Pet grooming needs may vary depending on the dog’s breed; however, all dogs require regular brushing, massages, teeth brushing, ear cleaning or nail trimming. Knowing how to groom your pet is essential.
Brushing
The brushing should be performed depending on the length and thickness of the coat. Get suitable brushing supplies; you have to make sure that the brush will not hurt your pet but will also be able to clean the dust and the debris that may gather in the pet’s fur. If your pet has knots in his fur, you can try to gently disentangle these knots using a pin brush; if this is not possible, you should use a small pair of scissors to cut parts of the fur to eliminate the knot.
The brushing should be done upwards at first, against the natural direction of the hairs. Start with the back side and go down towards the legs. To make the brushing easier, you can moisten the pet’s fur using a soft sponge dipped in lukewarm water.
The frequency of the brushing depends on the hair length of your pet. However, you can perform the brushing on a daily basis, as this will keep your pet clean and you will also keep your house cleaner.
Nail Trimming
The nails in pets grow continually, so they need to be trimmed periodically, as otherwise they can cause discomfort and even back problems.
When trimming the nails, you should make sure to avoid the quick of the nail, which contains a lot of nerve endings and blood vessels. Cutting into the quick will cause bleeding, not to mention that your pet will be in agony.
You may identify the edge of the quick, as this looks like a darker circle on the surface of the nail.
Bathing
The frequency of the baths will depend on the pet; some pets require at least 1 bath per week, while others may do well with 1 bath per month or 1 bath every 2 months.
You have to make sure that the bath water is not too hot; get suitable supplies and if your pet is more sensitive, get hypoallergenic or natural products.
During the bath, you have to make sure not to get shampoo and water in the pet’s eyes, ears or mouth. You may use some cotton balls in the pet’s ears to prevent the water from getting into the ears.
Dry Your Pet
After the bath you can use a warm towel and you may use a dryer. Some vets recommend you avoid dryers, as these will dry the skin and may cause flakiness.
Brush the pet’s fur until it is dry. You can also massage the pet, as this will relax your pet and make him feel comfortable. Don’t allow your pet to play with the grooming tools, as the pet will think you want to play and you won’t be able to get any grooming done.
Use treats and reassuring words and have patience, some pets don’t like to be touched or get wet.