How to care for your dog in between grooms
- Brush Your Dog’s Hair Daily
As you wait to take your dog to a professional groomer, daily brushing of the coat helps to keep your pooch fur and skin healthy and clean. Of course, if your dog’s hair is short, you may need to do the brushing occasionally, but we’d recommend you do it daily to keep your dog’s coat shiny and healthy.
Remember that taking your dog to the groomer regularly can be costly especially when you’re required to pay for extra services such as conditioning treatments, removing mats, and others any time you go to the groomer. Brushing your companion’s hair helps to get rid of dirt, dead hair, unpleasant odors, matting, or debris from the coat and skin hence reducing the grooming cost.
“Brushing your dog regularly will make your dog get used to being handled”, says Johansen Anderson.
Use a metal comb with a wide-tooth and a dematting brush for long coats; to remove tangles and a rubber brush to smoothen the coat in the case of short coats.
- Give Your Dog a Regular Bath
Dogs are active animals so they can get into anything including mud and any kind of dirt. You should give your dog a good bath every seven weeks. Bathing your pooch regularly helps to remove unpleasant odors. And in case your dog produces some bad smell, you can use some kind of doggie towelettes or dry shampoo. Some pet owners use doggie towelettes on their dogs every day after spending some time outside, to keep their dogs smelling good. Avoid using human shampoo as it can have some side effects on your dog’s skin. Rinse your dog thoroughly to get rid of the shampoo completely. To dry your dog hair, you can let him stand in a warm area, use a blow dryer on a low heat setting or towel dry
- Brush Your Dog’s Teeth Every Day
While it is recommended to brush your dog’s teeth at least 3 times a week, we’d recommend doing it once every day. Brush your dog’s teeth with toothpaste specifically designed for pets as human toothpaste contains additives that could cause harm to your dog when swallowed- remember dogs don’t spit. You can use a rubber finger brush, a toothbrush made especially for pets a child’s toothbrush as it is soft on your dog’s gums. Some people find it difficult to brush their dog’s teeth though, so you might try dental sprays or dog chew treats instead of brushing.
- Clean Your Dog’s Ears
You clean your ears regularly to prevent bacteria from building up in those sensitive areas of your body, right? Your dog too needs regular ear cleaning at least every month. If your dog has long or floppy ears, then you need to clean them at least two times a month. You can use a piece of cotton ball with a safe doggie ear cleaner and solution to clean the outside and inside area of your dog’s ears. Avoid cleaning the inner ear canal with cotton swabs. If your dog likes swimming, regular cleaning and drying of the ears each time after swimming is necessary.
- Keep Your Dog’s Nails Trimmed
Nail trimming is one of the simple and less expensive dog care routines you can do between trips to the groomer. You can get your dog’s nails trimmed by your groomer or veterinarian in case you aren’t comfortable doing it. Trimming of your dog’s nails will depend on how fast they grow. Some breeds may require nail trimming every six weeks while others every two weeks. Your groomer can show you how to trim the nails without causing any harm to your dog’s feet. For nail trimming, you can use rotary trimmers or clippers.
You also need to have some handy products that can help to stop bleeding on the nails in case you cut the nails too short. You can buy a dog-specific cauterizing powder or styptic pencil.
- Wash Your Dog’s Face Regularly
This is a must-do daily dog care practice for dog breeds with wrinkles or skin folds on their face. When moisture forms on those wrinkles of the face of your fur friend, it creates a healthy environment for harmful bacteria that can cause infection on your dog. Wash your dog’s face regularly with a pet approved wipe or a warm washcloth.
Follow Your Groomer’s Advice
If, during grooming, the groomer notices that your dog is afraid of a particular grooming tool, has buildup mats, etc., they will let you know and tell you how you can work on that at home.
The Dos And Don’ts for In-Between Grooming Care
To keep your dog healthy at all times, you need to pay attention to the good hygiene habits shared above and those that your groomer will tell you. The good thing is that most of the in-between grooming care practices are easy to do and you don’t need expensive tools. Here are dos and don’ts when caring for your dog between trips to the groomer.
The dos
Use the correct tools or products. From brushing your dog’s hair to trimming the nails, you want to be sure to use the tools intended for grooming pets.
As a rule, you should use dog-specific shampoo, teeth cleaning tools, hair combs, etc.
Use a wet towel to clean any dirt, pine needles, or other outdoor debris from your dog’s coat.
Remove ticks from your dog as regularly as possible especially during tick season.
Use a moist cotton ball or a soft washcloth to wipe the inner side of your dog’s ears.
The don’ts
Don’t attempt to treat your dog yourself if you notice any wounds, sores, or injuries on any part of your dog. Consult your veterinarian.
Do not spray your dog with perfumes meant for humans.
During cold seasons do not bathe your dog outside.
Final Thoughts
Caring for your dog before and after trips to the groomer is important. While you might want to visit your groomer every time, sometimes frequent trips can be costly. Start practicing these in-between grooming care habits today to keep your dog healthy, shiny, and happier.
Information obtained from Pet Marketing Unleashed