Dog Grooming Techniques

There are dog grooming techniques that increase your dog’s health and happiness. Grooming for the seasons will help your dog keep cool in summer and warm in winter. Dog grooming techniques that reduce the risk of infection keep your dog healthy, while dog grooming geared at comfort keeps him active. And, of course, dog grooming techniques that make your dog look cute are especially fun. Give these dog grooming techniques a try next time your furry friend looks in need of a little tender, loving care.

1. Seasonal grooming techniques. Imagine walking around with a fur coat during the summer. Grooming your dog’s fur during the hot months will keep your dog cool and active. Use pet clippers or human hair clippers to shave your dog’s stomach all the way up to his collar. Your dog will still look beautiful, but his shaved stomach will now allow him to cool himself on cold floors or lawn. For especially long-haired dogs, use the clipper attachments to give your dog a shorter haircut, but bear in mind that the clipped fur will look less shiny. For a winter dog grooming technique, do not trim your dog’s fur. Instead brush him regularly to prevent tangles in the thick winter coat and diminish shedding indoors where temperatures are warmer.
2. Health grooming techniques. Your dog’s eyes, ears and the area beneath her tail are most susceptible to bacterial infection. However, dog grooming techniques can reduce the risk. Wipe your dog’s ears once a week using ear wipes and trim the fur inside her ear periodically as this will prevent dirt and debris from collecting there. Since your dog can’t wash her face in the morning, help her keep her eyes clean using eye wipes and trim any fur that droops over her eyelids and obstructs her vision. Finally, use dog clippers to shave the fur around the anus, then stroke the tail with the clippers to trim long fur that may stick to feces. Anytime your dog starts to get dirty in that area, consider repeating this dog grooming technique to keep her healthy and smelling cleaning.
3. Comfort grooming techniques. Since dogs walk barefoot, the best dog grooming techniques mimic the comfort provided by shoes. In winter, leave the fur beneath the paws long enough to provide insulation from snow and ice. Avoid the temptation of putting any hand cream on your dog’s paws to soften them as this will reduce traction. Keep the nails trimmed so your dog can walk comfortably on pavement and floors and check between the toes twice a week to look for any dirt or foreign objects that may have become lodged there. For summer, trim the fur that sticks out from under the paws, as this will prevent tree sap from sticking dirt and debris in the paw, but leave the fur that remains hidden to provide insulation from hot pavements.  
4. Beauty grooming techniques. You already love the way your dog looks and dog grooming techniques can make her look even better. Keep your dog’s fur looking shiny by brushing her regularly, first with a slicker brush to remove tangles, then with a rubber brush to remove dead skin. Follow with a bristle brush and the natural oils at your dog’s follicles will add sheen to her fur. Enhance the beauty of your dog’s face by keeping her mouth, eyes and ears clean and trimming her collar where food particles might collect. Finally, don’t forget to brush the tail where tangles most often remain unnoticed.