17 Easy Tips for How to Groom a Dog at Home
We know, we know — the last thing you want to do at the end of a long day is groom your dog, but it’s so important to make sure you regularly bathe and groom your dog. From consistently brushing your furry friend to deshedding your pup to make sure their hair doesn’t get everywhere, we’ve come up with a helpful list of 17 easy tips for grooming your dog at home.
PREVENTATIVE TIPS FOR SHEDDING
The best kind of care is preventative care. While you can’t totally stop your dog from shedding unless they’re actually a hairless dog, you can take some preventative measures to reduce the amount that they shed. That means spending a little extra time with your dog friend by grooming them with a pet hair removal tool. Keep reading for more preventative tips for shedding.
1. Find Out If Your Dog Is Sick or Pregnant — While it’s best to ask for your vet’s opinion to be sure, excess shedding could be a sign that your dog is ill. Their illness, if any, may manifest in different ways and varies from dog to dog. It could even be something like they’re stressed out, or they just have general skin irritation. Talk to your vet for more guidance so they can help determine if your dog is shedding as often as they should be or simply too much.
2. It Could Be Allergies or a Reaction — If it looks like your dog is shedding too much, it could be a result of an allergic reaction. Perhaps it’s something they ate. Maybe they’ve been napping in their dog bed that hasn’t been washed for a while. If that’s the case, be sure to also regularly clean the area where your dog has been sleeping. In addition to using a portable pet hair remover tool on your dog for brushing their hair, you can use it to remove excess fur from their dog bed and other furniture around your home.
3. Know That Shedding Is Natural — It’s frustrating to have to continually groom your dog. It’s even more frustrating when you have to clean up after all their fur. We love our furry friends, but we don’t love it when they’re shedding all over the place. While it’s an annoying task and simply part of pet parent life, keep in mind that shedding is natural. It’s a good sign that your dog is shedding their fur. It means that they’re making way for new fur and replacing old or damaged hair. That way, your dog’s hair stays in tip-top shape.
4. Consider Your Dog’s Lifestyle — What is your dog’s lifestyle like? Do they spend a lot of time just hanging out at home on the couch, or are they a very active dog that’s constantly running around? If they’re a particularly active dog, they may require bathing and grooming more often than if they were a less active dog. Grooming them more frequently will help limit excess shedding as well if they’re particularly active.
5. Give Your Dog Supplements — As a human, you may have heard of taking supplements and vitamins to take care of your hair health. Did you know your dog can take vitamins and other supplements as well to help them with their hair health? It’s best to speak with your vet to see what supplements, if any, are right for your dog. Your veterinarian can help guide you through some options for supplements to assist with excess shedding.
6. Regularly Bathe and Groom Your Dog — Another way to help prevent your dog from excess hair is to groom them and bathe them regularly. By routinely brushing your dog’s hair, you’re helping deshed them and remove old fur. Bathing your dog is also important for their overall health.
7. Think About Dog Hair Type — What kind of hair does your dog have? Depending on what kind of dog hair your pup has, that’ll help give you an idea of how often to groom your dog and what tools to use. Dogs with longer hair may require more frequent brushing to maintain their long, shaggy coats. Dogs with short or medium hair may not require as frequent brushing. If you don’t want to get a specific kind of dog hair brush for your dog, or if you’re not sure what to use, make it easy on yourself and groom them with the best of the best: the Uproot Cleaner Pro™. This handy grooming brush is perfect for not only grooming your dog, but also for removing dog hair from other surfaces in your home.
TIPS FOR HOW TO GROOM YOUR DOG
Now that you’ve gotten in the groove of what preventative measures you should take to help prevent your dog from shedding, it’s time to get into how to properly groom your dog. In addition to brushing their hair with a dog hair remover brush to get rid of any excess or old fur, you’ll also want to take care of other parts of your dog. You’ll need to trim their nails, clean their ears and brush their teeth, too! Let’s take a look at what you need to do to groom your dog.
1. Groom Your Dog Before Giving Them a Bath — First things first — you want to groom your dog before you give them a bath. Gather up all of your necessary grooming supplies. The last thing you want to do is go searching for their brush, shampoo, hair dryer and everything else while you’re trying to bathe them. Then, you’ll want to comb out your dog’s hair. If you don’t comb or brush their hair first, any mats they have in their hair will become harder to manage once they dry out. Brushing your dog’s hair will help remove loose hair and distribute oils evenly throughout your dog’s coat.
