Dog grooming is an essential part of your pup’s overall health. It lets their skin breathe, keeps their hair strong and healthy, and brightens their moods. Just like us, our dogs also need to be taken care of, and grooming is what they truly and regularly need!

What is dog grooming?

As defined by iPet Grooming, dog grooming is the activity of cleaning, styling, and looking after your dog. As a dog pawrent, it is one of your main responsibilities to groom your dog in order to keep them clean and healthy.

The level and extent of dog grooming depends largely on your pup’s breed, because some dogs have a double coat, a long topcoat, a short topcoat, are wirehaired, and others have smooth coats. So, before you start grooming, make sure you identify this first because each coat requires particular care.

Dog grooming includes:

• Brushing the coat regularly
• Bathing
• Taking care of their dental hygiene
• Trimming or clipping their fur
• Nail trimming
• Ear cleaning
• Anal gland expression

Some professional groomers have other specialised services, too, like dyeing, perming, or clipping specific areas of the dog’s fur. It is impawtant that you choose the best groomer for your dog; someone who understands your dog’s needs and wants and who knows what he/she is doing. 

How often should your dog be groomed?

Grooming your dog regularly is a must! But how often is regular grooming? 

Here are some recommendations from Pack Leaders Pet Concierge:

Short-haired dogs

Baths are required every 4-6 weeks, with very little brushing.

Double-coated dogs

Brushing at least 1-3 times per week is required to prevent matting.

Curly and wavy-coated dogs

Need bathing and grooming once a month.

Wirehaired dogs

Brushing 1-3 times per week and bathing every 1-2 months are required. Only need light trims around the ears, face, paws, and sanitary areas every 4-6 weeks.

Is it okay to groom your own dog?

Absolutely! I’ll bet you and your dog will love this bonding time. (silently chuckling inside, because we know that not all pets enjoy this, and not all people, either!)
If you’re knowledgeable about pet grooming and such, yes, you can groom your own dog at home. If not, it’s better to take your dog to a professional groomer for more personalised care.

SEVEN TOP TIPS for grooming your dog at home

*Healthy TREATS can help this experience for your dog, as a reward system!  Make sure you have some on hand before you start your groom routine.

1. Brush your dog: Teach your dog to enjoy grooming sessions, brushing can help with this! Regular brushing of your dog's coat will prevent matting, and keep their coat shiny and lush.
2. Bath your dog: A bath using a gentle dog shampoo, making sure to rinse thoroughly to avoid skin irritation BUT don't bathe your dog too often - remember a dog’s skin has a different pH level from humans, so don’t use baby or human shampoo. Use a shampoo specially formulated for dogs, which will be gentle on their skin. Check your dog's skin as you wash!
3. Safely trim your dog's nails & groom their paws: Keep your dog's nails trimmed to prevent them from causing discomfort (which can happen when they’re too long). Use a pair of dog nail clippers to trim the tips of the nails. PLUS … Trim the hair around your dog's paw pads.
4. Regularly check your dog’s ears: Remember to take a closer look at its ears as ear infections can be painful, so if you notice any inflammation, smell, or moisture discharge, take your dog to your vet for a check-up:
5. Brush your dogs teeth: Regular brushing with a dog-specific toothbrush will help prevent dental problems.
6. Groom your dogs face and body: Trim any hair around your dog's face and eyes with small scissors to prevent irritation and improve visibility and use clippers or scissors to trim your dog's body hair (if necessar), particularly if your dog has long hair prone to matting.
7. Cleaning your dogs eyes regularly: Wipe around your dog's eyes with a damp cloth to remove discharge.

Here are some reasons why you might want to take your dog to a professional groomer:

They know what they’re doing.

They’re professionally trained to do what they do and they can handle any type of dog.

They are equipped with the right tools.

Professional groomers have the right tools to make your dog look his best! They have the right clippers, scissors, tables, and products.

They take care of everything, even the unpleasant ones.

Some dog owners are not big fans of the icky stuff, like cleaning the anal glands. A professional groome can do this for you!

The benefits of professional grooming

With professional grooming, you can:

1. Improve your dog’s health.
   Regular grooming helps keep your dog clean and healthy by removing dirt, debris, and bacteria from the skin and fur and keeping the nails trimmed, teeth brushed, and ears clean.
2. Better your dog’s appearance.
   A well-groomed dog looks so much better. They’re neat and tidy, and their coats and skin are healthier.
3. Increase your dog’s comfort.
   With regular grooming, it can prevent matting and tangles in the fur, which can be uncomfortable for your dog and can also lead to skin irritations. Trimming nails and expressing anal glands can also help prevent discomfort and pain.
4. Detect health problems.
   Regular grooming sessions give the groomer the chance to check your dog for early signs of health problems, such as skin infections, fleas, ticks, or lumps and bumps.
5. Improve your dog’s hygiene.
   Grooming helps maintain your dog’s hygiene, and it prevents the spread of parasites and infections, both to the dog and to other people in the household.

Your dog only deserves the best! Make sure they are well groomed on a regular basis and that they are always feeling their best. It is also impawtant that, aside from grooming, you also give them the best treats and toys they could ever have! Check out our edible dog treats here that are safe and your dogs would surely enjoy!

You can also check out our huge collection of dog toys that are fun and high-quality here!