It’s A Good Time to Groom Your Dog at Home
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Got the stay-at-home blues? Does your Poodle look like Disney Studios Shaggy Dog? If you answered ‘yes’ to either question or both, then this may just be the time to learn how to do your own dog grooming at home.
The key is having the right equipment and products on hand then using them properly. No, you don’t need to have a professional groomer’s bath and equipment. But you do have to have the right grooming tools, bath products, temperament, and know-how. Grooming takes a steady hand and a calming approach. Please read on to learn more about how you can groom your dog at home.
Stuff NOT To Do
- Learn as you go―This is never a good idea. Your dog is too precious to hurt―and you really don’t want to scare, cut, burn, or shock your best bud. Bathtubs are scary to dogs and for good reasons. They are slippery for claws and can cause a lot of doggie anxiety. Many dogs don’t like running water and getting bathed, especially in the noisy confines of a bathtub. After all, noisy tile floors and echoing porcelain can frighten even the biggest dogs.
If you are a loud person or one who is easily set off, then stop here and leave the dog grooming to a calmer soul. It’s not like your dog is a practice dummy―he or she is a family member and your best friend. Please don’t forget that.
- Don’t use human stuff―Soaps, shampoos, conditioners, perfumes, liquid nail polish, toothpaste, etc. are all potentially hazardous to dogs. Often people don’t think about these things and innocently poison their dogs. For instance, did you know that many human toothpastes contain Xylitol? It’s a safe decay preventer for us but it’s very toxic to dogs. Always use only veterinarian approved dog grooming products.
- Nail trimming―Don’t do it if you have the jitters. Just leave it for the professionals if you aren’t comfortable or if you don’t have a proper dog nail trimmer and know how to use it.
- Cutting out mats―If you can’t remove mats with your fingers, a dog brush, or a dog comb, then Don’t Do It! One slip with sharp scissors can severely injure your pooch or yourself. If you have steady nerves, patience, experience, and some blunt-tipped scissors then you may go for the occasional hair mat. But, for dogs with big mats, lots of mats or burrs, or sensitive area mats (ears, eyes, feet, groin, etc.) it’s much safer to let your vet or groomer do this.
- Anal glands―Again, this is best left to professionals. But, if you’ve been trained on how to safely express these scent glands, and aren’t put off by it, then you may want to do this yourself. Don’t attempt to express the glands without training though.
- Injuries, swellings, and wounds―If you find any of these while brushing and grooming your dog, don’t try to diagnose or treat them yourself. Take your dog to your vet immediately.
- Bloody Hell!―That (or something far worse!) may be what you’ll scream when you’ve hurt your dog or if it does the shake, rattle, and roll all over the place after a bath. Avoid a frightful mess by doing the job well and with the right techniques, training, and tools from the get-go. That said, I think you’ll find this Udemy Course on home dog grooming will be very helpful to you.
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In Conclusion
There are many ways to home-groom your dog. Some are good, some are bad. I hope you’ll find my post and this 5-star Udemy course to help you with your home dog grooming. The important take-away is that you groom your dog correctly, carefully, and with the proper tools and techniques. If you carefully learn and practice the training offered by Karen Maitland’s, “Learn How to Groom Your Dog at Home!”, then your dog will be smilin’ and stylin’.
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