2. How to Properly Bathe Your Dog — Once you’ve gathered up all your doggy bathing supplies and groomed them, it’s time to actually give your dog a bath. In general, you’ll need dog shampoo, towels and perhaps some treats to reward them after giving them a bath or before giving them a bath. When giving them a bath, use lukewarm water instead of very hot water. Soak your dog with water and then shampoo them. Rinse your dog thoroughly and then dry them with a towel. If their hair is still wet after a towel dry, proceed to blow drying your dog and brushing their hair while blow drying.
3. How to Clip or Trim Your Dog’s Fur — When you’re clipping or trimming your dog’s fur, only clip or trim your dog’s fur when it’s completely dry. Not all dogs need to be clipped or trimmed. Trimming is normally only done for shaggier dog breeds like cocker spaniels and chow chows. Get a pair of dog grooming clippers to help you trim your dog’s fur.
4. How Often to Brush Your Dog — As for how often you should brush your dog’s fur, you should be brushing your dog a few times a week at the very minimum. Ideally, you can brush your dog’s hair daily. Daily brushing and grooming will help remove any excess dog hair. Plus, there will be less for you to clean. Instead of your dog’s hair getting all over the couch and floor, it’s all gathered up on the dog brush or portable pet hair remover tool.
Buy a Portable Pet Hair Remover5. Tips for Trimming Your Dog’s Nails — It can be intimidating to trim your dog’s nails. You don’t want to accidentally clip their nails too close at the risk of hurting them. If you don’t feel confident enough about or comfortable with trimming your dog’s nails, you’re not alone. A lot of people don’t feel comfortable taking on that task. You can get help from a professional dog groomer to assist you. If you do decide to trim your dog’s nails, use the appropriate size nail clippers for your dog. Clip the nails slowly and don’t go too close to the blood vessel. That’s where the pink part of your dog’s nail is located.
6. Addressing Their Anal Sac — You might not think to groom around your dog’s bottom, but (put intended), that’s another important part of grooming your dog. According to the American Kennel Club, it’s best to ask your veterinarian how to treat an anal sac problem if they have one. One thing to look out for is if you notice that your dog is scooting on his behind. If you see him licking or scratching his behind, his anal sacs may be impacted. It’s best to seek advice from your vet on how to handle their anal sac issues.
DOS AND DON’TS FOR GROOMING YOUR DOG
There are some important dos and don’ts when it comes to grooming your dog. You’ll want to use the right tools for the job. For example, if your dog has a certain hair type, you’ll want a brush that is meant for their hair length and texture. As for removing any excess fur, the easiest tool to use is something like the Uproot Cleaner Pro™ which can remove pet hair from not only your dog but the carpet, rugs, clothes, furniture and more! Here’s what you should and shouldn’t do when you’re taking care of your dog.
1. Do: Groom Regularly — Grooming and deshedding your dog should become part of their regular routine. You should brush your dog a few times a week. That will help keep your dog neat and clean. If you’re able to brush your dog every day, even better.
2. Do: Use Proper Dog-Grooming Equipment — Dogs with long hair typically need a pin brush with long, round-ended stainless steel pins. Dogs with medium-length or short hair typically need bristle brushes. After giving your dog a bath, you may also want to invest in a hair dryer for your dog to make sure they dry off properly. As tempting as it is to just let your dog shake off their water after a bath, their hair won’t be as neat and groomed if you let them air dry their hair.
3. Don’t: Rush Through Grooming Your Dog — Take your time when you’re grooming your dog. There’s no need to rush through the grooming process. It can feel like a chore, but it doesn’t have to feel that way. Consider it a bonding experience with your dog. Your dog will love that you’re taking such great care of them. They might even learn to love bath time! At the very least, it’ll feel like a nice massage for them when you’re petting them while brushing their hair.
4. Don’t: Bathe Your Dog TOO Often — Yes, you want to bathe your dog. However, you don’t want to bathe them too often. How often is too often? It depends on your type of dog. For example, if your dog has medium or long hair, you’ll usually need to bathe your dog every four to six weeks. Dogs with shorter hair can be bathed about every quarter or every one to three months. You’ll know it’s time to give your dog a bath when they’re dirty or smelly. The reason you don’t want to give your dog a bath too often is because doing so will strip their hair of its natural oils, which can lead to temperature-regulating and skin issues.
With all of these tips and tricks in mind, you’re sure to be a pro at grooming your dog in no time. Remember that grooming goes beyond just brushing your dog’s fur and giving them a bath. It’s also important to clean the areas where they sleep, such as their dog bed or the couch. Need an easy tool to remove hair from their napping area? Use the best pet hair remover tool to remove dog hair from their bed, the couch or any non-knit surface. The best part is that you can use that same tool to brush your dog’s hair, too!
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