Owing a dog is one of the most enjoyable experiences you’ll ever have. When you adopt a canine companion, you are actually looking for a friend who will seamlessly fit into your family and lifestyle. You have to look after his/her health, food, walk, entertainment, joy, etc, and along with all these you also have to consider his grooming needs. Usually, some dogs such as poodles, Goldendoodles, Yorkies, Afghan hounds, etc, need costly, regular professional grooming to maintain their hygiene, health, and luxurious appearance. While others like Doberman pinschers, Great Danes, Whippets, etc, require low-maintenance at home.
Grooming your little pooch is an important part of your relationship as this will keep your pet active and healthy. Grooming your dogs will not only keep their coat, skin, feet, ears, and teeth healthy but will also help you notice anything unusual on their body that needs veterinary attention. Most of the new dog owners ask that how frequently they should have their dog groomed. The answer depends on several factors like the breed of your pet, hair length, type of your dog’s coat, etc, as well as how much your pets shed, what are their recent activities and how much brushing you are keen on doing at home. Mostly, how often you brush and groom your dog will vary from one pet to another because of their coat type and length. Here are some of the general guideline based on the coat type of your pet that you should consider while grooming your pet.
– Short Hair Dogs: The dogs with short hair need occasional baths and minimal brushing. With regular and through brushing, you can reduce your dog’s shedding as a large amount of dead hair will be removed in this way. You can also ask your groomer if they provide any low-shed service.
– Short-Haired Double-Coated Dogs: These dogs are short-haired, so they typically shed seasonally. You can continue your grooming plan with them four times a year to pull out the dead undercoat, before you will notice waves of hair on your floor on a regular basis.
– Double-Coated Long-Haired Dogs: These dogs have long hair all over their bodies especially on their feet, legs, bellies, butts, and ears that you might choose to have trimmed, so they tend to shed seasonally. If you will not trim their long body hair, you will not be able to stop their longer hair to get matted, especially around the butt and behind the ears. If your dog spends most of his time outdoors or in your back yard, then his long hair may develop mats.
– Dogs With Thick Undercoats: Dogs with exceptionally thick undercoat need regular grooming because thick undercoat can cause severe matting that needs to be shaved out. It is better to remove their coat seasonally. Shaving hair of this dog breed can lead to sunburns, so if you don’t want to have your dog shaved, groom your pooch at least every three months.
– Silky-Coated Dogs: Most of the dogs have silky coat such as Cocker Spaniel or Setter and they need to be trimmed their coat periodically as their coat is growing continuously. Therefore, it is better to groom their body every four to six weeks to prevent sever matting.
– Terriers: Terriers have wiry coats, so they are less prone to matting. You can take them to groomers between two to three months.
– Curly & Wavy Coats: Dogs with curly and wavy coats such as Bichon Frise, Poodle, etc, are more prone to matting. You should brush their hair daily at least twice a week to prevent severe matting if their hair will get longer than an inch.
Other Grooming Needs Of Your Dog
When it comes to grooming your pet, along with haircut and brushing, there are few more body areas like eyes, teeth, ears, nails, etc that you should address to have a fully shiny and healthy dog. Read on below that how you can take care of these areas of your pooch.
– Dog’s Nails: Trimming your dog’s nails is a part of your regular grooming routine. When your pet’s nails just about to touch the ground or when his/her nails get snagged on the carpet, make sure it’s the time for a trim. How frequently you should trim your dogs’ nails depends on their lifestyle and activity level. For trimming, select a proper clipper and trim just a small amount off the tip. If you will cut their nails too short that can lead to pain and bleeding.
– Dog’s Eyes: Eyes are very sensitive part of the body, so check your dog’s eyes on a regular basis to notice a sign of any problem like redness, irritation, etc. If your pet has bright and clear eyes, make sure he/she has healthy eyes. Contact your vet as soon as possible if you will notice any change or issue in your pet’s eyes. Long-hair around your pet’s eyes can cause irritation, so trim them.
– Dog’s Ears: Check your dog’s ears regularly and notice different symptoms in your dog like rubbing ears along objects, unpleasant odour, wax buildup, ear discharge, sensitivity around the ear area, head shaking, etc. Clean your dog’s ears at home if he/she has a common ear infection. For severe ear issues, take your pet to regular veterinarian check-ups, and ear cleaning when it’s needed. Monitor your dogs’ ears on a daily basis if they have long and droopy ears.
– Dog’s Teeth: Checking your dog’s teeth on a regular basis will help you get rid of many dental issues. Use dental cleaning products like brushes, tooth pastes, mouthwashes, etc, specifically designed for pets. Introduce vegetables, foods and treats that are great in removing plaque from your dog’s teeth.
In a nutshell, if you groom your pet by yourself or buy a groomer, make sure that your canine friend will feel comfortable and will enjoy the whole session of grooming. Make proper preparation and use proper tools to get your job done.