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No matter the breed of the dog, the quality of its coat, or quantity of fur, all dogs require grooming, be it through a professional grooming service or at home. And by grooming, we don’t mean only brushing, although that is an important aspect. Grooming a dog includes:
It is important that a dog learns to be groomed from an early age. Some may show resistance or initial fear to being groomed, but it is important to persevere with them, to earn their trust and gradually win them over. For tips on how to work with such dogs, to train them if not to totally accept then at least to tolerate a grooming session, feel free to visit our page on ‘Training Your Dog’.
The act of grooming not only removes dead hair before it’s shed, thereby limiting the amount of fur scattered throughout your home, it also has a number of health benefits.
Combing through your dog’s fur gives you the chance to check for and remove parasites. It also provides the opportunity to familiarise yourself with your dog’s body, so that should a lump ever develop or an injury occur, you will be able to note it and seek appropriate veterinary advice. Similarly, any sign of skin problems or alopecia can be promptly dealt with.
At the same time, be sure to check teeth, gums, eyes and ears for signs of infection, inflammation, or unusual discharge.
Grooming should be a bonding experience between owner and pet. It is, in essence, a form of tactile communication, showing your dog how much you care.
It is an oft-repeated mistake to say that short-haired dogs require less grooming than long-coated dogs. The truth of the matter is they both require regular grooming, but for very different reasons.
Short-haired dogs tend to shed all year-round, while long-coated dogs, owing to their double coats, tend to shed seasonally. On the flip side, long-coated dogs are more prone to matted, tangled fur and collecting dirt. Either way you cut it (or brush it), at a bare minimum weekly grooming is generally required.
The Dog Groomer’s Toolkit:
Different brushes and combs serve different purposes, so it is important to know which tool to use, depending on the job at hand.
There are slicker brushes, bristle brushes, rubber brushes, rakes, soft-haired brushes, as well as flea and tick combs.
© Karpova / courtesy of Shutterstock.com
Typically rectangular in shape with fine wire bristles, the slicker brush is designed to untangle matted fur, as well as to remove debris and dead hairs from medium-haired or curly-haired dogs. They are generally good to use on all but the shortest and smoothest of coats.
Rakes are aptly named, because they resemble the garden rake in being T-shaped with a line of prongs designed to comb through the dog’s fur to remove dead hair and collect debris and dirt. There are a wide variety of rakes, but they can generally be sub-divided into two categories – those designed specifically for the undercoat and those for general use.
Undercoat rakes work primarily on the undercoat, leaving a healthy topcoat, and should be used for long-coated breeds with two coats. It is important here to select the right length of prongs in order that they reach the undercoat without irritating the dog’s skin beneath.
The popular Furminator is an example of a more general-use rake, which can be used on a variety of fur, but here it is important to select a tool with the correct T-length (shorter for smaller breeds, longer for large breeds) and not to over-groom or tug on matted hair too harshly.
To this we would add those brushes that look like slicker brushes but have plastic nodules on each tip. Don’t expect to remove too much dead hair with these tools. They are purely designed to smooth out the fur post-grooming. They are the salve to the grooming session. Gloves are great to help you to feel your pet’s body for any hidden lumps. They are also extremely useful to use with puppies and dogs not used to being groomed.
If you’re worried about parasitic infection, then these combs are the best mechanism to check for and remove unwanted vermin. They are not, however, the solution for removing excess fur, as in order to do so you would need to use the comb more vigorously, which would not only irritate the skin, but the dog as well!
In short, do not rely on any one single brush or comb to do the job, and please do not consider shaving your pet as the solution to shedding issues. Dogs need their fur for insulation from both heat and cold. It is the responsibility of the owner to maintain their coat, not eliminate it, through the various seasons.
While we would never countenance the shaving of a dog, there are a few breeds for which fur trimming, or clipping, is required in order to reduce matting and to help maintain a clean coat. These tend to be the long and curly-coated breeds. The latter breeds, like Terriers and Schnauzers, can be clipped, but be advised this can cause the coat to soften and fade over time. The alternative to clipping for these wiry-haired dogs is to hand strip their coats, which means in essence to pluck out the individual dead hairs.
Greater care should be given to double-coated breeds, such as huskies and shepherds, whose topcoat is comprised of tougher guard hairs that do not shed and which insulates them from the heat of summer. Shaving these dogs is not only unnecessary but in fact can be counterproductive and detrimental to their health.
Dogs need their fur to protect their delicate skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Be suspicious of any groomer that offers to shave your dog.
Dogs that shed their fur do not need to be bathed often. In fact, double-coated dogs should not be bathed more than twice a year and single-coated dogs once every quarter, at most. Even then, ask yourself if it is absolutely necessary. A dog’s fur contains its own natural oils, and with frequent washing you can bring them into imbalance or strip them away completely. Save these washes for when your pet decides to roll in something particularly distasteful or takes a dive into something smelly. And even then, consider whether a substantial soak under in the shower will suffice.
When you do decide to bring out the shampoo and conditioner bottles, be sure that they are specifically designed for dogs. Dog shampoos tend to be more alkaline than human shampoos, as the latter are pH balanced to match the acid mantle of human skin.
