How to Groom Your Dog

Proper grooming is an important part of dog ownership. Your dog loves to run around outside and get dirty, but they’re not really great at keeping themselves clean. Unlike cats, dogs don’t spend a lot of time on grooming themselves, although they may try to remove fleas from their fur with their teeth. The good news is that your grooming routine doesn’t have to be complicated. However, part of caring for your pet includes trimming their nails and fur, washing and combing your dog, and keeping their paws clean.

Trim Nails

Your dog’s nails keep growing through their entire life much like your own. This can become a problem, because their nails can be quite sharp. They may also get snagged in the carpet when they’re walking. Since dogs don’t need their nails to climb trees outside like cats, it’s a good idea to keep them trimmed to prevent broken nails or scraped floors. You know it’s time to trim your dog’s nails when they just about touch the ground when the dog is walking across the floor. You might even be able to hear the clicking of the nails when the walk on hard flooring, such as your kitchen.

Ideally, you’ll get your dog used to nail trimming when they’re young. In any case, you’ll want to watch for the quick (blood vein that goes through the nail) and trim bit by bit before it. You may want to reward your dog with a treat after clipping each nail to get them to stay calm for the entire procedure. If necessary, you can trim a little bit now and do another trim a week later. It’s also a good idea to use a nail file to remove any jagged edges.

Brush and Shampoo Your Dog’s Fur

Keeping your dog’s hair neatly brushed and shampooed prevents it from matting together and looking unruly. It can also reduce the amount of shedding as well as the number of dog hairs that stick to your couch. How often you need to brush or shampoo your dog depends on the dog. A short-haired breed won’t need to go in the tub as often. You probably also don’t have large amounts of dog hair all over your house.

If you have a long-haired breed, you’ll probably want to brush or comb them every day. In that case, it’s important to establish a routine. Brushing can be great bonding time both of you can enjoy if you can get your dog to cooperate. Treats may help in the beginning, but many dogs love being brushed.

It’s also a good idea to give your dog a bath if they’ve gotten really dirty. Similarly, you may need to give them a flea bath if you’re dealing with an infestation at home. It’s not always necessary to blow-dry your dog’s hair, but some dogs really enjoy the warm air on their coat.

Trimming

Dogs may need their hair trimmed occasionally, especially medium- and long-haired breeds. If you don’t want to do this yourself, you can take them to a dog groomer. Trimming their hair can make it easier to keep their fur looking neat. It may also reduce tangles. A dog groomer can even give your dog a bath using special dog shampoo to make their coat shine again if it starts to look a little dull.

Keeping Paws Clean

One are of dog grooming that’s often neglected is the paws of your pet. Dogs don’t wear shoes, and when they go for a walk or run with you, they touch the ground with everywhere. Since dogs are known to lick their paws to clean them, it pays to pay attention to what they’re stepping in.

It’s really important that you clean your dog’s paws if they’ve stepped in something potentially toxic – whether that’s paint or oil on the garage floor or tar from the newly finished street. You may also want to clean their paws if they stepped in something you don’t want them spreading around in your home, whether that’s sticky gum or spilled juice. Your dog’s paws may also get salty if they’ve been to the beach with you. When you come home, you should rinse their paws with warm water.

Occasionally, your dog may get something stuck in their paw. If you notice that they’re spending a lot of time trying to dislodge something, it’s a good idea to take a look. Injuries to paws can also happen if your dog stepped on glass or something else that was sharp or pointy. If you’re not sure what to do, it’s always best to call your veterinarian for guidance.