April 20, 2020

Shop Team K9

If you want your dog to stay clean, healthy, and comfortable, then you need to groom them regularly. Clipping their nails, cleaning around their eyes, and trimming their coat helps to remove all the bad stuff like dead hair and dirt. With many dog grooming businesses closed, it’s a great time to learn how to groom your dog from home. Yes, it can be more time consuming but in the long run it can save you money and become a brilliant ritual to bond with your furry friend. So here are 5 important steps to grooming your dog at home that you should learn.

1. Brush your dog’s coat

Brushing your dog’s coat a little bit, but often can make a huge difference. This will help your dog’s coat stay free of mats if they are prone to them. It will also remove dead hair, skin, and dirt. Now that it’s Spring, if your dog has pollen in their coat when you get back from a walk, it can be easily removed with a quick brush. Slicker brushes work the best.

2. Bathe your dog

Regularly bathing your dog will make sure their coat is kept clean. Before you bathe them, make sure to brush their coat to get rid of knots. If you get their coat wet without brushing, it will often lead to further matting of their coat. You should be bathing your dog regularly anyway, but we thought we’d remind you.

3. Clean your dog’s eyes

Dogs often get eye crust. If they’re getting some build-up of discharge around their eyes, don’t try to trim it. Instead, use a small, moist piece of cotton or towel to wipe off the corner of their eye in a gentle downwards motion. Doing this should remove or loosen any discharge around the eye. If this is done daily, it can prevent any build-up from occurring.

4. Clip your dog’s nails

Try to check your dog’s nails as often as you can. Normally, dogs will wear down their nails by themselves by going on walks, but this isn’t always the case. Ideally, dogs’ nails need to be trimmed every three to six weeks depending on how fast their nails grow. An easy way to check and see if their nails need trimming is to look at them when they’re standing straight. Their nails should not touch the floor. If they are, then they may need trimming. Ideally, this should be left to your vet or groomer, but if you’re practiced up we encourage you to trim your dog’s nails.

5. Give your dog treats

Grooming can be turned into bonding time with your dog, using treats and rewards. After you’re done giving your dog a bath or trimming their nails, try giving them a treat for their good behavior. They will probably enjoy it and look forward to it the next time.

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