Now, when taking your dog to a professional groomer is not possible at all, the best idea is to learn how to groom your dog at home. It is clearly understood that this job is quite challenging for people who usually take their pets to the groomer or the vet for the full grooming of their dogs.
Fortunately, this job can be made stress-free and easier by going through this simple guide on how to groom a dog at home. It may be quite easier than you think.
A lot of things have changed since 2020, as taking your pet to the groomer may not be a good option these days. No matter what the situation is outside, you can’t ignore taking care of your dog. So, it simply means you have to become his groomer to prevent your dog from health risks.
Has your dog’s fur grown so long? Has your dog started looking like an old worn coat? Do the nails of your dog require trimming? In these situations, you can’t just sit patiently and wait for a groomer to get these things done. You can groom your dog safely in the comfort of your home.
To get started learning grooming your loved one at home, you must know why this job is necessary to keep your dog healthy and active all the time.
This guide of how to groom a dog involves what you should do or not do to groom a specific area of your dog’s body. Following this guide will make this job easier and pleasant for you and your dog.
Why Is it Necessary To Groom Your Dog?
When it comes to how to groom a dog at home, it is important to know that grooming your dog regularly can help them stay clean and healthy. Nail trimming, cleaning around their eyes, and trimming their coat are great ways to remove dead skin, hair, and dirt.
Being a dog owner, you must be aware of various facts about the dogs. Every dog breed has different needs, so the same applies to when you groom your dog. It is important to research the grooming guide for dogs, specifically for your dog’s breed. If you have any doubt or you are not confident enough to groom your dog properly, you can call your dog groomer or the vet for advice on how to groom your dog. You should also be aware of any hazardous areas of the dogs of the breed you have.
How To Groom Your Dog At Home
Whether currently your professional groomer is closed or you want to save some money by trying your own hands on your dog’s grooming, there are many things you need to know before taking this tricky job in your hands.
It is important to be aware of best practices for how to groom your dog yourself so that the vet gives a clean bill on your dog’s health. Make sure that everything should be done correctly by pampering your dog to make it ready for a grooming session.
How to Clean Eyes OF Your Dog
When grooming your dog’s eyes, you must use a soft, damp cloth to clean the area around his eyes. There are chances of collecting dirt and crust, which if not cleaned on time can lead to an infection. Also, make sure to check your dog’s eyes for signs of swelling or reddening.
But, you must also know that the eyes of your dog need to remain moist because dry eyes can result in affecting the ability to see things or can lead to irritation. You must ensure that his room must be humid enough. Use eye drops recommended by the vet if needed.
You can also use artificial tear drops to moist the eyes of your dog. But, make sure to consult with the vet before using any eye drops.
How To Clean Your Dog’s Ear
Cleaning ears are also a part of learning how to groom a dog at home. Use a clean damp cloth to remove the dirt and wax from the ears of your dog. Another way is to use cotton balls and gauze to remove dirt and wax collected in your dog’s ears.
Always keep in mind not to use human-style cotton swabs, like Q-Tips, to clean the ears as they can damage the eardrums. It is recommended to clean your dog’s ears once every 3-4 weeks. If your dog is prone to produce more wax or get his ears wet frequently, you must clean his ears every two weeks.
How To Clean Nose Of Your Dog
If you have a healthy dog, you might have noticed that your dog has a moist nose most of the time. If you find that your dog’s nose is dry, it can occur due to dry air, dehydration, sunburn, etc. But, throughout the day, having a dry nose can sometimes be normal, especially when your dog is asleep.
One of the important tips for how to groom a dog at home is to keep an eye that your dog must drink plenty of water. Also, make sure that his room must be humid enough. You can also use a dog’s balm to keep your dog’s nose moist. If you are worried about a dry nose, contact the vet to know everything.
How To Brush Your Dog’s Teeth
Oral hygiene is important for a dog’s grooming session. Poor dental health can result in various health problems, such as liver, heart, and kidney problems. If your dog’s teeth are not clean regularly, it may develop bad breath and also build plaque and tartar on his teeth. So, make sure to do regular teeth brushing.
You can massage a dog’s teeth and gums with dog-approved toothpaste either using your finger or a toothbrush. Brush his teeth a couple of times a week. Nothing would be better than once a day. You can ask your vet for the toothpaste that works well for your dog. Know more How To Clean Dog’s Teeth.
Chew toys work effectively in the dog’s teeth cleaning. Let your dog chew certain types of bones to help him clean his teeth. You can also give him antlers for chewing.
