A dog is not just a pet, but a friend that anyone can get easily attached to. With a lot of sentimental value that comes with owning a pet, there is no denying that grooming is part of the habit mastered by pet owners.
Grooming is a prime time to bond with your pet as you keep him/her clean and free of parasites like mites and ticks. Here are five pet grooming tips you need to know:
1. Associate grooming with fun
It is normal for dogs to get nervous about cleaning up, especially if it is a newly adopted practice. Since the grooming process is about keeping your pet clean, you want to ascertain that your dog enjoys the process.
Try bringing it treats and rewards during the preparation process, and especially in teaching him/her to remain still. Practice holding your pet gently but firmly during the grooming process as well. Introduce more fun by bringing on board toys, and kids to play with the pet.
2. Establish a routine
Your dog, whether grown-up or a puppy, can learn. If you establish a grooming routine, say once every week, then your pet can recognize the habit and start responding positively.
A routine also entails coming up with a consistent time, location, grooming tools, toys to keep him/her busy, and items. Once your pet forms a liking for a bathroom mat, for example, they may automatically go to the bathroom every grooming time.
3. Use the shampoo wisely
Unlike humans, dogs will not know when to close their eyes during baths. Ideally, even the smallest amount of shampoo can irritate the eyes of your canine friend, including diluted and gentle shampoo. For this reason, do not wet or use the shampoo around the face of your dog. Instead, dampen a clean piece of cloth and use it to wipe the face, particularly around the eyes and the snout.
Before using the shampoo, ensure you wet the fur adequately so that the shampoo can lather without much effort. Concentrate on the hidden areas, for example, the armpits, groin, under the ears, and underneath the stomach and chest areas. As for the type of shampoo, ensure you grab a high-quality dog shampoo, and if you doubt the harshness of the product, dilute it with water.
4. Be careful with the matted areas
When it is time to brush your dog, there is a lot of ground to cover, more specifically, the sensitive areas like the stomach region. When brushing, your concern should be to get rid of the tangles. In the process, you must attend to the matted areas carefully. The logic behind this is that severely matted areas stick closer to the skin than the rest of the hair. If you are not careful when pulling out the matts, you will pull out some skin with it, and worse, cause an infection.
Consequently, be careful to observe any swelling or redness that might be signs of infection, and avoid brushing such areas before visiting a vet.
5. Make good use of the clippers and scissors
Whether your dog has long or short hair, a haircut is necessary, even just to tame the length and retain the original look you prefer on your dog.
For the trimming process, you need some scissors and dog clippers, all of which need to be very sharp to avoid pulling the hair strands and hurting the skin of your pet. The perfect time to cut the hair is when it is almost completely dry, so it is easy to work through the tangles.
After trimming the hair, you want to get to the nails. Nails are delicate because a slight movement by the dog could cause an injury. Choose to leave the nails to grow long enough, so you don’t have to cut them down to a nub.
A lot can be said about living with a pet at home, but when it comes to grooming the tips mentioned in this article will go a long way. Find out more on where you can find the best dog leashes in the market on https://www.authenticdogs.com/best-retractable-dog-leash/.
