Do it yourself pet grooming tips will help you save money by grooming your pet at home. This may sound difficult but you can do it by following some simple grooming steps. What a better way for you and your pet to bond together. Regular pet grooming is very important. It will keep your dog clean and healthy. Scheduling regular pet grooming sessions for your pet will help prevent yeast infections caused by matted hair, ear infections with wax buildup, and periodontal disease for uncared teeth. This article will cover some basics that you can do at home which will help make it more pleasant for all involved.
Pet Grooming: Preparation
Before you begin a grooming session with your pet, be sure you have on hand all of the necessary grooming supplies and tools. This will include the proper supplies for cleaning eyes, ears, trimming nails or hair, brushing teeth, bathing and drying your pet.
One more note, you may not be able to accomplish all of the grooming steps with one session. You will have to consider the patience of your dog and how long your dog can stand each of the grooming steps. For new dog owners, you may have to train your dog on each step at a time. Some dogs may not like you bathing them or trimming their nails etc.
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Pet Grooming: Brushing Your Dog
Before bathing your dog, always brush him first and do it thoroughly. When wet, mats enlarge and can become unmanageable. If a mat goes undetected or coat care is neglected, you may have to shave or cut out the mat so that bacteria doesn't grow between it and the skin and cause a yeast infection. If you should have a short haired breed dog, you only need go over with a curry brush or glove, medium to long coated dogs may require special tools like a slicker, a pin or an undercoat rake. These tools can be bought at a pet store. Whatever tool you use it must effectively remove loose hair and distribute oils from the skin throughout the coat.
Pet Grooming: Other Steps
Before bathing, trim out any mats or large amounts of hair that will only waste time in shampooing and drying. Dogs look best when groomed after they are bathed and dried.
Pet Grooming: Bathing
After you have completed the brushing and other grooming steps on your dog, you are now ready to bathe your dog. You should bathe your dog once every two weeks. If he is new and has not been bathed before, you may have to train him first so he can get used to it. Here are some basic steps you can use in bathing your dog:
1. Some dogs are afraid of the sound of running water. If this is the case, you need to desensitize your pet to the sound. 2. Do not place him in a bathtub. He will be sitting in dirty bath water. Try to use a sink big enough for him.
3. Remove his regular collar and replace it with one that will not stain his coat or be damaged by water to restrain him in the tub or sink.
4. Do not put on his regular collar until he is fully dry. Failure to observe this may result in your dog getting sores around his neck.
5. Wet him down thoroughly using lukewarm water. If you have a medium or large dog, you may need to attach a water pressurizer to the hose or hose attachment for the sink, bath spout, or shower head can help clean all parts of your dog's body.
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6. Use only a shampoo specially formulated for dogs.
7. Begin shampooing at the neck and move downward. Shampoos are easier to apply if diluted. It's better to give two shampoos that rinse thoroughly than one strong shampoo that leaves a residue. When shampooing a certain area, give it a few squirts and use your hand to spread the shampoo. For hairy dogs or double coated dogs, you may need to use a curry brush to work the shampoo into the coat. Continue this until you have completed his body and legs. Save his head for last. When doing his head, do not use shampoo around the eyes and ears. Be carful of his nose and mouth. Before rinsing, let the shampoo rest on the dog for 3 to 4 minutes.
8. Thoroughly rinse your pet. As long as you see dirt or soap bubbles in the water coming off an area, keep spraying, then move on. Shampoo left in the coat will cause hot spots, an irritating spot of bald, itchy, red skin. Be careful not to get any water or suds in his ears and eyes. If you should get any water in his ears, use a cotton ball into his ear and gently pat the area. If your dog should be scratching his ear after bathing, take him to the vet to remove any water. Water left in his ear can cause serious damage.
9. Towel dry your dog as best as you can. If you have a short coat breed of dog, you can let his coat dry naturally. If you have a larger breed or a double coat dog, you blow dry your dog as best as you can. This is especially true for long hair dogs. When using a blow dryer use the cool setting which may take longer. Also, use a professional quality dryer model, because of the amount of time to take to dry your dog's hair.
10. Diluting shampoo. When diluting a shampoo, the ratio is 1 part of shampoo with 10 parts of water.
Pet Grooming: Ears
A clean ear may contain some wax and should not have any smell to it. Before placing any cleaner or medication in your dog's ear, warm it to body temperature (like a baby bottle) before putting it in the ear. Cold is painful in the ear canal. A few drops of warmed rubbing alcohol will dry water from the ear canal and kill bacteria, yeast and mites.
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Cleaning the Ear:
To clean your dog's ears, apply any recommended ear cleaning solution to a cotton ball and simply wipe dirt and wax away from the inner ear. Be careful not to rub vigorously as to cause sores, and do not travel too far into the ear, as both can cause damage.
Be prepared for your dog not to like the process; you will meet some resistance.
When you are done wiping the ear with a damp cotton ball or cloth, gently dry it out with a dry one.
If you should notice your dog's ear is swollen, red, dark or blackened, showing signs of discharge or sores, or smells bad, contact your veterinarian. This is not normal and could be signs of infection or disease.
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Pet Grooming: Eyes
Some breed of dogs may require more maintenance in this area than others. You can pull eye boogers away from the potentially irritating spot in the corner of the eye, long-haired or white haired dogs require special attention to make sure all gunk is out of the coat. You can buy products which remove tear stains from a white coat available in most pet stores. A healthy eye should be clear and should not show signs of irritation or unusual discharge. Your vet can cut the hair around the eyes for you, which can cause the tear stains (do not try this yourself).
Effective Pet Grooming
Certain pets must be groomed from the skin outward to truly be effective in taking care of their coat of hair and keeping it healthy. Comb through the coat starting at the legs of the animal and then work your way to the body; this will allow you to get rid of all the shedding fur.
You must groom your pet on a regular basis if your pet goes outside frequently or is one of those hard to manage type of animals. Also, some animals require grooming all at once, while other animals have so much hair that it is easier to do a little at a time each day. If you need to groom kittens you should do them all at the same time, because the fleas readily travel among the kittens throughout the day.
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Buying Pet Grooming Supplies
Buying equipment for pet grooming can be tricky if you do not know exactly what you need. Here again you should consult a professional before purchasing pet grooming supplies. This will save you time and money. Also, it is important to note that the more expensive equipment will perform better, last longer and help you prevent repetitive strain injuries.
