Prettifying Your Dog: DIY Grooming Man’s Best Friend

written by admin October 30, 2013

Prettifying Your Dog: DIY Grooming for Man’s Best Friend

Caring for your dog’s grooming needs should be part of your regular tasks as a responsible pet owner. While you could take your dog to the groomers or the pet salon, there is a feeling of satisfaction that comes from grooming your pet dog yourself. Besides, you’re bound to save a whole lot of money by doing so. Prettifying your dog is easy with the right tools and a few basic guidelines. When it comes to trimming your dog’s fur or “hairstyling” for dog shows, however, it is still best to leave the shears and clippers with the professionals.

For some basic everyday grooming, take a look at the following tips:

1. Train your dog to be comfortable with bathing and grooming sessions.

Even with the best grooming tools and the cutest ribbons and dog clothes, it would be difficult to prettify your dog if he does not enjoy being fussed over. Make bathing and grooming a regular part of your dog care routine early on in your dog’s life. If you are getting an older dog, it might be more challenging to do this. Forcing your dog can be frustrating for both of you. Take things slow. Get your dog used to his coat being “caressed” before you move on to brushing. Start with a short brushing session and then gradually increase the duration of your sessions as he becomes comfortable.

2. Brush your dog’s hair often.

The frequency of brushing your dog’s hair generally depends on the length of his coat; long haired dogs usually need to be brushed daily while short haired dogs can actually go without brushing for up to a month. For prettifying your dog, however, it is recommended that you brush your dog’s coat on a daily basis. You don’t have to wash his hair or bathe him. Just take your dog brush and get the tangles off his coat. Doing this will also prevent matting and take out any dirt or particles that your dog might pick up while gallivanting around the house or out in the yard.

3. Check your dog’s eyes, ears, nose, and nails.

Always check these parts of your dog’s body for any particles or dirt accumulation. Any discharge from these body parts should be an alert for a vet visit. Your dog’s nails should also be clipped regularly. Observe how fast your dog’s nails grow and clip accordingly. You can ask your vet or your pet groomer to teach you how to do this properly. You have to use the right tools and technique so you don’t hurt your dog. Your dog can get traumatized when you accidentally cut his nails too short. When this happens, you would have a hard time getting him to cooperate with you the next time you need to cut his nails.