combs available that have a combination of two types of teeth. While using combs it is important that one pays attention to not harm the dog, as the comb may hurt the skin if the hair is tugged on too much. Combs also have a massaging effect and help dispel dead hair.

Brushes
Amongst professional dog grooming tools, brushes are the least used due to a partiality in the industry towards teasels. Brushes are perfect for grooming dogs that have long hair that is prone to breaking. There are many different varieties of brushes available ranging from metal brushes to brushes made from plastic. Brushes can be hard or soft. If you choose to buy a bristle brush, then you have the most versatile variety of brush. Wire pin brushes that are perfect for woolly dogs may or may not have rubber tips on the bristles, and slicker brushes which are generally used on dogs that have a dense undercoat have fine bristles. You can also opt to use a new variety of brush available in the market which is called the slip on brush that can be worn by the groomer as a glove and then used to brush the dog.

Clippers
Nail clippers are indispensable and a must-have in grooming tools bag. Clipping your dog's nails at regular intervals is extremely important. In order to do so neatly you need to use one of the two different types of nail clippers available in the market. The standard nail clipper is known as the scissors styles and the other variety available in the market is known as the guillotine style clipper. The difference between the two types is evident from their names itself. It is important to replace nail clipper as soon as it is blunt.

Trimmers
A popularly trimmed coat is very important for a dog's appearance and therefore a trimmer is one of the best dog grooming tools you can use to ensure that your dog looks good. You can use different types of shear scissors for this purpose, like the straight shears, the curved shears, the blunt shears and thinning shears. If you are using trimmers, then choose trimming blades that have a plastic or wooden handle. A handle with a good grip will allow you to pull out dead hair with more ease. Depending on the patch that you need to trim, you can decide the size of the trimming blade.

Bathing and Drying Systems
While most of us are used to giving our dogs a bath in the backyard hosing him or her down with water, it may be a good idea to invest in one of the modern-day bathing systems available in the market which makes it much easier to give a dog a bath. One of the best options for grooming dogs at home are the collapsible bathing tubs that allow easy water fill-ups, and dispensing dirty water is also easy. It is also important to have a good dryer if you have a professional dog grooming business. There are several dryers available in the market. For a full-fledged business, it may be a good idea to invest in cage dryer systems. There are also many multi-nozzle dryers available in the market.

Grooming Tables
While buying a dog grooming table which is an important requisite for any professional dog groomer, it is important to take into account the sturdiness of the table, without any fears of having the table collapse under the weight of the dog. If you opt to buy an electric dog grooming table, then you may get one that can be lifted up or lowered down, all with the push of a button. There are also grooming tables available that come with illumination and bulbs. If you are looking for a portable option, then opt for a grooming table that is foldable.

These were just some of the most important dog grooming tools that can be used by owners of pet dogs or by people who run professional dog grooming companies for dog care. Which product to buy is finally a decision that needs to be made depending on your need and also the kind of dog you have.