Dog grooming, and your dog’s physical state generally influences both the way he feels, and the way you look at your dog. Lack of appropriate care – most particularly bathing and grooming, can also affect the behavior of your dog.
Good dog grooming not only infuses a healthy glow to your dog’s appearance, but also helps develop his self-esteem, believe it or not. And it also makes you a very proud dog owner, when other people comment on your beautifully groomed dog.
And don’t make the mistake of thinking that only long haired dogs (such as Shih Tzus) or curly haired dogs (such as Poodles) need to be groomed. Certainly, they need more grooming, but all dogs should have some regular attention given to keeping their coats in tip top condition.
The first step involved in dog grooming is: Brushing!
Brushing has been universally acknowledged by expert dog groomers as the single most important step in grooming.
The benefits of brushing are many. To name a few:
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Better blood circulation
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Shinier and healthier coat
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Better bonding
Click Here for your FREE Dog Grooming Mini Course – and learn more about brushing and combing and other grooming tools and their applications!
Even if you know how crucial brushing is for your dog’s health and well-being, we all know that there is a right way and a wrong way of doing anything. And without doubt, you would like to do everything the RIGHT way when it comes to your dog.
Yes, there’s a method to follow while brushing your dog.
Here are FIVE steps to Successfully Brushing your Dog :
- Brush against the growth of the hair first with a slicker brush and then with a medium or wide-toothed comb.
- The slicker brush removes all the loose hair and the comb takes care of the tangles.
- Brush your dog along the hair growth and make sure you reach the skin as you brush this way.
- Then use a flea comb over the coat to get the fleas and remove any remaining tangles. Part the coat and start from the root and then comb through.
- If your dog’s paw pads are hairy, then clip them using electric clippers. Do not clip the hair in between the pads. Clip only the excess hair.
Brush your dog’s coat to prevent it from matting. Matting can be a very painful experience.
Regular brushing untangles the matted hairs on your dog’s coat. Since this is a risky job to do when the coat has become very matted, the best way out is to prevent them from forming in the first place. And doing this is simple: just brush and comb your dog regularly! If and when you see any mats or tangles, use a detangle solution and a medium-toothed comb.
Whatever you do, do not wait until your dog is dirty or matted to introduce him to grooming. That would make him associate the experience with unpleasantness. Many dogs learn to see their routine brushing as an opportunity for bonding, and an alternate form of petting, i.e. another source of affection and attention. So make dog grooming time a fun time for you and your dog! And do it often!
Click Here for your FREE Dog Grooming Mini Course – and start effectively grooming your dog all by yourself right from the comfort of your home immediately!
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