Facts about and Importance of Dog Grooming

How to Maintain Cleanliness and Ensure Hygiene in Dogs

The health and happiness of a dog are directly dependent on proper grooming. Regular and thorough grooming keeps your dog free of mites, body odor, ticks and allergies. You can tell a healthy dog from an healthy one from the gloss of the coat. If you find your dog’s coat losing its sheen and/or becoming dry and flaky, remember that it needs intense and urgent grooming.

There is no dog which doesn’t require some amount of grooming. However, the intensity and process of grooming would vary across breeds. Dachshunds, Toy Poodles and Wire-headed Pointers need extensive, regular grooming while Dobermans and Basset Hounds have lower grooming requirements. When you decide to add a dog to your family, think whether you would be able to afford the time required in grooming the particular breed.

As a general rule, dogs with long hair need more grooming than those with short hair. This is because long hairs form tangles and are more prone to leading to body odor. Again, silky coats (for example, those of Spaniels and Setters are susceptible to a vast amount of dry flakes and loose hair which need to be manually removed and would otherwise lead to matted coat. Wire haired dogs have a special grooming requirements: their coats need to be stripped at least once annually.

It is wrong to assume that hairless dogs like the Hairless Chinese Crested and the American Hairless Terrier do not require grooming. In reality, they need special grooming to prevent their skin from getting sun burnt. Also, wrinkled skin or folds like those belonging to Pugs and Bulldogs need to be stripped of mud, dirt and sweat every single day.

Canine Grooming Needs and Shedding Habits, our e-book which comes absolutely FREE OF COST, is a vast storehouse of knowledge on dog breeds, particular grooming requirements and shedding characteristics of different breeds, the correct ways of bathing dogs, maintaining its coat, trimming its nails and cleaning its ears, eyes and teeth, and basically everything you ever wanted to know about dog grooming.

To gain instant access, simply log in.

Basics of Dog Grooming

A proper grooming session should typically include the following steps:

Bathing - Bathing prevents body odor in dogs as it helps to wash away excess moisture, germs, excess oil and dander. Lack of or inadequate bathing would lead to accumulation of dirt in coat, further causing skin infections. Though the frequency of bath would depend on the breed of dog in question, dogs usually need one thorough bath every week. The basic requirement for giving a dog a good bath is a tub according to its size. Lukewarm water works best to wash away impurities. Use only a good quality dog shampoo to bathe your dog. After the bath, the coat should be dried thoroughly by a clean towel. The next important step is to brush out the coat to prevent tangles and matting.

Brushing – Your dog’s coat needs to be brushed regularly. This is because brushing causes stimulation of the sebaceous glands. Well-stimulated sebaceous glands are vital to keep your dog’s coat healthy, shiny and infection-free.

Regular brushing of your dog’s coat is essential as it stimulates the sebaceous glands responsible for conditioning of your dog’s coat. Regular brushing also keeps dry skin and dirt at bay and also helps keep the coat shiny.

It has been proved beyond doubt that dogs which are regularly brushed shed less, thus sparing the owners the arduous task of cleaning up after them. However, it is true that all dogs shed some amount of hair. It is the process by which dogs get rid of dead or lose body hair. These are then replaced with new hair growth. Brushing helps dogs retain healthy hair.

Nail Trimming – it is very important to keep your dog’s nail properly trimmed at all times. Generally once a month should suffice. Nail clippers especially designed for dogs are readily available at pet stores. However, clipping a dog’s nails might be tricky, especially if the dog tends to fidget, as it is very common for the veins at the nails to get ruptured due to improper clipping. It might be a good idea to get your dog’s nails clipped by a professional unless you are very sure of yourself. In case bleeding occurs, treat immediately with suitable antiseptic.

Cleaning the Ears – Accumulation of ear wax in your dog’s ear can lead to ear pain and hearing problems as well as unpleasant odor. So it is very important to clean your dog’s ears, at least once a month. Remember ears are one of the most sensitive parts of the dog and great care needs to be taken while cleaning the ears. A soft and clean cotton swab can be used for this purpose. In case of detection of any ear problem, do not waste any time before consulting a vet.

Cleaning the Eyes – Dogs’ eyes often accumulate dirt as well as dead hairs, making the eyes water and the dog uncomfortable. Clean your dog’s eyes regularly, very gently, with a damp piece of cloth.

Cleaning the Teeth – Scour the pet supply stores for chew toys that also serve to prevent and cure plaque and tartar from your dog’s teeth and keep the teeth clean. This would prevent bad breath, gum decay and toothache in your dog. When you brush your dog’s teeth, do not ever use toothbrushes and toothpaste meant for humans. Dog toothpastes and brushes are available at pet stores. Even after taking all possible care of your dog’s teeth, it is very important to get him checked by his dentist. Frequent oral check-ups are important.

A thorough grooming, from head to toe, is very important in order to keep your dog healthy, happy and lively.

Canine Grooming Needs and Shedding Habits – our FREE e-book - would provide you with every bit of information on dog breeds, particular grooming needs for different breeds, differences in shedding habits among dogs of different breeds, the correct ways of bathing and brushing and cleaning different parts of your dog.

To gain access, simply log in.