Dog grooming: how to do it like true professionals!
Dog grooming: how to do it like true professionals!
Written by Silvia Capelli
September 8, 2023
Dog grooming is not only important for the appearance of your pet but especially for their mental and physical wellbeing and health: a dog with clean fur of the right length will feel fresh and happy, and will not be hindered in their movements by excessively long fur.
But that's not all: the process of grooming a dog also includes cleaning their ears, trimming their nails, and checking their anal glands, which are all crucial for the care of our four-legged friend.
Moreover, grooming can also be useful for identifying health problems, such as small mammary nodules, fur parasites, or skin spots which might indicate the presence of an autoimmune disease, like vasculitis in dogs, an inflammatory process of the blood vessel walls that manifests with dark spots on the skin.
While grooming tasks like brushing, washing, and minor fur trimming can be easily performed by anyone, more important tasks like complete fur cutting in long-haired dogs should remain within the expertise of a professional groomer.
Dogs are often nervous and do not stay still, especially in front of a familiar owner. And at home, we do not have all the necessary tools for a professional grooming session, and probably not even a table of the right height or a high-quality clipper.
Not to mention Stripping, a task that requires hours of work and a great deal of patience both from the professional groomer and the animal.
But everything can be done, and with this article, we will try to explain to you in a few simple steps how to treat and maintain your four-legged friend's fur in the best way possible.
Dog Grooming and Bathing Products:
1) Dog Grooming Table:
A dog grooming table is not a standard table; it needs to be tall, have adjustable grooming arms to keep the animals safe, and a non-slip surface. This is particularly important if the dog is nervous, as you might need to tie it down for fur cutting or Stripping. The height of the base is adjustable, and the legs are foldable, allowing you to hide it away after grooming sessions.
2) Brushes and Combs for Dogs:
There are various types for different needs. The most successful models include:
Wire Brush (essential): Available as single or double, it's great for grooming dogs of all breeds and fur types. It's a classic brush with metal or plastic teeth for gentle brushing, or soft bristles to remove loose fur. Excellent for quick cleaning, even for short-haired dogs. Available in flat or round shapes. The double wire brush has teeth on one side and bristles on the other.
FURminator DeShedding Brush (essential): Specifically designed for undercoat removal. Available for long-haired dogs (over 5 cm) and short-haired dogs. This model removes the undercoat and some of the topcoat, reducing shedding by up to 90%.
Mat Breaker Brush (essential): Used to untangle knots in long-haired dogs. It has long, steel teeth and a flat or round base. Unlike the wire brush, it can remove tangles in long fur. It must be used gently to avoid injuring the animal.
Glove Brush: Worn on the hand, it provides a gentle brushing and massaging action on the skin. An adjustable strap fits any hand size, ensuring maximum comfort. Ideal for nervous dogs and perfect for daily cleaning. Also suitable for cats.
Massage Glove: Ideal for short-haired dogs, this glove has fake rubber bristles and allows for fur removal while petting the animal. It does not remove deep-seated fur. Also suitable for cats.
Dog Comb (essential): Available with fine, medium, or wide teeth, or two sizes on the same arm. Useful for removing even the smallest knots from long fur. The fine-toothed version is mainly used for flea treatments.
3) Dog Shampoo:
There are many varieties, for different uses, fur types, levels of dirtiness, and even specific to certain breeds. The best-selling include:
Odor control shampoo
Smooth coat shampoo
Soothing shampoo for itchiness
Flea shampoo
Hypoallergenic shampoo
Deshedding shampoo
Dry shampoo
4) Dog Conditioner:
All are softening. Different types are available for dog fur, plus some specific for delicate parts:
Detangling conditioner
Whitening conditioner
Dark coat conditioner
Moisturizing conditioner
Specific conditioner for nose and pads
5) Eye Cleaning Products for Dogs:
Available in many variants. The best include:
Cleansing lotion
Cleansing wipes
Finger pad (pads) wipes
Cleansing spray
6) Ear Cleaning Products:
Among the most important grooming products, available in:
Cleansing lotion
Cleansing wipes
Cleansing finger cots
Oily drops
Cotton-tipped sticks
Cleansing spray
7) Dog Teeth Cleaning Tools:
Various versions are available. The best-selling include:
Spray toothpaste
Dental pads
Finger glove toothbrush
Paste toothpaste
Enzymatic toothpaste
Classic toothbrush
Three-headed toothbrush
Tartar removal kit
Powder toothpaste
8) Dog Nail Cutting Products:
Available in manual or battery-operated versions. The best-selling include:
Scissor-type nail clippers
Electric (grinder) nail clippers
9) Blower (Grooming Kit):
A kind of high-speed professional hairdryer/blow dryer with a hose and various attachments.
Traditional (with a large stove)
Portable
10) Portable Bath Tub:
Useful for small and very active dogs, or if you don't have a bathtub, or don't want to wash them in the sink for hygienic reasons.
11) Handheld Shower for Sink and Dish Drainer:
A hose with a shower-type nozzle that attaches to the sink's hose. Extremely useful for thorough and complete cleaning.
Quality is key when choosing dog grooming products. It's better to read all the information to ensure they don't contain ingredients that could irritate our dog and follow the usage instructions.
