Dog Grooming Secrets » dog grooming at home

Dog Bathing Essentials

John — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:30:33 +0000

When you observe dogs on a free range, you’ll notice that they do not really smell. If there are ponds, lakes or rivers around, they don’t even dive in them. In natural surroundings, dogs have a way of keeping themselves clean. Free ranged dogs don’t want to be restrained, confined, handled, much more put on a leash. It’s more likely that they have not experienced dog bathing. For house dogs, they need to be bathed because they stay in a confined space and don’t have access to nature to stay clean. It is absolutely essential that you take note of the following if you do not want a dog that is dirty and smelly.

Before bathing a dog, prepare all the things that are needed – a good supply of water, an elevated tub, dog shampoo, dog comb or brush, towel and a blower for drying off. You should also be prepared to get wet in the process of bathing them. If it is the dog’s first time, it could be quite a struggle for you to keep him under control. It would be good to put the dog on a leash even if he is inside a bathroom tub. Adult dogs will be afraid because they don’t know what’s going to be done to them. First time for pups is a lot easier.

What happens if it’s an adult dog’s first time? The dog will surely be scared and shivering. Don’t put him in a tub filled with water because he’ll jump out for sure. Leave the tub empty. Use a handheld spray with really low pressure, not a strong spray coming out. Start at the back while gently stroking it. The gentle strokes mask the slight pressure of water. Make sure the water is lukewarm, very slightly on the colder side. Progress the spray towards the rear then move slowly under the front of the hind legs. That will be near the stomach. Dogs love being massaged or rubbed near those areas. By now, the dog feels comfortable and safe though still shivering. Apply the shampoo in the same way as if you are petting him. Be most gentle with the head. Some avoid the head for first time dogs. They’ll get used to it on the next dog bathing.

Drying off the first time dog is sometimes difficult. When you drape the dog with a towel, it will get scared because of the feeling of being trapped. The dog will be better off shaking all the water away. Let him do it for himself after the first dog bathing. Or, if the dog is confined in a kennel or cage, a blower should be used. After you think he’s done, take a small towel or a face towel to rub on him. The dog will feel good while being rubbed.

Home Dog Grooming Saves You Money

John — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:20:36 +0000

Putting the grooming of your dog in the hands of professional pet salons is quite expensive. One way to save some top dollar is to groom your dogs on your own. Home dog grooming may take a little of your time each day but the bond that is built between you and your pet is priceless. It may not be easy to train your dog to stay put during the session but as time goes on, your dog will manage to keep still while doing their daily grooming routine. You must instill in him that grooming is different from playing. Be patient and consistent enough in instilling discipline.

Buying home dog grooming supplies will prove to be more cost-saving than paying a groomer regularly. All you need are materials to arm yourself in making sure your dog looks its best everyday. To maintain the glossy look of your dog’s hair, you must have a comb especially designed for a dog’s type of hair. The ones that are made up of stainless steel are the best choice since it does not rust and will last longer. Depending on your dog’s hair length, you can buy it through online pet shops which have them in different sizes. Combs with wood handles will be even better since they are designed to increase hand grip. Brushing your dog’s hair regularly each day will bring out the natural oil that is vital in maintaining the glossy-look of your dog’s hair.

If you want to style your dog’s hair differently, don’t forget to have some doggie clippers handy. This usually comes in a set of 12 or 18 and is built to have some extra clutch to secure it from getting loose easily. Who needs the services of professional groomer if you can change the hairstyle of your dog everyday? As long as you have your home dog grooming supplies with you, the love and affection you have for your pet will bring out your artistic talent to make them look even better.

Bath your dog each day with a non- shedding shampoo and conditioner and not with ordinary dog shampoos that results in hair fall. Grooming sprays will make your dog smell fresh all day; it usually comes in different scents so you better choose the one that suits you and your dog’s sense of smell. To keep everything tidy, put your entire home dog grooming supplies in a covered case like the ones being sold at Amazon.

****We are VERY big fans of the Dog Grooming Secrets grooming book. It only costs $19.97 which is actually less than one trip to the groomers. Even if this book can teach you how to skip every other trip to the groomer it will have paid for itself after the first time. They have a free course too!

