Dog Grooming And The Reason Why Your Dog Needs It

By admin at April 24, 2012 | 10:23 am | Print

Pure love and a healthy diet aren’t enough to keep your dog in top condition. Grooming is as important to your dog’s overall health and a sure-fire way to keep him happy. Dog grooming isn’t about strange haircuts and fancy dress outfits that you may often observe at a dog show. Neither is it only exclusively for show dogs. Every breed needs regular grooming although the intensity, frequency and techniques differ for short haired and long haired breeds. The major objective of dog grooming is to ensure that your dog remains clean, healthy, and free from any skin and ear diseases. In addition, it does much as a confidence booster while your dog is sure to remain as active as ever.

What lies beneath?

For short haired breeds, a regular bath and inspection of the ears, eyes, teeth, nails, and tail are the essential elements of grooming. However, long haired breeds need much closer attention with regular brushing and haircuts. A dog with long hair is much more difficult to keep clean and free from ticks and fleas which find a great hiding ground under the coat. There may also be injuries that could be difficult to spot. Therefore, it is always advisable, no matter what breed you may have, to groom him frequently, which includes a few trips to a professional dog groomer as well.

Avoid medical problems

Every time your dog is groomed you reduce the potential of the development of any skin infections and other ailments. This is the time to examine for injuries and determine an appropriate course of treatment. Very often, a long haired dog could end up suffering with a skin disease in the absence of regular grooming. In addition, there is always the danger of ticks and fleas transmitting diseases to humans as well. Ringworm can affect your dog’s skin and hair. Besides, it is also contagious and easily spreads to humans.

Grooming a short-haired breed

Regular baths with a shampoo and conditioner ought to be an integral part of your grooming sessions. A soft brush is ideal for grooming a dog with short hair. Let your dog lie down during the process will allow him to relax. They are smart enough to learn the therapeutic benefits of being brushed as well. Make sure the ears are clean while there is no dirt around the tail area. Examine the eyes and remove any matter with cotton. If there are signs of trouble you may want to contact your veterinarian. In addition, check for yellow and cracked teeth that could be signs of tooth decay, which may warrant a trip to the vet.

Grooming long-haired breeds

Long haired dogs can be brushed the same way as their short-haired counterparts although there are special brushes available with longer pins bent at an angle to comb through long hair. There are also combs designed to remove knots and tangles. Just make sure to brush gently.

The case for a professional dog grooming service

As a dog owner, you may definitely not mind a few professional grooming sessions for your dog. There is much that your dog can benefit from being handled by a professional groomer. There may be aspects of grooming that you may tend to ignore especially when it comes to cleaning the ears and clipping the hair and nails. There are many certified dog groomers that offer full services to keep your dog healthy and shining all through the year.

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