Taking care of your canine means that you need to pay attention to their needs, health, and that and that you do the best of your abilities to make sure they are happy and well taken care of. Grooming is a big part of this process, and here, we are going to help you learn some tips when it comes to dog grooming at home. Keep on reading to find out which are some of the biggest mistakes that you need to avoid, and how to do that.
1. Not brushing the coat regularly
If you want to groom your canine at home, you need to know how to properly do it. One of the biggest mistakes that pet owners make is believing that the coat should be brushed after the dog is bathed. You need to brush the coat regularly and you always have to brush it before you get your dog wet. If you leave any matting or if the fur is longer, when you wet it, there is not going to be any chance for you to properly groom your puppy without causing issues. Make sure that you brush your dog before you bathe them and don’t forget to do it on a weekly basis as well.
2. Going in without any knowledge
We all want the best for our furry friends, but sometimes we just don’t have the needed knowledge to provide them with the best. If you don’t have any experience when it comes to grooming, and if you don’t do excessive research before you test things out, you can easily harm your puppy and you can do far more damage than good. Because of that, it is better to reach out to professionals like riverpaws.dog, and see how the Dog Grooming Madison services can offer the best for your pet, depending on their needs and their breed.
3. Cleaning the inner ear
When we think about cleaning our puppy, we are well aware that the ears have to be cleaned as well. Many pet owners believe that they always have to clean the inner ear of the dog as well and that if they don’t do it, it will somehow harm their pets.
The reality is that if you clean the inner ear, especially if you don’t do it properly, it can easily lead to infections. It is best if you skip this step when you are grooming your canine at home and if you have any concerns about it, it is best to leave it to the professional when you take your canine for professional grooming.
4. Not using the right products
If you choose to bathe your dog at home, you probably know that you need to use a special shampoo that is made for canines. You should never use products that are made for humans. Even if you think that you can use a baby shampoo or something that is made for sensitive skin, it is never going to work for a dog.
If you use the wrong products, you can easily cause matting and flaking, and you can damage your puppy’s skin and fur. Always use shampoos that are made for dogs, and if you can find something that is made for your specific breed, it’s going to be even better. Anything that is not made for dogs is going to do a lot of damage in the long run.
5. Not rinsing the coat properly
After you shampoo your canine, you have to rinse the coat properly. If you don’t pay attention to this part and if you don’t rinse out every bit of the product, you can easily cause dandruff, matting, and even skin flaking. It is better to spend additional 5 or 10 minutes doing this than to cause discomfort for your dog. Know that this is not going to be an easy task, especially if the fur is long, but once you get used to it you will be able to do it in no time.
6. Not drying the coat properly
Another mistake that many pet owners make is not drawing the code properly. This is especially true in the colder season, and you have to make sure that every part of the fur is completely dried. You can use a hair dryer set on the cool setting, and you can help yourself a lot by using proper towels. In case you don’t take all the moisture out, your dog can easily get sick, and it can even develop infections.
7. Grooming in the wrong season
Not every pet owner knows that there is a right and a wrong season to do the whole grooming process. Experts suggest that you should groom your canine in the warmer months, and you should avoid doing this in winter. When it is cold outside, your dog is far more likely to get sick when you take them out for a walk. Avoid any type of bathing when it’s cold outside, and if you have to do it, make sure you keep your puppy indoors for at least a few days after the grooming process.
8. Shaving the dog
When it’s extremely warm outside, and when it’s the peak of summer, many pet owners believe that they are going to help their dogs cool off by shaving them. You should never shave your dog, especially not in the summer. The sun is going to do a lot of harm to their skin, and they are going to burn extremely easily. You cannot just put sunscreen on their skin and hope for the best.
The quote is there for a reason, and they are going to shed if they’re too warm so it’s not up to you to choose to remove all of their coat. Yes, you can groom them and you can remove the excess parts of their quote, however, you should never shave them down to their skin.
Make sure that you always use the proper tools, and that all the clippers are sharp. Use proper protection that is going to help both you and your canine, and if you notice that they seriously dislike the process, don’t force them. It is far better to take your puppy to the groomer and to let the professionals handle it than to risk harming them or even worse, risk being harmed by your furry friend just because you did not know what to do.