Our Guide To Basic Good Grooming.
Giving your loved one a good groom between visits to us is really important, it reduces the likelihood of matting & stress. You can make your grooming session at home something your pooch will look forward to, enjoy & feel relaxed about.
GET UP CLOSE & PERSONAL!!...
Regular grooming provides benefits beyond improving the look of your dog's coat. It removes loose hairs, reduces tangles & assists blood circulation, as well as helps spread the body oils across the coat. Importantly it allows you to spend that extra time with your pet, to check its general condition & help build a stronger bond.
Whilst you are grooming & brushing take time to: run your hands along his ribcage to check if he's/ shes's putting on or losing weight; look out for any lumps or bumps, cuts or grazes which you might not have otherwise noticed. Looks for burrs & seeds which can tangle themselves into the coat & grass seeds in the paws. also look & feel for any signs of stiffness, lameness or discomfort when flexing joints. Weekly teeth cleaning is also important.
Short coated dogs are easier - simply use a rubber slicker, mitt or FURminator to remove dead hair then finish off with a nice conditioning spray.
Inspect paws carefully for sore, cracked pads, any seeds lodged between toes or overgrown nails. Dogs with hairy feet may have uncomfortable balls of mud between the pads - regular careful trimming will prevent this.
Check inside ears for signs of wax, discharge,seeds or any irritation or unpleasant smell. Remove dirt & wax deposits for inside each ear with clean, damp cotton wool or pet wipes. Working from the inside out towards the tip - NEVER probe deeply into the ear!!
Do a quick flea check- just coz you can't see them hoping about, doesn't mean they're not there!!!
Finally clean the teeth - but make sure you use a toothbrush & toothpaste designed for dogs.
Grooming isn't just about using a brush - it's also about using your hands to discover fleas, ticks, grass seeds, lumps & any other 'un-wanteds'
GET UP CLOSE & PERSONAL!!...
Regular grooming provides benefits beyond improving the look of your dog's coat. It removes loose hairs, reduces tangles & assists blood circulation, as well as helps spread the body oils across the coat. Importantly it allows you to spend that extra time with your pet, to check its general condition & help build a stronger bond.
Whilst you are grooming & brushing take time to: run your hands along his ribcage to check if he's/ shes's putting on or losing weight; look out for any lumps or bumps, cuts or grazes which you might not have otherwise noticed. Looks for burrs & seeds which can tangle themselves into the coat & grass seeds in the paws. also look & feel for any signs of stiffness, lameness or discomfort when flexing joints. Weekly teeth cleaning is also important.
- Choose a time to groom your dog when he is relaxed & settled.
- Make sure you have all your tools you need to hand before you start.
- Use the appropriate brushes for your dogs coat type.
- With long shaggy coats, lift the top layer of hair & work your brush through the coat from root to tip.
- If you come across knots - DON'T yank them !! Big knots are easier to deal with if you break them down into smaller ones, then gently tease them out with your fingers. If the knots are really bad, it maybe better to carefully snip them out with blunt-nosed scissors, then remind yourself to groom more often so things don't get so bad!!
Short coated dogs are easier - simply use a rubber slicker, mitt or FURminator to remove dead hair then finish off with a nice conditioning spray.
Inspect paws carefully for sore, cracked pads, any seeds lodged between toes or overgrown nails. Dogs with hairy feet may have uncomfortable balls of mud between the pads - regular careful trimming will prevent this.
Check inside ears for signs of wax, discharge,seeds or any irritation or unpleasant smell. Remove dirt & wax deposits for inside each ear with clean, damp cotton wool or pet wipes. Working from the inside out towards the tip - NEVER probe deeply into the ear!!
Do a quick flea check- just coz you can't see them hoping about, doesn't mean they're not there!!!
Finally clean the teeth - but make sure you use a toothbrush & toothpaste designed for dogs.
Grooming isn't just about using a brush - it's also about using your hands to discover fleas, ticks, grass seeds, lumps & any other 'un-wanteds'