Having a dog can definitely be a BIG responsibility. Besides devoting your time and attention to them, you also need to ensure that their physical, mental, and nutritional needs are met. So why should grooming be left behind?
Keeping your dog in top shape requires you to trim their hair and nails, brush their coat, bathe them, and check for eye and ear infections. But don’t you worry. Most dogs love getting groomed and find it to be a relaxing process. But then again they do love rolling in the mud too. Oh my!
This article will help you out of this tight spot and help you understand dog grooming better.
The Importance of Dog Grooming
Before you go on a crazy shopping spree, know that dog grooming is more than just getting fancy supplies and making your dog look fabulous. Well, that is one part of grooming. On the other hand, there are certain aspects that grooming helps with:
1. Hygiene
The topmost priority for every pet parent is to have a happy and healthy dog. And maintaining hygiene is an important part of that. Grooming keeps the smell and germs at bay, while keeping your dog feeling fresh and clean.
2. Health issues
Once you’ve got your dog’s hygiene routine locked down, it’s easier to prevent germs and bacteria from causing infections and diseases in your dog. Combined with nutrition, grooming keeps your dog feeling their best.
3. Skin infections
Skin infections are quite common and not something to be tensed about. However, ensuring that you brush your dog’s coat and bathe them with pet-friendly products is crucial for their health. It not only prevents infections from surfacing, but also prevents scabs.
4. Healthy and shiny coat
Having tangled, matted, and smelly fur can make a dog fall gravely ill. Don’t think of brushing coats as just a beauty routine, but something that is quite necessary for them. Additionally, using a good shampoo and conditioner can keep their coat looking amazing.
5. Eye boogers
And finally, boogers. Ew. If you’re grossed out by the thought of it, imagine having it on the daily, and eventually becoming blind. Not fun right? Dogs need to have their eyes cleaned with clean water or vet recommended products to prevent eye boogers from popping up.
Ways to Groom Your Pet Dog
When it comes to grooming dogs, there are a few tips that you can keep in mind:
1. Bathing and cleaning
Unlike humans, dogs don’t need to bathe daily, but they need to have a routine. Bathing and cleaning them once or twice in two months is great for their health and hygiene. You can opt for pet-friendly shampoos, conditioners, soaps and powders, to keep them clean. Or at least till they find the next muddy puddle.
Dogs with heavy or dense fur might need frequent grooming sessions to avoid the dirt from infecting the dog. Bathing your dog also includes:
- Cleaning their face with a damp cloth.
- Gently scrubbing them to remove dirt.
- Keeping your dog healthy.
Remember that every dog has different requirements when it comes to bathing, such as the tub size and water temperature. So please do not force your dog into uncomfortable places; make bathing fun for them!
2. Brushing or trimming the fur
Especially for dogs with dense furry coats, brushing them at least once daily to ensure no tangles is VERY important. Also, due to brushing hair and detangling, there will be less unnecessary shedding that can potentially cause allergies.
Moreover, you may even find possible infections or dead skin on your dog during brushing sessions. Hence you can take steps to cure that on time.
They might show tantrums while you trim their hair, but you can take the help of different tips and tricks to groom your dog without running after them mid-sessions.
3. Skincare
While on the topic of dead skin cells, there are so many ways you can help your dog with healthy, shiny skin. Be it moisturizing their skin with dog-friendly creams or even reducing the oil content to eliminate pimples.
Skin irritation can be frustrating for dogs, and they can show behavioral problems due to that as well. By grooming, you can actively take care of their skin problems, and well, maybe your dog and you can now spend a “Friday skincare routine” together.
4. Dental care
Oral or dental care for dogs is as essential as for humans. Not brushing or flossing your teeth for a long time creates foul odors and severe problems like cavities and plaque. In addition, starting dental care at a younger age will keep your wallet safe! Yes, a study claims that there are findings about dogs’ dental health and kidney functions to be correlated (study).
Brushing your dog daily is essential, and staying far away from getting their tooth plagued or infected because it can impact your dog’s kidney functions and oral health.
5. Nail trimming and paws
Your dog might love to scratch curtains, your favorite shoes, or even their toys during play fights, but we are sure they need to do this more intentionally, so trimming their paw nails is essential.
Trimming nails timely and carefully ensures your dog’s hygiene and health. There are tons of bacteria that your dog may carry along from your neighbor’s garden or streets; hence washing them and trimming away the nails is definitely on a “good habits” list.
6. Using the right shampoo
Instead of using human shampoo on your dog, several variants in the market are made from dog-friendly ingredients. Human shampoos are harsh on dogs’ skin and can damage their natural PH balance, causing infections and irritation.
Using the right shampoo for a spa day will give your shiny furry dog’s coat the proper moisturization, essential oils, and care.
Dog Grooming Kit: Choosing the Right Tools
As we reach the end of this article, we want to add that using the right tools for your dog’s grooming is also essential. You CANNOT use any random hair brush to comb your dog’s fur or use human toothbrushes or even nail clippers.
There are several tools for specific grooming needs, such as-
- Dogs clippers
- Shampoos
- Towels
- Toothbrushes
- Toothpaste
- Scissors
- Comb or de-matting brushes
- Massaging gloves
- Ear cleaners
- Wipes
Organizing these tools in one place in a kit or a bag will make it easier for you to carry around during travels or generally at home.
Furthermore, to use human products on dogs is a BIG NO, as human products can be very harsh on dogs’ hair or sensitive skin. However, it is recommended to consult your veterinarian before using any tool on your dog.
