When you decide to bring a dog into your home, there are a myriad of responsibilities that come along with that decision. There is the financial commitment, as well as the commitment of the time it takes to properly care for your dog. One important facet of dog ownership that is often overlooked by prospective dog owners is grooming.
There are many benefits – for both you and your dog – to maintaining a consistent grooming routine. Not only will your dog feel better, he’ll be more pleasant to live with!
Proper grooming provides many benefits, and is as important as good veterinary care.
Why Is Grooming Important
Your Dog Will Shed Less
Some breeds of dog shed a LOT. This can make cleanup frustrating as it will seem that and hour after you vacuum, the floor is already full of fur again. While grooming will not eliminate shedding completely, it can greatly reduce it. Your dog has an undercoat of fur and this fur sheds on a regular basis. By grooming your dog, much of the fur that would end up on your furniture, can instead be brushed out by the groomer.
Your Dog Will Smell Better
Think about what your dog does while he is playing the yard or frolicking at the dog park. If he’s like most dogs, he does a lot of rolling around on the ground and tromping through the mud. Over time, that’s going to make for an unpleasant smell. Regular bathing will help your dog smell fresh and clean instead of smelling like a dog.
Your Dog Will Feel Better
Bathing and keeping your dogs coat groomed will help him feel more comfortable. In the heat of the summer, having extra or matted fur can be especially uncomfortable. Help to keep your dog feeling as cool as possible by keeping his coat brushed and trimmed.
Prevents Oral Diseases
Just as humans teeth require regular care, so do your dog’s teeth. While brushing them each day isn’t necessary, they should be given treats that help remove plaque from their teeth, and they should have their teeth cleaned as part of their regular visit to the groomer. Dogs are prone to the same dental problems as humans such as gingivitis and inflammation of the gums. If these diseases occur, and are not treated, tooth loss can result. A dental care program can help prevent these diseases.
Prevents Matting
It’s not much fun to pet your dog when you run your hand over his coat only to feel hard lumps of matted fur. Once fur becomes matted there is no way to correct the problem other than cutting out the section of matted fur. This practice doesn’t exactly make for an attractive dog. Regular brushing will prevent matting. Some breeds will not need as much brushing; other breeds need to be brushed every day in order to prevent matting. Your groomer will be able to tell you how often you need to brush your particular breed of dog.
Provides Early Detection of Fleas and Ticks
There are a lot of reasons to want to keep your dog free from fleas and ticks. In addition to the discomfort, there are serious medical conditions that can be caused by such infestations. Flea bite dermatitis, which causes an itchy red rash, to the more serious Lyme disease, which ticks can carry, all are good reasons to want to keep your dog flea and tick free. If you are not taking a close look at your dogs coat and skin on a regular basis, he can be infested and you may not know. By having him groomed, it will be easy to pick up on signs on infestation in their earliest stages, so that they can be taken care of quickly.
Ear cleaning – prevent infections
Having your dogs ears properly cleaned can help prevent ear infections. It will not prevent all ear infections, but one of the common types, otitis externa, is caused mostly by bacteria or yeast in the ear. Regular grooming can help prevent this type of infection, which can be very painful to your dog.
Now that you know some of the reasons that grooming is important, the next step is finding a quality groomer. You don’t want to randomly select a groomer, or put your pet in the hands of the lowest bidder. By doing a little research, you can be sure that your dog is receiving the best care possible from his groomer.
How to Choose a Groomer
You should never decide on a groomer based on an ad. Instead, you should first visit the shop to get an idea of how they do business.
How Do the Groomers (and Assistants) Handle the Dogs?
Do they seem to have patience with them, or are they handling them in a rough manner. You should never see a groomer or assistant yelling at a dog. While some dogs will be nervous at the groomers, if every dog appears to be terrified that should be a red flag. Dog groomers should appear confident when handling dogs, and should do so in a gentle manner.
Is the Shop Clean?
When you visit, take a look around the shop. It should be appear clean and well-organized. The staff should seem happy and relaxed. If all you see and hear in chaos, you need to ask yourself if you want your dog to be left in such an environment.
Check the Better Business Bureau
Dog grooming is a business, and if any past clients have had a serious complaint, they may have filed it with the BBB. Be sure that the groomer you are considering has a clean record.
Look at Their Album of Clients
A good grooming shop is going to have a photo album which shows off their work. When looking through the book, you should see a variety of styles and clients. By looking through the book, you can get a feel for whether the groomer’s style matches what you want for your pet.
Each breed of dog has different grooming requirements. Some will require regular grooming at home – some on a daily basis – while some require much less care. The only way to know the best grooming routine for you dog is to talk to a professional groomer. Find a quality groomer soon. Your pet will thank you for it!
