Good Grooming = Good Health

No one likes a bad hair day. Your dog certainly doesn’t; he feels just as uncomfortable as you do when his hair is all ratty and matted. But grooming is more than just having him look and feel good; it’s important to his health. It’s more than just a bath; it includes brushing, combing, keeping his teeth and ears clean, clipping his nails, and keeping him in top shape.

            We all know how to comb our own hair, but not all pet owners know or understand how to groom their pets effectively. Is your Poodle a mess of tangles until the groomer has to shave him down every time you bring him to the pet salon? How is your Shih Tzu’s skin under the long coat? Do your Cocker’s ears smell foul with black waxy buildup? Grooming is directly related to health in many ways. Your pet’s outward appearance can be the signal of internal health problem.

            Below are some basic steps of grooming that you can do at home to keep your dog clean and healthy. Do this kind of maintenance regularly; you can prevent headache and disaster later on.

 

Brushing and Combing          

Most dogs don’t actually need baths all that frequently, but they must be brushed and combed often – usually twice weekly, depending on the breed and coat. Use a slicker brush, brush through the coat layer by layer. For long-coated breeds like Shih Tzu and Maltese, use a pin brush. Smooth-coated dogs like Pug and Beagle need brushing too! Use a rubber brush. Then, run through the coat with a comb to remove last traces of tangle, and to check for any tick or flea. Brushing and combing are good for your dog’s skin and coat, because they distribute oils from the skin throughout the coat, get rid of dirt, tangles, and dead hair, keeping the coat shinny and healthy.

 

Ear Cleaning

Ears produce wax, trap dirt, grow hair, retain moisture, and easily develop infections when they aren’t kept clean. Check insides of your dog’s ears for dirt and excessive wax buildup. A little wax is normal, but large amount of ear wax that looks brownish or smells foul, the ears may be infected. If your dog has hair growth inside the ears, you need to pluck it out. Apply a little ear powder, pluck out hairs with your fingers or using an ear forceps. Never probe deeper than you can actually see. Otherwise, you could reach the sensitive tympanic membrane and cause serious damage. Put few drops of ear wash on the cotton pad and cotton bud, clean around ear flaps and the openings. Again, do not probe too deep.

 

Nail Trimming

Some pet owners claim that their dogs hate nail trimming. They struggle horribly and it is almost impossible for the owners to trim their nails, so they just give up. Unless your dog runs around on hard surfaces that help keep this nails short, you have to clip them. Nail trimming not only keeps your dog’s feet looking heat, but it also preserves his orthopedic health. Your dog can’t walk or run comfortably if his nails are too long. Take your dog’s paw in one hand, clip off the tip of nail, just above the quick that is, blood vessel in the nail. You must be careful not to cut the 'quick'. Cutting the quick will cause bleeding and painful to your dog. If you do snip into the quick and nail start bleeding, wipe off blood and press a little styptic powder on the end of nail. Apply pressure for a few seconds to stop bleeding. If you really could not do it, take them to a groomer to do the job.

 

Eye Check

Check your dog’s eyes every day. Most dogs occasionally accumulate debris in the corners of their eyes. Wipe down the face with moist, clean cotton. This should be done daily. Apply eye drops if necessary (for breed with tendency towards dry eyes).

If you discover any unusual on your dog, such as flaky skin, sores, redness, hair loss. It could be a sign of his health problem. You may need to address him to a vet. It is fine if you don’t know how to do the bathing, drying, clipping and styling for your dog. You can take your dog to a professional groomer.  

You are responsible for the dog’s health and well-being. Remember that grooming is an important part of owning a dog. Those things that I’ve mentioned above are something you can do yourself to keep your dog well-groomed. Not only it helps to strengthen the relationship between you and your dog, it allows you to discover the health problem of your dog early. So start the regular grooming routine today, you will soon find that your dog will accept it more readily, and will enjoy the time you spend together on the grooming table.