We all want our dogs to look their best. However, with the cost of living crisis making it harder for more and more of us to make ends meet, making use of a professional dog groomer can seem like something of an extravagance that fewer of us can afford these days.
The good news is that with a bit of practice you can easily do much of it yourself at home, although how easy you find some aspects could depend on the breed and temperament of your dog. A calm short-haired pooch is going to be considerably easier to groom than a boisterous long-haired one!
This month, the team at Green Lane Farm is going to be sharing a few dog grooming tips and seeing which aspects of dog grooming should be left to the professionals.
Why should I groom my dog?
If we don’t do anything with our own hair – such as washing it, combing and brushing it, and getting it regularly cut or clipped – it can soon become dirty, matted, knotted and very untidy and unhealthy. The same is true for our dogs.
So, regular brushing keeps a dog’s fur looking good. But it can also remove things that get caught up in it, such as dandruff and dead hair, as well as stimulate the natural oils that can produce a healthy sheen to your dog’s appearance.
Grooming also gives you a chance to check on your dog’s overall health, because you’ll have the chance to hunt for fleas, and see if there are any lumps and bumps that shouldn’t be there.
Last, but by no means least and if they’ll let you, it also gives you the opportunity to check on the state of their teeth, eyes, ears and claws.
What sort of brush or comb should I use?
The first thing to do is find the right brush or comb to use. There are plenty of options out there, each suitable for particular tasks or different lengths of coat. For instance, a grooming mitt is better for dogs with short hair, while a metal brush comb is used to prevent the fur of those with longer hair from getting matted and knotted. If you’re not sure which to choose, you might want to get some advice from your vet or pet shop.
How often should I groom my dog?
You should make brushing your dog a regular part of your routine, especially if it’s a breed with long fur that tends towards matting. Dogs with short, smooth hair can get away with being brushed no more than once a week, but dogs with long hair may need even daily brushing to keep it under control.
Regular brushing will also make it easier each time – leave it too long and you run the risk of the hair getting matted and knotted, which would make it a far more uncomfortable experience for your dog. They may then start to have unpleasant associations with grooming that could make future attempts even harder.
Should I clip my dog’s hair?
Clipping a dog’s hair isn’t easy, and you can easily run the risk of not only giving him or her an embarrassing haircut, but also causing an injury – especially if your dog isn’t one to sit calmly while you’re trying to get the job done. Professional dog groomers have plenty of experience and unless you’re sure you can do the job safely, you’ll normally be safer using their services.
Should I clip my dog’s claws?
Only clip your dog’s claws if you’re absolutely sure they need doing. If you regularly walk your dog on pavements and similar hard surfaces, chances are that they’ll be getting naturally worn down, making it unnecessary to clip them. Older dogs are more likely to develop issues, but unless you are 100% sure that you can do the job safely, we’d always recommend that you get them done by a professional or by your vet.
We hope you’ve found our short guide on how to groom a dog useful. Here at Green Lane Farm, we provide a warm welcome for all dogs needing a home from home while their owners are away. We’re easily accessible for those in and around Kingston and Chessington in Surrey.
Contact us now to find out more.
