How to do dog grooming

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Written by John Kirkham

Proper dog grooming is important for your pet’s well being, health and happiness. If you are able to do some or all of this grooming yourself then it can add an extra dimension to your relationship with your pet as well as saving you money but its always wise to pay a professional if you are not sure what you are doing. This is not a comprehensive guide to dog grooming but serves as an introduction for those who would like to learn. For an excellent, in-depth dog grooming course your are referred to the ebook: www.articlerange.com/doggroomingebook.php
Always make sure you buy high quality products for dog grooming, the following tools are essential:

Toe clippers:

Use the guillotine variety for medium to large size dogs and the pliers type for small dogs. Take care not to cut too short or you'll end up cutting a vein.

Nose Scissors:

Special blunted scissors are needed for safety and effectiveness when it comes to removing long hairs from your dog's nose. Never use pointed scissors.

Dog Grooming Scissors:

The usual size to use is 8.5" and you need both the straight and the curved variety. Go for titanium ones because they stay sharper for longer and the curved ones allow you to cut corners. The curved scissors are essential for creating rounded surfaces. Practice on your dog’s extremities. The best scissors for cutting bulk hairs are called Filipino shears. They are wider bladed than other scissors and can achieve well defined sharpness and smoothness.

Thinning scissors:

Thinning scissors are excellent for thinning a dog’s coat in warm weather and also for finishing a coat off giving it a blended look and a natural, soft-edged texture. Use a 28 tooth blade or finer. They are also used to help prevent the matting of fur.

Forceps or Tweezers:

Used to remove ear hair, ticks and prevent infections these are a very important component of any dog grooming kit. There is hair deep within the inner ear canals that needs to be removed every 4 to 6 weeks in order to prevent infections.

Hairbrush:

Its important to choose the right type of hairbrush for your dog. For short haired dogs a firm clothes brush is OK, if you need something stiffer then there are a variety of brushes available at your local pet store. Dogs with long coats should be brushed everyday. In addition to a regular brush a strong steel comb is essential to use on long-haired dogs to ensure the separation of clumped hair.

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In addition to the above you should also have dog clippers and a dental descaler. Grooming should cover the tummy, eyes, ears, teeth, face, feet, nails, coat and skin. Always check the skin for any skin conditions (lumps, rashes etc.) and hair loss whilst you are grooming. Feet should be checked every day for thorns. Regular baths are also an important part of grooming, note that what's good shampoo for humans is generally not good shampoo for dogs. A handful of aloe vera gel and water mixed with a bit of baby shampoo works well. How often you need to groom your dog will depend on the breed as hair growth is very variable.

Finally, always be on the look out for fleas, lice and ticks whilst grooming your dog. Other things to look for are seeds these can penetrate the skin and induce abscesses.