Dog Grooming Products

Is it easy to groom your own dog?

Unless you are a professional dog groomer, it is not advisable to use clippers or shears on dogs at home. Luckily, grooming your dog is more than just trimming your dogs’ fur, it is ensuring their overall skin, ear and dental health as well.

Having the right tools to groom your dog at home, makes dog grooming easy and fun. It is a great bonding activity for you and your pup. After all, who doesn’t love a good spa day.

How do you groom a dog for beginners?

We don’t always have the time in our busy schedules to take our dog to the groomers. Sometimes, it can be hard to get an appointment to get your dog groomed. But, with the right grooming products and patients, you can do it at home!

Nails

Nails are the first place to start when grooming your dog. Most local pet stores carry nail clippers. Dogs need their nails trimmed more often than you would think. It is advisable to trim your dogs nails every six weeks. Be careful when trimming your dogs nails the first time. It takes some practice because dogs nails contain blood vessels. If you accidentally hit a blood vessel, rest assured to stop the bleeding by putting some cornstarch on the cut with a q-tip to stop the bleeding.

Brush and detangle

Brushing your dog prior to bathing and trimming is essential to help the next two steps run smoothly. Find a brush with thin grooming bristles. These are safe to be used on all coat types. For knots or matting that is hard to brush out, using your fingers to gently break apart the knot will be less painful because you will not be tugging at their fur and that can be harmful to dogs skin.

Bathe your dog

Not every dog shampoo works on every fur type, just like not every human shampoo works on every hair type. Finding the right shampoo for your dog is essential. For example, some dogs cannot tolerate shampoo with perfumes in it because of their skin allergies. Dogs who are prone to allergies are best using oatmeal enriched shampoo. Some dogs are more prone to fleas and ticks. There are types of shampoos that are made to act as a natural flea repellent. Finding the perfect shampoo for your dog will help them past bath time. Don’t worry about bathing them too frequently. It is recommended that dogs only receive a bath once a month. However you can bathe your dog once every other week too. Too frequent bathing can cause your dogs skin to become too dry.

Trim your dogs fur

The areas that are important to trim are your dogs ears and face. Shaping your dogs fur with shears or scissors and trimming around the eyes and ears will help reduce the possibility of infection and odors. With practice, if you are comfortable using electric clippers you can use those as well to trim your dogs fur instead. Also, using ear and eye wipes are great to use after trimming. Ear and eye wipes help remove built up dirt from around the eyes. They also help clean your pets ears from wax build up and discharge. If ears are not cleaned it can increase the possibilities of ear infections.

Brush your dogs teeth

Teeth brushing can be intimidating for pet owners to do with their dogs. Fortunately, It is a lot easier to do than we think. Many pet stores carry toothbrushes and toothpaste for dogs. Look for a tooth brush that is double headed so it will clean the back and front of teeth at the same time. If your dog doesn’t tolerate teeth brushing, trying dental wipes may be a great option.

Dental wipes help break down the buildup of tartar, plaque and bad breath. It is suggested you brush your dogs teeth twice daily but this is important to also do during grooming as well.

How do you groom a difficult dog at home?

Grooming your dog at home is a learning experience for both you and your pup. However, once your dog gets used to being groomed at home, it will be a great bonding experience for both of you. Starting slow will help your pup get used to grooming. Start with simple brushes and maybe a bath at first before moving onto clippers. Dogs are often scared of the buzzing noise found in the hair clippers. They are also nervous when they get their nails trimmed.

Taking your time and letting the dog get used to the grooming tools used will help your pup get more comfortable. Also, consider using Hemp oil to help calm your dog before the process. Giving your dog hemp oil an hour before grooming will ensure that the dog has all the calming benefits of hemp oil. Hemp oil acts as an anti anxiety medication.

How do you groom a dog without a grooming table?

A grooming table provides great benefits because you can tie the dog up with a harness. Grooming tables also provide an elevated workspace for you to groom your dog without needing to bend over. However, there are quite a bit of elevated spaces in your own home.

A counter or a table is good. Be sure to keep your tools close so you don’t need to walk away from your dog. Also, bare in mind your dog is not restrained so he/she could move around or even jump off the table. If your dog wont stay put, consider confining them to a small space such as a bathroom floor. That way your dog can move around but not leave the space.

What do professional dog groomers use to wash dogs?

Dog shampoos aren’t one size fit all. Like humans, not all dogs benefit from the same dog shampoo and moisturizer. This is because all dogs’ fur and skin are unique. Some dogs have skin allergies and cannot tolerate fragrances. Some dogs are more prone to fleas and ticks and want a shampoo tailored to meet their needs.

Dog groomers suggest to avoid these ingredients when selecting a dog shampoo for your pup:

• Bronopol
• DMDM or DHDH hydantoin
• Sodium hydroxymethylglycinate
• Parabens
• Isothiazolinone

What are the 7 steps of grooming a dog?

1. Gather your tools
2. Detangle and brush
3. Bathe
4. Trim nails
5. Clip or trim dogs coat
6. Clean Ears with ear wipes to remove wax
7. Brush dogs teeth

How do groomers keep dogs still?

Groomers are equipped with quite a bit of tools to ensure the dog does not move during grooming. Keeping a dog still during the grooming process is essential because if a dog moves, it could cause injury if they get nicked with scissors or clippers. Also, a dog that moves too much can make grooming difficult and time consuming.

Dog groomers use non slip padding so the dogs do not slide around on the table. After all, dogs’ paws are slippery.

Dog groomers also use a grooming noose attached to the grooming table. The word itself sounds a lot more intimidating than it actually is. It is a leash that is looped to create a circle. The loop is attached to a tall metal bar shaped as an upside down L. The noose has a cushioned covering that does not rub or damage the dogs fur.

Dog groomers also use a peaceful voice when talking to the dog during grooming. Dogs can become nervous when they get groomed, so it is important to create a calming environment for them. Some groomers also will use essential oil diffusers to help calm the dog to help the dog remain still.

Lastly, dog groomers will suggest Hemp oil for those pups who are scared of grooming. This will help calm the dogs anxiety to allow them to remain still and comfortable during the grooming process.