Easy Dog Grooming Tips

Your dog loves attention and nothing feels better than grooming your dog. Clipping, brushing, and washing your dog will make her feel truly special. Grooming offers a time for bonding with your dog and teaches your dog to trust you. Grooming time should be a fun time between you and your dog. Grooming should only last about 5 to 10 minutes if you have a nervous dog. Until your dog becomes accustomed to being groomed keep the initial sessions to roughly around 10 minutes. To get your dog used to being groomed begin with petting your dog on every part of her body. Be careful of sensitive body parts (ears, tail, belly and feet, and the back). Pile on the praise during each grooming session. Always have a doggie treat available as a way of letting your dog know how well she is doing. 

Brushing: 

• You need to brush your dog on a regular basis to maintain her coat in good condition and to remove dirt, and to help spread the natural oils throughout her coat. Regular brushing prevents tangles and keeps the skin clean and irritant-free, here's a great undercoat & dematting rake. While brushing, you'll be able to check for fleas and flea dirt (use a flea comb for this). 
• Dogs with smooth and short coats such as boxers, basset hounds and Chihuahuas need to be brushed only once a week with a rubber brush, then a bristle brush, and polish with a chamois cloth if she wants to shine or use alone if she's a low-maintenance dog. 
• Dogs with short, dense or fur that's prone to matting, such as retrievers, you'll need to brush weekly using a slicker brush to get rid of tangles, than a bristle brush to get any dead hair, and then comb her tail. 
• Dogs with long hair such as a Yorkshire terrier will need daily hair care as you will need to remove tangles every day. Then, brush with a bristle brush. A collie and Afghan hound will need to be combed through the fur and the trim around the hocks and feet. 

Bathing: 

• Dogs typically need to be bathed every 3 months, more frequently during the summer months or whenever they spend a great deal of time outside. 
• Use mild shampoo that's safe to use on dogs. Brush your dog well first. 
• Use a rubber bath mat in the bathtub to prevent slipping. 
• Fill tub to 3 or 4" of lukewarm water. 
• Spray the dog with a spray hose to make sure the dog is thoroughly wet. Do not spray directly in her ears, eyes or nose.
• Use cotton balls in the ears to prevent water from getting in them. 
• Use a large pitcher if you don't have a hose. 
• After soaping well over the entire body, except the eyes and nose and ear canals (use a cleansing solution for the ear canal), check the ears for any debris or foreign objects and remove these. 
• Dry your dog with a blow dryer, or a large towel. If using a dryer use a low setting and watch to be sure not to burn your dog with excessive heat. 

Nail Clipping: 

• Get your dog used to touching her paws by petting her there (rubbing hand up and down her leg and press each toe gently). 
• Praise her often during clipping. 
• Inspect her feet for dirt and debris.
• Use guillotine nail clippers to cut off the tip of the nail at a slight angle, just before the point where it curves. Avoid the quick, which is a vein that runs into the nail. This will be a pink area seen through the nail. Be careful if your dog has dark nails as you won't be able to see this. If the nail bleeds apply some styptic powder to stop the bleeding 
• Use an emery board to smooth any rough edges of the nails.

Hope this will make grooming your dog just a little easier and a happy experience for both of you.