A dirty smelly and tick-infested dog is no one’s dream of having. Every dog parent wants their pet well-groomed, tick-free, and smelling great all the time.
The secret to having these qualities is giving your dog the proper cleaning and grooming they need.
One could bring their dogs to a grooming shop but most dogs require cleaning on a regular basis, and that could be expensive.
So learning how to properly groom your dog will not only keep them clean and healthy but could also save you money.
Equipment
Cleaning your dog doesn’t require any specialized or highly complicated equipment. In fact, you don’t need to buy anything except for the shampoos since most of the things you need can be found in a normal household. This includes; dog shampoo, rubber mat or towel for the dog to stand in, sprayer hose, small bucket, sponge, cotton balls, fur brush or comb, towels, and hair dryer.
Bathing
Before you start with the bathing process, brush their fur thoroughly to remove all their dead hair and untangle all the knots. This is a very important step especially for breeds with thick or long furs.
Some groomers suggest putting a cotton ball in your dog’s ears before proceeding with the bath to soak any water that accidentally entered to avoid possible complications in the inner ear canal.
Start by wetting their fur especially those breeds with thick hair. Some dogs, however, have oily hairs making it harder to wet than normal.
Dish detergent can do the trick in cases like this but you can opt for products that are made for dogs to be sure.
After their hair’s natural oils are removed, the shampoo and conditioner can penetrate and cleanse better. The natural oils of their skin will return within a short period of time, however, don’t let them play in the rain or water the next day.
Start shampooing from the back area all the way to the front taking extra care on the anal and paw pad areas.
If your dog has ticks or fleas, use insecticidal shampoo before using their regular shampoo.
For larger dogs, you can dilute shampoo in a separate bucket while for smaller dogs, you can just put dabs of shampoo in different areas in the body.
Rinse your dog carefully, repeat shampooing if deemed necessary. Use mild tearless shampoo when washing their face and carefully avoid the eye area.
Use conditioner after, soaking it for a minute or two before carefully rinsing any residue off. Any remaining residue can irritate your dog’s skin and damage their fur.
Drying
Dogs with smooth and corded furs should be towel-dried. Air drying would suffice unless the weather is cold.
Breeds with long, curly, or double coated furs, requires blow drying. If using a hair dryer for humans, make sure that they are not too hot or too close to the dog’s skin.
Use a slicker brush to straighten any furled hair and properly dry the inner layers of their fur. Dry them completely, making sure their ears, feathering, and paws are totally dry.