When bathing your dog, it is best done in the bath, using a jug to gently pour the water over your dog’s body. If you plan to use the shower hose, be sure that the spray is not too intense and that you have the showerhead already in your hand before you turn the shower on. Ensure that the water is lukewarm. Massage the shampoo gently into the fur, all the way up to the neck, leaving the head clear. Do not spray water into your pet’s face. Dogs generally find bathing to be unpleasant enough as it is, without added provocation. If you do need to wash around your dog’s face, use a wet face towel that has been dipped in clean, warm water.
Bathing can be extremely stressful for dogs, even those who usually love to dive into dirty ponds. Not only is the tub confining, but the surface – be it fiberglass, porcelain or acrylic – is not something your average dog is used to standing on. Training them from a young age to at the very least tolerate standing in a tub will definitely help both you and your dog in the long run. Visit our page on ‘Training Your Dog’ for more information on how to gradually desensitize your dog to potential stressors such as bath-time.
Gingivitis and periodontal disease are two of the more common ailments seen by veterinary surgeons, and can be costly to you and your pet, both in terms of financial cost and quality of life. By feeding your dog hard biscuits, or kibble, as the primary basis of its diet, as well as providing the occasional rawhide and hard bone as a treat, you will be reducing the opportunity for formation of plaque on your dog’s teeth. Similarly, so-called dental sticks are a good means of keeping calculus and tartar at bay.
However, none of these will completely prevent plaque from forming, and to that end getting your pet used to frequent tooth and gum brushing from an early age will certainly help to maintain good dental hygiene later in its life. Be sure to use only toothpaste specifically formulated for dogs, as human toothpaste contains fluoride, which is extremely toxic to your pet.
Dogs that are most at risk from developing dental problems are those that are fed primarily soft or canned dog food, which reduces the need for chewing, as well as small and toy breeds, whose reduced jaw size and tooth gap predisposes them to the buildup of plaque.
While certain dogs are more prone to ear infections than others, either for breed-related reasons – breeds with floppy, pendulous ears, for example – or on activity-based grounds – some dogs simply enjoy frolicking in dirty water – all dogs should have their ears checked regularly, and cleaned as required.
When does your dog its ears cleaned?
Signs to look out for include shaking of the head and flapping of the ears, regular ear scratching, or if while petting your dog it leans into you as you massage the base of its ear.
If you notice an odor or any sign of discharge, it could be a sign of infection, so a visit to the vet would be advised.
© Flywish / courtesy of Shutterstock.com
When cleaning, be sure to use only soft cotton balls and a pet-formulated ear rinse. Under no circumstances should you use a cotton bud or hard implement that could puncture the eardrum.
Firstly, check the outer ear is clean by gently wiping it with a moist cotton ball. Pour the ear rinse into the dog’s ear and gently massage at the base of the ear to loosen any wax and grime. Use a fresh cotton ball to gently work your way inside and clean out the loosened detritus. Remember that the ear is a sensitive area for dogs, so be sure to reward your pooch with plenty of treats!
Literally rinse and repeat with the other ear!
In the ideal world for both pet and owner, trimming of the nails would not be needed. In fact, were you to make a conscious effort to walk your dog regularly on hard surfaces, such as on pavement or gravel, there is a fair chance that their claws would be worn down naturally. That’s not to say that all your dog walks should be restricted to hard surfaces, simply that you would need to extend that time out to accommodate for this. Fido certainly won’t mind!
If your dog retains its Dewey claws then they will still need to be trimmed, as they are too high-set on the foot to wear down naturally simply through walking.
Regardless, you should still keep an eye on the length of your dog’s claws, and take action when required. If you can hear the click-clack of claws when your dog is walking over a hard, even surface, or if the claws touch the ground when the dog is standing still, then they are in need of trimming.
What you will need is a pet nail clipper, correctly sized for your dog, as well as a styptic pencil or powder, just in case you clip too far back and cut through to the quick, which is a blood vessel that runs down along the inside of each claw. While sometimes difficult to make out on darker claws, the quick is relatively easy to spot on lighter claws.
In the event of cutting through to the quick, the styptic pencil or powder should be pressed against the tip of the claw for approximately ten to fifteen seconds to stem the flow of blood. Cutting through to the quick is painful to the dog, and they will feel a slight sting when you apply the styptic, so inasmuch as is possible, try to prevent this from happening by giving yourself a safe margin of error when trimming each claw.
Leaving your dog’s nails untended can exacerbate the situation, as the quick will continue to grow along with the nail, which may ultimately preclude the possibility of trimming them back sufficiently without cutting through to the quick. Allowing for natural wear through daily walks on hard surfaces or trimming your dogs nails on a regular basis are the only viable options.
Why Get Your Dog Used to Claw Trimming?
All dogs age, and as they do their ability to go for extended walks will gradually diminish. But their claws will continue to grow. Even if you don’t trim their claws when they’re younger, it may become necessary as they get older. It is therefore far better to desensitise your dog to the process of claw trimming while they are young rather than to wait and cause undue stress once they are old.
© Dezy / courtesy of Shutterstock.com
As stated at the offset, a lot of dogs do not enjoy the grooming process. Certainly the trimming of claws can be a particularly stressful experience, especially if there has been a prior negative incident. Having a family member or friend that your dog trusts be present to distract it, offering plenty of praise and treats, will go a long way to ensuring things go smoothly for all concerned. You can also condition your dog to learn to tolerate grooming sessions through habituation. For more information on classical conditioning and habituation, please refer to our page on ‘Training Your Dog’.
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