Keep Your Dog Healthy and Beautiful with Proper Grooming

Caring for your dog’s coat is an essential part of pet ownership. If you’re giving your dog the right vitamins and nutrients, the fur will most likely be strong, thick, and glossy.

However, a dog can’t look his or her best without grooming. Very few breeds require no grooming at all, and many owners overlook this duty. In doing so, they miss out on the opportunity to have a handsome dog that radiates health and vitality.

Coat care

Every spring, animals of all kinds shed their winter coat in favor of a lighter, cooler summer pelt. If left to fall off by itself, the shed hairs can clump together in mats, which makes a dog uncomfortable, hot, and unattractive. Even if matted hair doesn’t result, house dogs often cover couches, chairs, and their favorite spots on the rug with a thick layer of their own fur, especially in the spring.

To keep this from happening, brush the loose hair from your dog’s body regularly with a grooming brush. Follow the grain of the hair.

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Not only will this keep your dog’s coat neat, but it will also keep your house cleaner. Most dogs love it when their owners groom them, so it will be a special bonding time for the two of you.

For many dogs, trimming the fur with a pair of electric clippers is also necessary at least once a year. Some dog owners opt for the easy option and pay a professional dog groomer, but if you feel confident, try it yourself.

According to “Small Dog Grooming Tips,” at sheknows.com, you can save a great deal of money by clipping your pet at home. Most clippers come with specific instructions, but if you need extra help, you can find more information at many clipper manufacturers’ websites.

Nail care

To keep from injuring people and scratching floors, most dogs need their nails trimmed. This is a relatively simple task that can be handled at home with proper instruction.

According to the instructions on the ASPCA website, the main thing to watch out for is cutting the quick. If you cut the nail too short, it will hurt your dog and make the nail bleed. To avoid this, cut slowly and pay close attention to the location of the quick.

Skin problems

Grooming can be complicated by skin problems. The most common one for dogs is dry skin. A dog with dry skin will be constantly scratching and flaking. Sometimes, the dog will scratch a dry patch so much that he or she scrapes off fur.

If your dog has dry skin, there are inexpensive solutions you can try at home such as wild salmon oil and coconut oil. In the article “5 Solutions for Dry Skin in Dogs,” the author recommends feeding your dog foods that contain plenty of healthy fats to treat dry skin from the inside out.

Relieving dry skin will make your dog much more comfortable, as well as leave your pet with an oiled, sleek coat.

These tasks are quick and easy, but they pay off in the long run. Looking after your dog’s coat is a big step you can take to ensure a happier, healthier, and handsomer canine friend.