Grooming at home

GROOMING

AT HOME

FOR WHEN YOU CAN’T GET TO THE GROOMER

Whether or not your dog has regular appointments with a groomer it is helpful to have a daily grooming ritual in place for your pooch to ensure you spot any health issues as soon as they arise. In addition, there are likely to be times when getting to a groomer is a challenge and you need to do some grooming yourself. Here we look at some general principles and strategies for giving your dogs a good groom, without causing undue stress.

PRINCIPLES OF GROOMING

1. Schedule a few minutes every day to groom your dog. It is a good idea to groom your dog every single day at the same time so that he gets used to the routine. Choose a time when your dog is relaxed and then make grooming a habit that you both look forward to. 2. Create a calm space. You preferably want to use a place that is away from noisy distractions and where your dog feels comfortable. If you have more than one dog, it might be worth separating them for grooming to avoid them fighting for your attention. 3. Look out for health changes. By giving a quick groom daily, you will soon pick up any changes. Remembering how your dog’s skin and coat look and feel and how he responds to you touching certain areas can help you to pick up health conditions early. 4. Watch his body language. Dogs express subtle signs of anxiety or distress that many of us fail to pick up on.

This can lead to intensifying a phobia and/or escalating the survival response, even to aggression. We need to ensure we know enough about body language to spot these early signs of anxiety, so situations don’t escalate.

During every session, look out for an averted gaze, tongue flicking, panting, salivating and yawning, which are all signs of distress. With fearful dogs, less is more, and the grooming process often needs to be broken down into stages to prevent overwhelming the dog. If you see signs of anxiety or distress, it is a good idea to stop for five minutes to show your dog that you understand his concern and allow him to calm down. 5. Keep treats on hand. It is a good idea to have treats on hand to help keep the association to grooming positive for your dog.

PROCEDURES

SKIN

We must ensure that the skin can breathe to prevent sores, skin abrasions and infections. We can allow this breathing through daily brushing and combing the hair one section at a time.

WRINKLES Brachycephalic breeds such as Bulldogs and breeds with lots of wrinkles like Shar-Peis will require a more intricate bathing routine and careful cleansing of the folds using your finger. You want to dab these wrinkles dry so they don’t become a source of infection.

HAIR Most dogs should have a bath once every six to eight weeks and four weeks for wool/wool-mix coats (Poodles, Cockapoos etc.). When bathing, ensure you are penetrating right into the skin and exfoliating. Ensure the soapy residue is thoroughly rinsed off and keep the shower hose away from the dog’s face. The face can be washed using your hand and a jug of clean water to rinse gently.

MATT REMOVAL Daily brushing should prevent matts from occurring. However, if you do happen to come across a matt, you can use your safety dog-grooming scissors and a finger and thumb to very gently cut down and through the matt before carefully brushing it out. If necessary, you can also bathe your dog and use copious amounts of conditioner to try and work through the matt in this way.

EYES AND EARS Bathing your dog’s eyes and ears daily is a great way to avoid tear-staining and infection. Use separate cotton pads for each eye/ear. For dogs with woolly coats, you will need a groomer to assist you with keeping the ears clean.

TOP TIP

Before clipping nails, soak them in lukewarm water for 5-7 minutes. This will soften them and make clipping easier and less of a harsh sensation and sound for your dog.

BUM Keeping the bum clear of hair prevents a build-up of dirt collecting that could result in matting or infection. Use your safety dog-grooming scissors and carefully remove any overly long hair that is prone to get soiled, but leave the genitals for a professional. You can also use a cotton pad to wipe both the bum and genital area to keep them clean and fresh.

NOTE: When using scissors, always cut with the lay of the coat, never against and never across.

PADS Hair grows between pads and can often cause injury to a dog’s joints due to slipping on laminated or similar floors. However, the hair also acts as a form of protection against foreign objects, especially grit or on exceptionally warm/ cold concrete. For easy maintenance, trimming the excess hair that covers the pads is enough to prevent the dog from slipping while leaving enough hair to protect between the toes. It is also good practice to check the pads after every walk to ensure there are no matts or foreign objects that could irritate or cause pain. In dogs with cracked paw pads, moisturising paw balm can be very useful.

NAILS Unless you or your dog has restricted mobility, it is a good idea to walk your dog on concrete, and other hard surfaces as this will keep nail length under control. In terms of clipping nails, less is always more. This is especially the case with black nails, where the quick is not easy to visualise. Although cutting into the quick will heal quite quickly, the emotional distress caused will be very difficult to reverse, so it is always best to clip little and often.

Dewclaws must be checked frequently to ensure they aren’t cutting into the pads as these cannot be naturally ground down with movement and will need clipping to keep them in check. When clipping them, remember to hold the nail you are working on in place to prevent it from twisting and hurting the dog during the procedure.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

Whatever your breed of dog, and whether or not they have regular visits to a groomer it is still worth giving your dog a once over every single day to check for any changes or issues. It is also a good idea to work on any fear your dog may have around grooming in the home setting rather than in a parlour. Finally, grooming can be a great bonding exercise for you and your dog and allows you to spend some quality time together! You don’t need to be a grooming pro – just observe your dog’s body language and do what you are both comfortable with.