Grooming your dog at home can be a great way to bond with your pup, but it also has many health benefits. It helps keep your dog clean and healthy, as well as looking great! But what do you do if you’re new to dog grooming tubs? Here are some dos and don’ts for grooming at home:
DO: Always use a brush designed specifically for dogs. These brushes have longer pins, which can penetrate deep into thick fur to remove loose hair and dirt more effectively than human-grade brushes.
DON’T: Use scissors when trimming your dog’s fur unless it’s an emergency—for example if they have cut themselves on something sharp or dirty enough that it could get infected without proper care. Scissors can cause cuts in the skin if used incorrectly and are not strong enough to trim all but the shortest fur types anyway.
DO: Invest in high-quality shampoo or conditioner made especially for dogs, as well as a quality dog brush that won’t irritate their skin or break down easily with repeated use (especially if you have multiple dogs). Dogs’ skin is different from ours—it’s generally less oily and more sensitive, so we need products that are formulated specifically for their needs!
DON’T: Try to groom your dog yourself if they’re not accustomed to it. The more time you spend acclimating them to the process, the better off everyone will be in the long run!
DO: Use appropriate equipment: Use a high-quality brush that won’t damage your pet’s fur. Your best bet is a pin brush, which will gently remove loose hair without pulling on your dog’s skin or causing any discomfort.
DON’T: Use a brush with metal bristles, which can hurt your dog.
DO: Groom your dog regularly—weekly is ideal! This gets them used to having their fur brushed and will help them enjoy the experience more if they’re used to it.
DON’T: Use a brush that’s too small—you want to be able to get all of their fur without missing any spots.
Bottomline
There’s definitely no one-size-fits-all approach to grooming your dog at home. Every dog is different, and every owner has a different routine that works for them and their canine companion. The tips we provided above are simply guidelines based on what some of our own pet owners have found helpful in grooming their dogs at home.
Author bio-
Emma Anderson has been involved with dog grooming for the past 15 years and now wants to share her experience and knowledge with others.
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