Dog Washing Dos and Don’ts

John — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:12:20 +0000

When you smell something stinky in the air right before your good dog comes to you, it just means that he needs to get cleaned up really soon. Dogs need bathing, too. Because they play around and roll over everywhere, they pick up amounts of dirt that make them stink. You know you don’t want your dog to be sleeping beside you while you cannot stand the way he smells. When this situation arises, you know that dog washing is needed to end this problem.

You have the option of taking your dog to a grooming shop or doing the cleaning all by yourself. It would really be great if all you have to do is take your pet to a groomer, get him cleaned up and walk away. However, this scenario is impossible; you have to pay a fair price to avail the service. And if your dog belongs to a breed that requires frequent dog washing, you are certainly going to fall short of budget.

Why would you take your animal friend to a grooming shop if the task can be done in your own home? The thought can be quite frightening especially when you hear people say that dog washing can be a really dirty deed. Nevertheless, if you do what you are supposed to, you would encounter the slightest problem with your dog. It may really be helpful to get all the necessary dog grooming supplies along with a dog grooming book to learn the skill very well. A great place to get these things is Amazon. You know that this website is a portal of many different products; all you have to do is purchase online and wait for the supplies to be delivered to your doorstep. This process is going to save you time and the effort of going to a pet store.

Your dog grooming book shall help you learn the basics of dog washing. It will also provide guidelines on how to properly care for your pet. To give you an idea what the basics of dog washing are, here is a list of what you must remember when cleaning up your pet:

Always brush your pet before you bathe him. You will have to straighten the tangles and get rid of small mats so that they do not crop up when you pour water onto the dog.
Use a dog shampoo when bathing your dog; humans have a different pH level from dogs so human shampoo is not good for the animal.
A sprayer and a bath tub are always helpful in making the task simpler. A water hose can also speed up the process of washing.
Not every dog is enthused by the thought of bathing; using treats to entice your pet to bathe is a really good idea.
You may need to prepare a lot of old towels to dry your dog after bathing him up. Note that a bigger and hairier dog needs more towels than a small and short-haired one.

Dog Grooming At Home Made Easy

John — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:03:41 +0000

Millions of pet lovers find it difficult to keep their dogs well-groomed in between trips to the pet salon. Dog grooming at home and is easy for you to look after your dog’s grooming requirements, it is important that you follow some routines to make your pet attuned to daily spruce up habit.

Any dog grooming at home book will tell you that as early as 3 months or soon after you buy them, puppies’ hairs should be brushed at least once a day. Start it out for 5-10 minutes and gradually adding more time as the lengths of the hair grows. To avoid scratches on your dog’s skin, use a fine soft-bristled brush. Mornings will be a wonderful time to do it so your dog will look tidy all day long. However, if you can’t do it at the start of the day, make sure that it is done regularly at a certain hour so your dog will learn to expect his grooming routine.

When you are doing dog grooming at home for long haired dogs, start out by brushing the hair from the end towards the skin. This will ensure that tangles are removed from end to end. Set the right attitude for you dog to know that grooming time is not playing time. It is essential that you instill discipline, don’t allow any whimpering during the session since this will only signal to your pet that it’s fine for him to whine while tidying up.

Make your dog used to relaxing while you are doing this so you can lay him on his side when you are brushing his feet. It may take a little more time for him to get used to it but once he gets the hang of it, you can do your dog grooming at home with ease and in less time.

If you think that having a short-haired dog will spare you from the hassle of daily brushing then you are not quite right. Brushing up and down a few minutes each day will stimulate the natural oil of the hair. This will give the hair a shiny-look even from afar. Aside from the glossy look, brushing will also take out dust and grimes accumulated on the skin which might be a source of skin diseases in the future.

These are just few tips on how to do dog grooming at home; there are books that talk about how to keep your dogs looking its best from head to toe all the time. To guide you on your dog’s daily grooming, have a handy book at home written by the experts.

