Wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to pay to get your dog groomed? Whether you have a short-haired dog or a long-haired dog, there are a few basics to follow when doing dog grooming at home. I will give you basic tips for caring for dogs of all breeds so that you can save money and time learning how to groom your dog at home. Then I’ll show you specific details for short and long-coated dogs.
So here we go.
Tip No. 1 for grooming dogs of all breeds: handling and grooming
It is certainly cheaper to groom your dog at home than to go to a groomer. Here are the basics. First, to keep your dog from flying out of the tub, he must understand and obey commands to stand, sit, and stay.
And hopefully you’ve been handling your dog since he was a puppy. If you’ve been playing with your dog and letting others handle it, it’s much less likely to cause problems when it’s time to cut it up.
Your personal grooming kit
Ideally, when it comes to cutting hair, trimming nails, cleaning teeth and gums, you should use a non-slip mat and let your dog stand on a table so that you do not strain from having to bend over a lot so you don’t have than to hold the dog too much.
Your kit should contain scissors or clippers, combs, and brushes.
Tip No. # 2 for grooming dogs of all breeds: bathing
I cover this in more detail in another post, but you basically need a bathtub that is suitable for the size of your dog. Fill it with lukewarm water. If your dog doesn’t like being put in the water, keep a bucket of warm water handy.
Now, get your non-slip mat, a plastic jug, a towel or hair dryer (depending on the dog’s coat), and canine shampoo. There are many types of shampoos on the market. For example, if your dog has fleas and ticks, get a shampoo for that. If your dog has a skin condition, get a shampoo that provides relief.
Soaping up
Now is the time to pour the warm water over your dog until it is completely saturated. Or, if you’re putting it in the tub, put the non-slip mat on it. To avoid getting soapy water in your ears, you can use a cotton ball.
Mix 15-20 ml of shampoo in the jug of water. Start lathering it up. Avoid putting soap on your face for now. Make a good lather on the dog’s body. Then move carefully to his face.
Be careful to avoid your eyes and your mouth. Better yet, use a sponge on your dog’s face. You can also use the sponge to clean under your dog’s tail. Due to fecal matter, bacteria often spread in this area and can cause infections.
Time to rinse
Now rinse and dry your dog’s head first with the towel before rinsing the rest of his body. The total amount of time to rinse should take approximately 3 minutes of rinse for short-haired dogs and 5 minutes of rinse for long-haired dogs.
When drying the rest of your dog, be careful not to irritate your dog’s skin by setting the dryer on high heat. In fact, you should start small to be sure.
Make sure to praise your dog during the process.
Grooming advice for dogs of all breeds n. 3: cut your hair
When trimming your dog, scissors are preferred over scissors. The advantage of using razors instead of scissors is that with a razor, you can cut your dog’s hair to the specific length easily because the razors have snap-fit accessories of different lengths.
For excellent trimming results, follow these tips:
- Use the head of the razor flat on your dog’s coat.
- Move the razor in the same direction as the grain of the dog’s hair
- Don’t accidentally drive the scissors into your dog’s skin. Use a light hand.
- Take special care around the neck and facial areas.
- Don’t use the razor on your dog’s anal muscle. The anal muscle is extremely sensitive. Use scissors in this area if you need to remove excess hair.
- For hard-to-reach areas, use scissors.
Grooming advice for dogs of all breeds n. # 4: clean your dog’s face
Gently rub your puppy’s eyes with a damp cotton ball to clean up any residue. Do not put it directly in your dog’s eyes. Clean around and on top of the lid.
Ear cleaning
Next, hold your dog’s head forward and hold one of your dog’s ears open and gently wipe it with a new, clean, damp cotton ball. If you have a Sharpei or some other dog with folds on its face, be sure to clean the folds weekly with a cotton ball. Don’t push the cotton too deep into the dog’s ear. When you’re done, do it with the other ear.
Grooming advice for dogs of all breeds n. 5: nail trimming
Trimming your dog’s nails requires extreme care. So you can ask your vet to do it, or you can do it yourself, but you will have to be extremely careful. Here are some tips to help you cut your dog’s nails without problems:
- Buy a good pair of solid scissors and a muzzle. Flimsy clippers break too easily. As for the muzzle, your dog may bite on it the first few times before getting used to the process.
- It’s best to have started trimming your dog’s nails when he was a puppy. But if it’s too late, start playing with your dog’s paws gently so he doesn’t panic when he tries to use the razor.
- The first few times you trim your nails, just trim a little bit to get you used to the process.
- Try to trim your nails every six to ten weeks. If your dog goes out a lot, the pavement actually keeps the nails at a decent length. But if your dog is staying indoors, he will need to be trimmed every 4-6 weeks.
- DO NOT cut the live part of the nail. Your dog will be in agony! The live part is worn, you see that the nail begins to turn pink. You can also distinguish the live part by the different texture and color of your nails.
- Don’t forget to trim the pointed end of the claw (which is the dog’s thumb).
- When in doubt, you can always ask your vet or groomer to show you how to trim your dog’s nails.
Grooming advice for dogs of all breeds n. 6: soft coats and short coats
For soft, short-coated dogs like Jack Russell Terriers, you will need a rubber brush, a bristle brush, and a chamois. Brush against the grain of your dog’s hair. To remove large materials or foreign debris, first use the rubber brush.
Then use the bristle brush to remove the smallest particles of dirt and hair. Lastly, you will use the suede to give your dog a bright shine.
In order for your dog to look flawless, you should do this type of grooming every 3 to 4 days.
Grooming advice for dogs of all breeds n. 7: long-haired dogs
Dogs such as Collies and Shetland Sheepdogs should be cared for at least twice a week. If you wait too long, when it’s time to groom yourself, your hair will be matted and difficult to work with.
You will need to:
1. A more polished brush
2. Bristle brush
3. Wide tooth comb
The most polished brush should be used daily so your dog’s hair doesn’t tangle or tangle. Then use a paintbrush to go even deeper into your dog’s fur. However, do not pull on your dog’s hair. Make sure to pay attention to detangling the hair from under your dog’s legs. This area is very sensitive and is often overlooked.
Then use the wide tooth comb to remove the last traces of hair. To finish the coat, use a fine tooth comb. Trim any overly long hair around their hocks and feet. These areas are more likely to have foreign objects trapped in them, such as mud, dirt, and pebbles.