Dog Grooming
Your dogs need some grooming upkeep if they're going to look their best. They need grooming if they're going to stay healthy. And they need grooming if they're going to keep your house clean. All in all, you better keep those pooches pristine if you know what's good for you and your whole human/canine hybrid family.
Unless you plan on taking them to the groomers multiple times a month (It ''has'' been done) you're going to have to brush hair and teeth, bathe, and clip the hair and nails of your doggies. Read on to learn what to buy and a bit of what to do.
Make sure to get grooming equipment compatible with your breeds of dogs. A short-haired toy poodle has entirely different needs than a rottweiler or a newfoundland.
Brushing Hair
You should brush your dogs at least once a week. This keeps their coats beautiful and is a great bonding activity. The type of brushing you do is not dependent on the size of your dog, but rather on its coat. Short hair, long hair, curly hair, fluffy hair all get different treatments. Not sure how to go about brushing your dog? Ask your vet or groomer.
!
!According to
Canis Major, "A basic home grooming kit for a longbased conditioner that is applied before brushing or combing the coat. The mat comb has long teeth that are inserted into the mat, and then rocked in a sawing motion to loosen the hairs.
!"A kit for mediumcoated dogs."
Bathing Body
Unless your dogs get super messy, you needn't bathe them more than once a month. Brush them first, block their ears with cotton balls, keep their eyes free of suds, and have fun. Once you've managed to calm them and get them safely in a tub of their sizing, wash them down with warm water (garden or sink hose, depending on the size) lather them up, and wash them off. If you're calm and safe, they'll learn to like this activity as much as anything else. Remember, praise them immediately after doing something great and try not to react too strongly to negative behavior.
One thing you should keep in mind, is that some dogs are afraid of enclosed spaces. For example, if your tub has shower doors rather than curtains, it's likely your pooch will feel trapped and panic. If it's warm out, try using a
gardenhose pool'>kiddie pool is the easiest method, if you have one around.
If you're bathing them often, use an
general wipes. These can put off the need to bathe your dog, but not replace it. Eventually, you'll need to give your doggie a good scrub down.
Nails
Nails should be cut once a month, and gently. If your dogs resist, try cutting one nail per day until they're all finished. But if you're calm and gentle, you could get along perfectly well during this process. The only exception for nail-trimming are dogs that spend the majority of their time outside. If they're out there enough, the pavement may wear down their nails naturally. Next time you bring your pet to the vet, ask the doctor if your pets nails need some additional trimming.
Teeth
Your dogs will need their teeth brushed at least twice a week. Try to brush more often if they eat a lot of
wet food. They might need a vet to brush their teeth too, especially if you're not so good at it.