Dog Bathing Tips You Need

John — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:57:18 +0000

Caring for our canines includes giving them a regular bath. Dog bathing does not have to be frequent or everyday. However, keep in mind that they will need a bath more frequently if they are confined in a kennel or kept on a short leash. Their stay in confined spaces make them prone to dirty the area more easily and that makes them smell. Notice free ranged dogs in big farms areas; they hardly need a bath because they follow their instincts on how to stay clean with what nature provides them. Dog bathing should be comfortable to the dog and not forced.

Before starting to bathe the dog, carefully check its coat and skin. The coat must be free from tangles and mat. Sometimes, tangles and mats are hard to undo or remove. There are times when you will need to cut them off with scissors or use a de-matting comb. Check their skin for any wounds or cuts. If there are any and are still fresh, don’t bathe them yet. Allow the wound to heal or be covered with crust. Usually, it will only take a few days. While checking on the coat and skin, you should also notice if the dog has mites or fleas especially near the ears. To help get rid of fleas and mites, there are good dog shampoos that eliminate them. As a preventive measure, it is best to use that in dog bathing even if you don’t see any of those crawling insects. It actually helps keep the dog from being infected.

If the dog is used to bathing in a tub, it is sometimes better to do so. Dogs don’t usually shake off water when they’re still in it. For bathing dogs with the use of a handheld sprayer, be prepared when they shake off the water. When applying dog shampoo, take extra care not to get them into the eyes and ears. If the dog has a thin fur coat it should be easy to massage the shampoo on the entire body. For thick and long haired coats gentle strokes are needed to avoid entangling the fur.

Be sure that before dog bathing you have the dog’s towel prepared. If the bathing is done outdoors, the dog should be on a leash so she won’t run away during or after bathing. After bathing, allow the dog to shake off a couple off times. It is one way for them to make sure water does not drip inside their ears. Then rub them with the towel after shaking off. The designated place for the dogs to dry off should be clean and afterwards, finish the job with a good blower. It is also healthier to dry off the dogs under the sun than blow drying.

Do it Yourself Dog Grooming – You Can Do It!

John — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:42:59 +0000

Pet salons have mushroomed almost everywhere. People have gone to great lengths to pamper their pets with just about anything. It is very important to get the “Looking good –Feeling good” feeling for their pets. However, it is expensive to bring your dog to salons to have them groomed. Grooming usually starts with a bath. It usually costs a good deal of money and comes only free with other grooming services. If it’s only bathing and you have the time, why pay for it? That’s one way of starting Do-It-Yourself Dog Grooming. It might not look simple at the start but there are a lot of things that could be done about your dog’s grooming without much effort.

It is a very good idea to download or buy a good dog grooming book. This way you can have it on hand as a reference and also you can begin to work on your skills with proper guidance.

Let’s start with the fur coat of your dog. No problem if the fur coat is thin. If the coat is long and shaggy, frequent combing or brushing with regular bathing should do the trick. There are a lot of well designed brushes and combs for dogs. A dog’s coat should stay healthy and shinning with the right nutrients from its food. It would be good to have the right tub in bathing to help groom their coat. Don’t worry about the tangles and mats. Mats happen only when the dog has not been bathed a for long time. If there would be any mats, a de-matting comb is cheap and that should do the job.

For nails, it’s hard to say how short to cut them that the dog won’t feel it. If your dog is living out his days purely indoors, the nails will grow excessively. Dogs’ paws and nails are used to rough surfaces outdoors and these rough surfaces keep their nail’s length in check so you don’t need to cut them. Do it yourself dog grooming this way is helping the dog groom himself through the natural way. All you need to do is play with them probably every week end on your driveway and that should work. Before starting those, check if the long nails are already too curved at the tip. If so, trim them away first with a good nail trimmer before playing with the dog.

With dogs’ teeth, you really don’t have to brush them. It is the packed dog food that is responsible for their stained teeth and cavities. Dogs are canines and their teeth are canines designed to tear away meat and chew on bones. That’s why dogs chew on shoes, slippers or just about anything at home. That’s what they need to keep their teeth sharp and clean and also to prevent cavities. Give them the natural food they need as frequently as possible to clean their teeth. Now, isn’t that easy do it yourself dog grooming?

Grooming Deals on Amazon