Grooming Your Pet: There Is A Lot To Know!
If you are on the fence about whether you should take your dog to a groomer or do it yourself, you may need more information about what exactly pet grooming entails. Some people think that simply running some clippers over their pet's coat is enough to call themselves a groomer. However, there are many steps that are essential to your pet's overall health and look.
The Bath
Bathing your pet regularly (every 4-8 weeks) can help their coat to stay shiny and clean, often ridding them of that musty smell that many dogs acquire after a lot of time outside. Long hair dog owners should be careful to choose a good conditioner that will help their coat to stay mat-free. Choosing a cheap or human conditioner can mess with the pH of your dog's hair and skin, sometimes causing problems.
Cleaning Ears
You should make sure to take special care of your dog's ears. Dogs can get smelly infections in their ears due to the moist, dark environment that can encourage bacterial growth. Make sure to thoroughly dry out their ears after each bath. If you smell any odd smells from your dog's ears, you may want to talk to their vet about getting a cleaning solution to help clean out the problem.
Detangling
If you have a long hair dog, you need to give special care to any mats they may have. Mats are usually a mixture of dead skin and old hair that has become tangled. A dog that is covered in mats can develop serious conditions such as skin sores or infections. Make sure to completely detangle your pet each time you groom them. If you are unable to detangle mats, you may need to shave the affected area.
Paw Care
Mats can cause painful corn-like structures to develop in your dog's paws. Most groomers shave the hair between a dog's toes in order to avoid these mats. You will also need to trim their nails.
In conclusion, there is a lot that goes into grooming pets. If you have any questions about what exactly needs to be done to care for your pet, you may want to hire a professional until you have more information. You wouldn't want your pet to get an infection or something because you didn't have everything you needed. Taking good care of your pets can sometimes be a little challenging, so luckily there is help.
For more information, contact a local pet grooming service.