How To Brush Your Dog’s Coat
In this situation, when you and your furry friend are bound to sit at home, he can become really furry. Now, it’s your responsibility to trim and brush his coat to make him look and feel his best. Normally, it takes three months for fur growth that forces you to take him to the professional groomer for trimming.
But, now when everything is going to be done by you, you must perform this job carefully and perfectly. Do you know that matted hair reduces air circulation and can also cause various medical problems? If you want to prevent your dog from skin irritation and infected lesions, you must trim his hair every three months.
Never forget to brush your dog’s hair every day as it helps in removing dirt and dead hair. It also prevents your dog’s hair from tangling, and he gets a smooth & shiny coat. In case if your dog has long hair, using a metal brush comb is the best way to keep them smooth and lush.
For dogs with curly hair, it becomes more important to brush their hair a couple of times a week. These hairs are more prone to tangling and matting, and brushing helps to keep them smooth and detangled. You must keep this tip for how to groom your dog at home in mind every time.
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How To Trim Your Dog’s Coat
Trimming your dog’s coat is one of the most important tasks when you are learning how to groom a dog at home. You must be very careful and patient and make this session fun with extra treats. The simple tools required for a trimming session are hair clippers and curved or straight scissors.
Keep in mind that trimming must be started from the neck and move towards the tail. If your dog has short hair, then a curved or straight scissor is enough to trim the coat. For a long-haired dog, you may first need clippers and then give the final touch with scissors.
To start trimming your dog’s coat, let him stand or sit on an elevated table for better access to the coat. These things need to be kept in mind when trimming your dog’s coat.
- Trim the coat in the direction of their hair flows.
- Clippers are available with different guards depending on the length of hair. You need to start with the largest clipping guard and then gradually move to the smallest.
- Make sure that a clipper is placed flat on the coat while trimming.
- Once the neck is done, move to the back and the abdomen.
- Be careful when trimming sensitive areas, like underarms, unarms, and paws.
- Trim legs, tail, and head at last as these areas are moved maximum, and someone is required to hold your dog to trim these areas carefully.
- When trimming the head, start with brushing long strands and trim them using a scissor. Use clippers to trim facial lines. If you are using scissors only, use a thinning scissor as it gives a more natural result.
- You must also trim ear flaps and below the jaws.
- Don’t miss trimming the eyebrows, especially if you have a long-haired dog.
- Brush the tail before trimming it using a clipper or a scissor. Hold it with one hand and trim it gently to the tip.
To make this entire trimming process easier, you can give treats to keep your dog busy.
How To Cut Your Dog’s Nails
The dogs with overgrown nails find difficulty in walking. Also, the nails curve inwards, can create a problem and pierce the paw pads. It is important to handle the dog’s nails on a regular basis.
The nail cutting is to start with making your dog comfortable either by sitting him on a table or even in your lap. Before you start cutting, you have to check where the nail quick starts. Be careful of this part as if it cuts, the dog can bleed, and it may take many days to heal properly. The dog with white nails or dark nails will have pinkish and a black spot quick, respectively.
Make sure to cut the nails and immediately stop before this pinkish or blackish spot.
How to Clean Your Dog’s Paws
Always keep in mind that how to groom your dog also includes cleaning and protecting your dog’s paws. Take a clean, damp cloth and use it between the paw pads. The dog’s paws also require moisture as it helps in protecting and preventing cracked paws. You can get a good paw balm from the pet store and apply it daily to your dog’s paws. Use this balm, especially if there is a dry, hot, or cold climate.
The paw balm is used to moisturize the paws and also help to treat cracked and irritated paws. It is a great way to prevent paws from losing moisture and avoid irritants.
If your dog enjoys a paw massage, you must not miss surprising your dog with a good spa day.
How to Bathe Your Dog
Many dogs do not love bathing, but it must be there on a regular basis. You must give a bath to your dog every 4-5 weeks. Also, if you don’t mind your dog’s odor, you can go for a dog’s bath even longer. But, if your dog is dirty or has a health problem, he should give a bath more frequently.
One of the best tips for how to groom a dog at home is to change the sheets and blankets of your dog regularly, especially when he bathes. Everything should be clean and fresh on the same day.
Make him stand on a non-slip surface, use warm water and quality shampoo. Use a damp cloth to clean his face, eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. At the same time, you must know that bathing your dog weekly can damage his coat over time, so never do this.
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Final Words
Learning how to groom your dog at home is an excellent skill that every dog owner must be mastered. The grooming sessions not only help in keeping your dog healthy but also improve your companionship when you spend more time with your dog.
No matter how busy you are, take out some time on the weekends and make sure that you are going to use this time to help keep your dog in the best health.
