At-home grooming

This month, we needed more home grooming for our dog, Poppy, because she had to go five weeks instead of four between professional grooming sessions. Part of our job as companion animal guardians is ensuring our animals receive the grooming they need.

Poppy has a regular morning grooming session with Ed, who cleans her feet, checks her ears, medicates specific areas as directed by her dermatologist, and brushes her teeth. She also has a nightly toothbrushing before bed.

Poppy has a Sunday appointment with Penny each week for a grooming check and brushing. If we keep up with her double coat, we avoid mats between professional spa days. Penny uses a stripping comb to keep her hard outer coat in good condition rather than have our groomer shave it. That coat protects her from rain and cold and makes it easier to remove dirt.

With the current tick situation in our area, we recommend a check for ticks after every walk. Ed found one tick in Poppy’s ear this season while he was doing his morning checks.

Different Dog, Different Needs

Grooming needs differ by breed. Long-haired dogs like Golden Retrievers, Sheepdogs, and Spaniels will take a bit more time to brush. We see people who do daily brushing in the park and watch birds that love to pick up dog hair to make nests.

Vizslas, Boxers, Labrador Retrievers, and other short-haired breeds may be touted as needing less coat maintenance. But a good routine of regular brushing will help control shedding and distribute the natural oils throughout the coat for that glow of good health.

When you groom at home, take steps that help your dog feel safe, secure, and less stressed while you work. Use a non-slip mat instead of a slippery surface to bring the pet to an easy working level. Consider offering a lick mat with a favorite treat like peanut butter or cheese to distract a stressed pup.

Baths

As long as your dog has not had an encounter with a skunk, rolled in goose poop, or dug up a mud puddle, most baths are done on a scheduled basis. Use dog shampoo and use as little as possible. We dilute our dog shampoo with warm water in a spray bottle to make it easy to cover each area with a light but ample supply of suds.

If you want to do this at home, consider purchasing a spray hose you can connect to your bathtub fill spout. This will make it easier for you to rinse, rinse, rinse.

In their step-by-step bathing instructions, Chewy asks, “Think your dog is completely rinsed? Go ahead and rinse them some more. No, really. Dog fur is great at hiding pockets of soap, and if you don’t rinse it off now, it could cause skin problems ranging from flakiness to irritation to infections. Use your hands to feel around your whole dog to find soapy spots you can’t see, especially around the belly, under the armpits, and genitals.”

Side Benefits to Grooming

Grooming activities can help you and your dog bond. If you make it a gentle, pleasant experience, it can relax you both. Methodically stroking, brushing, and combing a pet will not only improve their fur, but will also let you discover any lumps, bumps, or other abnormalities. You can check ears for debris and any off smells and give your pal a quick check-up.

Don’t think of grooming as an hour-long task you dread, but rather as a part of the daily routine for you and your dog or cat.