Grooming Your Dog
Four paws, a wagging tail, and a smile that lights up your world. A dog comes into our lives with ample energy, enthusiasm, bringing along with it, their natural aura of sunshine and happiness.
It also, however, brings ample responsibilities.
Owning a pet is more than just giving them a home, food, and your precious time. It also includes taking care of them and their wellbeing as if they were your child (which they are).
Now that you have become a pet parent to a canine friend, along with licks, jumps and hugs, you will also be greeted by fur tangles, mats, knots, snots, and smell. But you already knew this before you made your commitment. So, we are here to make your life a little bit easier with this one-stop destination for all the information you’ll need about your dog’s grooming requirement.
So, let’s answer some basic questions first?
Does my dog require grooming?
The answer is yes! Always. Unlike cats, who are excellent self-groomers, dogs do not tend to be on a similar level on independence, therefore they require to be frequently groomed, at home or at a professional?
How often is FREQUENT?
The intervals between your dog’s grooming sessions depend upon a lot of factors, but majorly on the fur or coat length. The intervals between can range from between 4-6 weeks and 8-10 weeks, depending on the breed.
Dogs with longer fur like maltese, poodle, sheepdogs, golden retrievers, etc. require way more professional grooming at smaller intervals as compared to corgis, labradors, indie, etc.
What does Grooming for Dogs Include?
Pet grooming does not only mean giving your dogs a bath and a brush. It includes a wide range of services required to maintain not only your dog’s physical appearance, but also their health and wellbeing.
A dog should be professionally (or at home) be provided with the following services:
- A deep clean bath that reaches every crack and crevice, and gets rid of any and all underlying dirt
- Frequent brushing to get rid of knots. It also help maintaining the shine of their coat and keeps their fur fluffy and soft
- Getting their nails trimmed, when they become murder weapons. Most dogs would have really hard nails, which can turn into a menace after some time. Just like cats, dogs too are not very fond of getting their nails trimmed, even though they are more cordial about the same, we recommend getting this done by a veterinarian or a professional groomer
- Cleaning dog’s ears is something that most pet parent pays the least attention to. However, due to several canals and narrow openings, this part of their body tends to accumulate a lot of dirt, which if not cleaned regularly and properly can lead to yeast and bacterial infections
- One should realise that haircuts for dogs are not just meant to be fancy, but are a necessary part of their grooming schedule. Regular hair trimmings can help reduce shedding. Again, the intervals in which your dog should get a haircut depends upon their coat length and breed. Because not everyone of us, is an expert with scissors, we recommend taking a trip to a pet salon near you to get this done
- Getting their anal sac (glands) squeezed is also something that needs to be done from time to time, to release gas and help clear their stomachs. If you see your dog licking their anal area over and over again, maybe it’s time to visit the nearest dog groomer
Taking in Your Dog for a Professional Groom
Read full article on choosing the right groomer for your Dog
One might think that most of the services mentioned in the above list are “easily doable” at home, but taking your dog to a professional groomer comes with not only a set of well-practiced hands but also experience combined with professional opinions.
- Professional groomers are trained in looking for underlying health issues that you, as a pet owner might miss or might not be aware of
- They come with years of experience and certification, so you know that the correct method and process is being followed, guaranteeing excellent results
- The products and tools pet groomers and pet salons use are of superior quality plus they have the right tool for every service. Their products are suited to various breeds and it is not a one-stop solution. This comes handy, especially for dogs with certain skin infections
- Also, they will not be cleaning your dog’s ears with Q-Tips nor trimming their fur with craft or kitchen scissors
- In worse case scenarios, they know how to handle dogs that might get aggressive or become anxious
- You can rid yourself of the yucky stuff, like cleaning anal glands, and removing fleas and ticks
Things to do back home in between grooming sessions
Just because we recommend getting your dogs professionally groomed, does not mean we are asking you to rush them to a bathhouse after every muddy play session. There are several things that you, as a pet parent, can do at home in terms of maintaining their cleanliness and health.
- Bathing them often, with the correct shampoo, preferably every fortnight
- Brushing them more often, preferably few times a day
A good combination of home grooming and professional visits make sure that your dog is always at the top of their looks and health!
