Dogs do not seem to understand that rolling around in puddles and chasing skunks equates to bad doggo. They just want to have their fun, and sometimes, there’s really nothing you can do to stop them. But of course, you’re saddled with the responsibility of keeping them clean. For grooming, some tools you need include:
- A brush, comb, or shedding blade (subject to dog cost type).
- A grooming table with a grooming arm to keep her secure on the table.
- Clipper and blade coolant.
- Grooming shears.
- Grooming clippers (using No. 10 blades to avoid cuts).
- A grinder or nail clippers.
- Styptic powder (in case of nail bleed).
So, for the times you cannot visit a professional groomer or you want to DIY, here are the major areas of grooming and how to get your ‘groom’ on.
Brushing and Bathing
You would need to create a routine, and you can start by brushing your dog for a few minutes at different times during the week. Whether or not you would be proceeding to a proper bath, brushing down is important because it gets rid of most of the heavy dirt. Get your dog used to being brushed while she’s standing and for baths, high-quality dog shampoo should be used.
Haircut!
After a brush-down and a bath, you might want to do some trimming. If you’re using a pair of scissors, you would have to be extra careful, but ideally, professional clippers or shears are recommended. A grooming table also makes the process seamless and before the trim, ensure that your pup is dry and clean. Use the tips of the shears to prevent injury and for matted hair, use a clipper instead.
Shaving!
A spot without distractions, a dry, clean dog, and a sharp blade are the players here. Starting around the neck is recommended with the blade kept flat against the skin. Exercise caution around thin skin like the hocks (thigh and hip), underarms, and joints. A No. 10 blade is ideal for this and you should check the blades as they tend to heat up and burn the skin. If you’re not confident of your shaving abilities, don’t wing it. You don’t want your pet left with cuts.
Trimming Nails
First off, you need to get your pet used to the sound of the nail grinder or clippers. As a rule of thumb, white nails should be clipped until you see ‘the quick’ (usually pink), and black nails should be clipped gradually until a black dot appears at the tip. Clipping action should be done slowly, but with the clip closing fast, and dull clippers should be avoided as they can cause splitting and chipping. While using the grinder, make sure you stop before ‘the quick’. Mistakenly clipped the quick? Dab on some styptic powder to stop bleeding.
And there you have it, your pet is all groomed and ready to take on the world!
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