Home Dog Grooming Care

Just like diet and nutrition, dog grooming care is an equally important part of health for your dog. While you can spend the money on a professional to have your dog groomed, there are also several things that you can do at home to keep your dog’s personal hygiene intact.

Bathing

Bathing is an essential part of skin and coat maintenance. When dirt and oils build up on the skin and hair coat, they leave behind a residue which can make your dog's coat appear dull and unkempt. The residue can also build up on your dog's skin and cause scaly deposits, or dandruff, to result. This can leave your dog open to infections of the skin and rashes from the irritation. 

There are a variety of shampoos available for dog grooming care. While some of them may cater to a specific skin condition, some of them may also include aloe or oatmeal for dog's that have sensitive skin. Here are some of the dog shampoos on the market:

  • Sentry Tropical Breeze Dog Shampoo
  • Miracle Coat Premium Dog Shampoo
  • Malaseb Medicated Pet Shampoo
  • Drs. Foster & Smith Advanced Formula Tea Tree Shampoo

Nail Clipping

Nail clipping can be a chore, especially if you have a dog that won't sit for you to do it. But keeping your dog's nails clipped and clean are an important part of dog grooming. If you can't get your dog to readily sit for you, trying lying down with him to soothe him. As you are gently rubbing his belly, work your way down to his feet. Talking to him and being gentle can reassure him that there is nothing to fear from nail clipping.

A dog's nails needed to be clipped every one to two weeks, depending on how quickly they grow. When your dog's nails get too long, it can cause him pain when he is walking. In addition, his nails can be quite painful to you when they are not regularly trimmed.

Ear Cleaning

Ear cleaning seems to be the hardest part of dog grooming care. Your dog may allow you to bathe him or clip his nails, but chances are he doesn't enjoy the feeling of cold liquid being squirted into his ear. But ear cleaning is an equally important part of dog grooming because the ear is where all types of bacteria like to hide. Not only can the ears be a good place for bacteria, but they can also harbor ear mites. So, making sure that they are cleaned regularly is an important step in grooming.

If your dog does not relish the idea of having his ears cleaned, try slowing rubbing the ears before you apply the liquid. This can put him into a more relaxed state of mind. When you do put the ear cleaner in his ears, you will want to make sure you rub the liquid around with his ears before you attempt to clean them. This will give the ear cleanser a chance to reach all of the crevices that you cannot reach with your hand.

Dog grooming care is an important part of dog ownership. Because good hygiene helps to avoid the pitfalls of infection, making sure to keep your dog regularly groomed can help to avoid irritating skin conditions, the pain of unkempt nails and nasty ear infections.

 

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