How To Groom Your Dog

Interested in learning how to groom your dog? Longtime dog owners know the value of caring for their pet’s grooming at home. Not only does it save money, but grooming your dog gives you quality time together. Though learning how to groom your dog may seem intimidating at first, you’ll soon find that your dog enjoys being pampered. Just follow these steps to groom your dog all over.

What you’ll need to groom your dog:

• Slicker brush
• Bristle brush
• Rubber brush
• Sharp-tipped scissors
• Dull-tipped scissors
• Dog nail clippers
• Shampoo
• Dog eye wipes
• Q-tips
• Dog grooming clippers
• Pain relieving ointment

Follow these steps to groom your dog yourself:

1. Groom your dog’s coat. Brushing your dog’s fur will make it silky, shinny and healthy. Groom your dog with a brush at least once a week. Use a slicker brush to remove superficial tangles, especially around the tail, beneath the collar and in armpits. Next, use a bristle brush to smooth your dog’s fur and spread oil form the roots for a glossy look. Finally, use a rubber brush to remove dead skin that was pulled to the surface of the fur. As you learn how to groom your dog, you’ll become familiar with his coat and where to find tangles.
   
2. Groom your dog’s anus. Clipping fur around the anus and beneath the tail will prevent feces from clogging your dog and causing infection and pain. Place your dog in your lap and turn him upside down with his backside to you. Hold the tail down with one hand and dog grooming clippers in the other. Use no attachments on the clippers and keep the metal teeth flat against your dog’s skin. Stroke the tail with the clippers from the front to the end to trim the fur lightly. Next, trim the fur around the anus as if you are shaving away petals from a flower. Never come too close to the anus for fear of cutting the delicate skin.
3. Groom your dog’s paws. Trimming your dog’s nails will prevent the paw from leaning too far back and impeding walking. Place your dog in your lap and hold his paw out. If fur is blocking the nail out of sight, first trim the fur with scissors. Next, use dog nail clippers to cut the nail a little below where it curves. This position will prevent you from cutting into the quick (the blood vessel in the nail) and causing bleeding and pain. If, however, you do cut your dog, do not panic. It happens to vets and experienced dog owners too.  Simply smear the end of the nail with pain relieving, anti-bacterial ointment. Dab the blood away with a paper towel and apply more ointment. Soon the bleeding will stop.
4. Groom your dog’s eyes. Groom your dog’s eyes using pet grooming wipes. Seat your dog opposite you and wipe his eye with your thumb coated in a wipe. Smooth away any discharge gently with repeated motions. If your dog has long fur around his face, use dull-edged scissors to carefully trim the fur above and below the eye. This will prevent allergens from collecting around the eye and leading to irritation or infection.
5. Groom your dog’s ears. Groom your dog’s ears using Q-tips. Seat your dog in your lap and look into his ear. If the fur in and around the ear has grown very long, trim it with dull-edged scissors, carefully avoiding dropping cut fur back into the ear cavity. If the ear is dirty inside or has an unpleasant odor, use a dry Q-tip to gently wipe out the gunk. Do not over-penetrate into the ear!

Tip:

• To make grooming your dog safe and easy, take time to relax your dog first. If he feels safe, your dog will not fidget and cause your hand to slip. Most dogs do not like having their nails clipped or ears cleaned, so take your time and be authoritative but understanding and loving.