Grooming Your Dog at Home
Grooming your dog at home is not as complicated as it seems, although it will take a bit of time and effort to get your dog comfortable with it. The difficulty of the process will depend on whether its coat is long or short, wavy or straight. Many dogs need a haircut frequently, as it can sometimes cover their eyes and prevent them from seeing or it can create knots that are very difficult to undo.
In this post, we will teach you some tricks to groom your dog easily and quickly. Before starting, you may also want to talk with a pet expert to make sure you’re using the appropriate tools and products for your dog’s coat. Tools and products such as the type of shampoo, clippers, comb, brush or shedding blade.
Dog Coat Types
Before starting to groom your dog, you should know what type of coat it has, since the care of it will vary depending on what type it is. Usually, we can find 4 types of dog coats, these are:
- Hard coat. It is the one that Westies or Schnauzers have, for example. It is characterized by exceeding 10 cm in length and having a harder and more rigid texture. In this case, we must work with electric razors and not use softeners or oils.
- Curly coat. It is characteristic of poodles and water dogs, among others, and requires a special moisturizing type shampoo. The cut must be made with scissors in certain areas and with a razor in others.
- Short coat. It is typical of breeds such as the boxer or the pit bull and does not need any cut, except for specimens with medium-long hair, which are rare. To do this, we can go over some areas with the razor to even out the fur. We will not use softeners or oils.
- Long coat. We can relate it to Yorkshires or Pomeranians. Long coats require a softener and a haircut with scissors.
Steps and Tips to Groom Your Dog at Home
1. Bathe and Brush Your Dog
Before you can give your dog a haircut, it needs to be clean. For this reason, it is recommended to bathe your dog prior to grooming. However, take into consideration that it is not good for dogs to be bathed too much, you can check here how often you should bathe your dog.
Regular brushing is the key to keeping your dog clean. In addition, it removes knots and tangles, this way you will clearly identify the volume to reduce and the uneven areas. As stated before, use the right brush for your dog’s coat and area of the body.
2. Cut Your Dog’s Hair
Once your dog is clean, find a quiet spot free of distractions and place it on a place where you can work comfortably, usually a table.
In general, it is recommended to cut the dog's hair dry to facilitate, later, the drying of the coat. Especially if the cut is done with a clipper, it is important to take this point into account and review the necessary areas after the bath.
The first areas to trim the dog's coat should be the back and hind legs. Then, you will repeat the process on the neck, chest, front legs and belly. Look at the areas that have more fur, as these are the ones that you should trim first with the help of scissors. If you are going to match the length with the clipper, it does not matter if it is uneven at this point.
Once you have reduced the volume of the fur you can use the clipper, always in the direction of the fur. Be gentle and don't apply too much pressure to avoid shears. If, on the other hand, the trimming of your dog is going to be only with scissors, help yourself with your fingers and a suitable comb to take the measurements of the different areas.
You should not forget facial hair, and there are specific tools for this delicate task, such as adhesive bandages to hold bangs and ears. The hairs that are around the eyes can cause discomfort and they also need to be trimmed because, sometimes, when they get inside the eye they cause constant tearing.
Of course, when trimming the hair on the dog's face it is essential to take special care with the whiskers, which are those longer and harder hairs located in different areas, such as on the chin, the snout or the eyebrows. These hairs allow dogs to measure distances, perceive information about temperature or protect the eyes from foreign bodies. Therefore, they should never be cut.
Hair also grows between the toes of the dog's paws and must be trimmed to prevent dirt buildup. This area is especially sensitive and dogs tend to move restlessly when we are in the process, for this reason we recommend caution and care. This could be a good moment to cut its nails too.
Now you can rinse your dog to remove loose hairs that may have been left on their body. A lot of people prefer to only brush their dog prior to grooming and bathe it afterwards. Make sure you dry your dog properly.
Take your time, it is preferable to go little by little, carefully selecting the areas in detail so as not to harm the dog or leave parts longer than others. In addition, if you are relaxed, you will favor the tranquility of your dog and the final result will be better.
If in the process you see any ticks, check this article on How to Remove a Tick from Your Dog Safely.