Brushing the Dog: How and When
Brushing your dog should be a part of the daily routine, not just done occasionally. Removing dead hair and dirt every day will keep your dog in perfect health and prevent discomfort and skin problems.
The care of the coat is very important, and when you decide to get a dog, you should also consider the time and cost of regular and special maintenance.
Breeds like Poodles and Maltese certainly have different grooming costs compared to an Italian Greyhound!
The management of the dog is also completely different in terms of time and commitment. It's better to do your research and be aware of this before buying a pet.
Essential tools for brushing:
1) For brushing a long-haired dog, a slicker brush is necessary: you must remove all knots, even from the undercoat.
Avoid circular movements, brush from the base to the tips, and do so gently. If the hair doesn’t come loose, don’t persist as you might injure the animal.
2) For short-haired dogs, a wire brush (even with bristles) or a grooming glove is suitable.
The brushing should be done consistently and with a firm hand, and continued until all knots are removed.
How Often Can I Wash the Dog?
The dog should not be washed too often: excessive grooming could damage the natural oils that protect the dog's epidermis and coat, so don't overdo it!
If they get too dirty, give them a bath, but they shouldn't be washed every time they go outside just because they've been outdoors or have been active!
Some dogs only need to be washed a couple of times a year, but this also depends a lot on the breed.
Clipping your dog's coat can be quite a complicated task: our four-legged friends are not always fond of baths, and keeping them still can be difficult.
Personally, when it comes to cutting, I recommend consulting a professional: if something goes wrong, it will take months for our pet to look good again once a disaster has happened.
There's also another thing to consider: if you're inexperienced, you could accidentally injure the animal during grooming, especially in delicate areas like the eyes and ears.
We'll try to give you some tips for clipping your dog's coat effectively:
1) Wash and dry the dog as explained in the bathing section. Follow the steps in chronological order. The coat should never be shortened when it's wet.
2) Start clipping the dog from the back and hind legs. Then move to the neck, chest, front legs, and belly, finishing with the tail. In areas with more fur, you might need to thin it a bit with scissors.
3) Once thinned, start using the clippers (never against the grain). Proceed gently and without applying pressure.
If you decide, or are forced, to use only scissors (for example, to shorten the long hair of a Maltese or Yorkshire), use your fingers and a suitable comb to measure and achieve a balanced result.
You can also use a barber's stick for cutting bangs.
4) The hairs on the muzzle should be removed only with scissors (round-tipped if you are not an experienced groomer), no clippers.
Be very careful around the eye area. Then proceed with the hair between the toes. The hair should never be shaved down to the skin as the dog could burn or suffer from the cold.
If you decide to cut the hair at home, watch one of the many available videos, they will be a great help in transforming your friend into a real star!
Grooming Different Types of Coats
Pay close attention to this point, as some types of dogs should never be clipped (clipping would ruin the growth and texture of the coat, which could even change color). Always do your research and, if necessary, turn to a professional groomer.
In some cases, minimal trimming is possible, while in others the coat should be left natural.
Washing, however, can be done for all breeds and is essential for the well-being and health of our four-legged friends.
Stripping in Dogs
Stripping is an essential grooming technique for certain dog breeds. It is necessary to thin out the coat to not only prevent the dog from suffering in the heat and dragging around kilograms of dead fur, but also to avoid turning your home into a mass of hair.
When done correctly, it is completely painless but among the grooming services for our loyal friends, it is one of the most time-consuming. It is necessary, even essential, especially for rough-coated breeds, from which they derive extreme well-being.
Let's see how to perform stripping on a dog.
Necessary tools:
Ergonomic scissors
Stripping knife
1) Begin by passing the stripping knife (not a real knife but a kind of comb) in the direction of the fur and gently remove the dead hair.
2) Continue brushing, dividing the work into different areas. Try to work very delicately around sensitive zones.
3) Continue until you have removed all the dead residue from both the coat and the undercoat.
4) Use ergonomic scissors to perform a light trimming in delicate areas and then trim the coat where and if necessary. If you haven't done it before, give your best friend a good wash and brush again.
Activities like stripping and trimming are treatments that require experience and good dexterity, and some animals are naturally impatient, which is why it might be easier to leave it to a groomer.
Don't Forget Nails and Teeth
For a complete grooming, you also need to take care of the nails and teeth: these are very delicate operations, so work calmly and use an electric file for the nails if the dog is nervous, as it greatly simplifies the work and especially reduces the risk of accidents.
And don't forget the ears, they need to be cleaned regularly, and the dead hair that accumulates inside should be removed.
To conclude
If your dog needs basic grooming or just a simple bath, doing it at home is probably convenient in terms of both cost and stress for the dog.
But if the animal doesn't stay still, or if it requires a specific cut or type of grooming like stripping, the advice remains to rely on a trusted groomer, especially when we talk about dogs with continuous hair growth.
However, if you decide to do it yourself, always be very gentle and avoid upsetting the dog by scolding it.
Instead, keep a handful of kibble and some snacks handy and calm them with small rewards, you'll see they'll get used to it soon!
Are you a fan of Khani.co.uk but still don't know which one to choose? No problem, we will tell you everything we know about each breed and how to take the best care of them.
Disclaimer
The information on our site is general in nature and does not in any way replace the opinion of a veterinarian or industry experts. For any doubts, always turn to your trusted groomer or veterinarian.
