How to Groom your Dog

Posted by: articles-petsforsale

The information below provides details on the basic steps involved in grooming a dog;-

Brushing
Brushing your dog is the first line of defense in the battle to keep a dog clean. Brushing should be carried out on a weekly basis for short-coated dogs and at least every other day for long-coated breeds. Brushing removes loose fur, prevents matting, gets rid of existing mats and helps eliminate dirt and debris.

Ear Cleaning
Dirty ears can cause odors and lead to infections. Some owners prefer to clean out a dog's ears prior to a full bath, but you can always take care of this task after bathing if you prefer.

Follow the following steps to clean your dog’s ears:

1. Soak a cotton ball in some canine ear washing solution
2. Start by wiping out the inside of the ear
3. Gently pull out small sections of hair if your breed is one that grows a lot of hair in the ear canals. This will improve air circulation, which in turn makes the canals less hospitable to bacteria and mites.
4. Once the excess hair is removed, soak a cotton swab in the canine ear washing solution and try to remove any debris you might find a little deeper in the canal, but be careful not to go in too deeply as you may damage the ear.

Teeth Brushing
You will need to use doggie toothpaste or just water and a special doggy toothbrush, or a small child’s size toothbrush. You might want to put your dog’s lead on and get someone to help you. Start brushing the back teeth and gently work the brush against the teeth in a circular motion, taking care to clean the gum line as well. Remember to clean both the front and back surfaces of the teeth.

Bathing or Showering
A thorough brushing is essential before giving your dog a bath. Bathing is the single most important step in how to really clean a dog. It is easier to wash your dog in a shower rather than a bath, but some owners pour a shallow bath and use the shower spray to wet the dog and washout soap suds. It will be easier to see if you're really getting your dog clean when he's not submerged in the bath and also in the shower the dirty water is washed away, unlike a bath. Follow these steps to wash your dog;-

1. Adjust the water temperature to a warm setting
2. Have your dog shampoo, optional conditioner / coat shine and towel at hand
3. Place your dog in the bath or shower and use the shower to fully wet the dog down, be careful around your dog’s head and avoid excess water in the dog’s eyes, nostrils and ears.
4. Once your dog is thoroughly wet, apply the dog shampoo. Start rubbing the shampoo at your dog's head and then work your way back through to the tail. Next, shampoo the dog’s undercarriage, legs and paws.
5. Starting at the head, rinse all the shampoo out of your dog's coat. Repeat the shampooing process one more time to make sure all dirt has been removed.
6. After applying the shampoo and washing this out, you may want to apply conditioner or coat shine through your dog’s coat. Although not every coat type requires conditioner or coat shine, most dog’s coats will benefit from it, especially long coated dogs as it will make grooming and brushing much easier with less tangles.
7. Rinse out the conditioner or coat shine and give your dog a rinse to make sure that all dirt and shampoo, conditioner or coat shine residue is removed.
8. Run your hands over your dog’s coat, starting from the dog’s head through to the back, underbelling, tail and legs to remove excess water. Then get a towel ready to dry your dog, also remember to place a big towel outside the shower or bath so that the floor remains dry and reduces the risk of slipping. Depending on the time of the year your dog’s coat can dry naturally, however in the winter you could use a hairdryer on low heat to assist in drying the dog’s coat and removing any potential risk of chills, as well has keeping the coat tangle free and also giving it that professional groomed look.

Trimming Nails
Once your dog is clean and dry, this is an ideal time to trim your dog’s nails as they are softer to cut from being in the water. Firstly check if your dog's nails need to be trimmed. Some people prefer to do this before the bath, but this leaves sharp edges on the nails. If you want to avoid being scratched, leave this task until after the bath. Only trim the nails up to the pink quick just barely visible through the nail. If you go any further the nail will bleed and your dog is sure to yip and could cause an infection. If your dog has black nails just remove the tips.

Fur Trimming or Clipping Out
Your dog may need to have some fur trimmed or clipped out to help them stay clean. Check the dog’s paw pads to determine if the hair between them needs to be trimmed a bit. Excessive pad hair can become matted and also trap debris. You might also choose to trim a small amount of hair away from the anus of a long-coated dog to keep stools from becoming trapped.

Finally, a long-coated dog will benefit from having the overall length of his coat trimmed level with the floor. You can also round off the paws to give them a clean, finished look.

Written by Sarah Bowden.