Talking With Pet Doctors

Groom Your Dog Properly: 3 Tips

by Christy Adams

Your dog should be groomed in order to keep its skin and fur healthy. Grooming will help keep its paws healthy and to ensure its overall health and well-being. If you aren't bathing your dog, there could be a lot of dirt on the skin or your dog could have dry skin, which is going to cause it to itch. If you aren't trimming your dog's nails, it may walk differently and it can lead to hip or leg issues. Grooming your pet is something every pet owner needs to do. Read on for some grooming tips to take good care of your dog.

1. Brush

You need to brush your dog often, especially if it has long fur. Longer fur could get tangled and have mats in it, which can be itchy. Even if they have short hair, it needs to be brushed, as the dead fur can lead to a lot of shedding. Brushing your dog can help to make it more comfortable and prevent dry skin and other issues. Brush their fur with a canine brush and do this grooming task at least once per week. For longer fur, you may want to consider a grooming tool to help remove the undercoat.

2. Bathe

Give your dog a bath at least once per month. Bathing too often can result in drying out your dog's skin. Only use a shampoo made for canines. Don't use human shampoo, as it can be harmful to canines. It can also cause their skin to dry out, or it could cause other types of skin irritation. Bathing will help to clear up odors, and to remove dirt and dander from your pet.

3. Trim Nails

Trimming your dog's nails is very important in grooming. If left too long, they can break, which can be painful for them. Trim its nails monthly at a groomer or at your veterinarian clinic. If you attempt to trim your dog's nails yourself, be sure to use canine nail trimmers. These are specially designed to clip through the tough nails but will help to guide you to clip them properly. The nails should be trimmed down and at an angle so that the front of the nail is longer than the back of the nail. Don't trim them too short, or they could bleed. If you do cause bleeding, you can use a combination of cornstarch and water to create a paste to stop the bleeding.

If you aren't grooming your pet, they may be left feeling uncomfortable, have odors, skin irritation, or have other health concerns. Take your dog to the groomer to be groomed properly every single month to ensure it is as healthy as possible.

For more information on pet grooming, contact a professional near you.

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