Grooming is often associated with keeping a dog looking good and smelling clean. But it has many more benefits than that.
For example, brushing your dog’s long fur helps them to ventilate their coat and removes dead hair, dirt and dandruff. It also allows you to spot tangles early and prevent them from turning into painful mats.
Keeping Your Home Clean
The frequency of grooming varies depending on the coat type but is important for all dogs. Grooming helps to keep your pet clean and healthy and also makes it easier for you to spot potential problems early.
It’s best to get your dog used to grooming from a young age so they become comfortable with the process, whether you bathe them at home or go to a professional groomer pet shops. This will make it easier for them to accept physical examinations by vets too.
Preventing Fleas
The best way to prevent fleas is to use a veterinary-approved flea prevention product. These include shampoos, collars, and sprays.
In addition, mowing the lawn regularly and removing brush clippings from your yard can alleviate places for fleas to hide and breed. In extreme cases, a nuisance wildlife or pest control professional may need to be called in to remove feral animals that harbor fleas such as raccoons, opossums, and skunks.
Preventing Dental Issues
Dogs need to brush their teeth to prevent bad breath, tartar accumulation and other dental issues. These can lead to bacterial infections, loss of appetite and even heart disease.
Brushing also provides a good time to check your dog for lumps and bumps and other skin conditions. By talking to your dog in soothing tones and offering them a treat, you can turn grooming into a positive bonding experience.
Preventing Skin Issues
Grooming a dog gives you or your groomer a chance to run your fingers through their coat and feel for any unusual lumps. It also gives you the chance to check for matting, sores or any evidence of parasitic infestation.
Dry skin can be a real issue for dogs, and is often due to medical or environmental causes. However, regular grooming along with bathing using a moisturizing shampoo can help alleviate the problem.
Preventing Nails Issues
A dog’s nails can cause bone deformities, bad posture and arthritis if left untrimmed. Nails that are too long can also prevent a dog from walking properly and create pressure on other parts of the body.
Grooming a dog on a regular basis can help to distribute the natural oils that are produced in a dogs’ skin and coat. This makes their coat appear shinier and healthy. Grooming can also reveal any lumps or injuries that are not easily visible.
Preventing Ear Issues
For long-haired dogs, grooming them regularly can help prevent ear issues such as infection. Ear infections are painful and uncomfortable for your dog.
Grooming your pet on a regular basis also helps prevent the development of large mats that can pull on their skin and cause pain. These types of mats are very expensive for groomers to remove.
Ultimately, grooming your dog not only makes them feel good but it can help build trust and confidence in you as the owner. This can make future grooming tasks, such as baths and nail clipping, less scary for both of you in the long run.
Preventing Eye Issues
Regular grooming can help prevent eye issues by allowing you to check for signs of problems such as redness, discharge, or squinting. You can also trim hair around the eyes that is obscuring vision using blunt-nosed safety scissors, taking care not to touch the eyes.
A good grooming routine should include flushing your dog’s eyes with a tear-free solution designed for dogs. Also, be sure to use a lubricant ointment on the area under your dog’s eyes to keep them moistened.
Preventing Hair Issues
Long-haired dogs need to be brushed every day, or at least twice a day. This prevents deep tangles that can pull on the skin, cause irritation and even lead to infections.
If your dog won’t stand still during grooming, ask a friend to help or consider natural calming supplements. Be patient, and your pet will learn to associate grooming with positive rewards.
Grooming also gives you a chance to inspect your pet for health issues, such as cysts or bad skin conditions that can be difficult to see.
Preventing Allergies
Regular grooming can help prevent allergy issues in your pet. Bathing with allergen-reducing shampoos can reduce dander, which is a major trigger for allergies in dogs. Brushing their coats with a suitable brush (pin brushes for long fur, bristle brushes for medium length hair and a shedding blade for thick, wiry coats) and trimming nails can also help.
While it’s impossible to eliminate all allergy-causing irritants, keeping up with grooming and regularly cleaning their ears and eyes can greatly ease allergic reactions. Adding Omega 3 EPA & DHA supplements and coconut oil to your dog’s diet may also help.
