When to Use a Professional Dog Grooming Service

A professional dog grooming service can be used when you cannot perform the grooming for whatever reason. You can groom your dog at home, but there are a few instances when it's best to use a dog grooming service.

Grooming Needs for Dogs

The grooming needs of a dog will vary according to a few factors which can include:

• The breed of the dog
• The type of coat and how many levels the coat has
• The hair length
• Whether the dog spends more time indoors or outdoors

A dog may need between two and seven grooming sessions per week. Typically the dog will need the following:

• Brushing of hair, removing debris and matted fur
• Trimming of nails
• Teeth cleaning
• Cleaning of ears
• Haircuts, necessary only in certain dog breeds that have continually growing hair (such as poodles)

Some of these grooming activities, such as the brushing of hair and the cleaning of the teeth and ears, can be performed at home. Professional dog grooming services will be needed for others.

Professional Dog Grooming

The professional dog grooming is required in the following instances:

• Nail trimming, because the nails of the dog are very sensitive, having numerous nerve endings and may easily bleed if cut too short. A professional knows best how to trim the nails. The trimming is not necessary on a weekly basis, as the dog's nails don't grow at a fast rate.
• The hair cutting should be done by a professional dog grooming service, as they know how to cut the dog's hair and where to cut more hair.
• Disentangling the dog's fur, when you are not able to do this at home.
• A yearly professional teeth cleaning is also recommended, and you cannot perform this at home.

You may also go to a professional groomer if you don't know how to perform the grooming yourself and need some tips on how to do so.

Benefits of Professional Grooming

A professional groomer should be chosen for certain grooming activities, because they're trained to groom your pet, and this means the dog will be safe. If you try to perform the grooming at home, you may end up hurting your dog.

The professional groomers have a variety of tools that are suitable for grooming your dog. You may not have all the needed tools and when you improvise, this can also hurt your pet or cause skin irritation. A professional groomer may also be able to detect signs of parasites and possibly some medical problems, such as abnormal skin growths.

You may also ask a professional groomer for tips on how to groom your pet, plus tips on diet and products you can use on the dog's skin to keep it healthy and the coat shiny. You should visit a dog grooming service at least once to find out how it's best to brush your dog.