Puppy Grooming
A Complete Guide to Puppy Grooming
For the optimum health and enjoyment of your pet, good puppy grooming is essential. Starting early and doing it well will help to make this a part of your every day life.
If your puppy has special difficulties (like severely matted hair, skin sensitivities or infections), it may be a good idea to book an appointment with a professional groomer or vet. Normal or simple puppy grooming can be looked after in the comfort of your home.
Puppy Brushing
Start with brushing your puppy’s fur at a young age. This gets them used to the brush as well as the idea of being handled for grooming. The type of brush to use depends on the length of hair on your puppy.
For short-haired breeds you can often just use a bristle brush. This won’t irritate or scratch their skin and is sure to leave a shiny coat. If you need to work through mats or clumps of hair, try a slicker brush to start. These usually have a hooked shape and work well for clearing away tricky spots on all types and lengths of dog hair.
For long-haired breeds you should rely on a pin brush for tangles (after you’ve removed any mats with the slicker brush). A metal comb or bristle brush can be used to finish off the brushing process.
Since puppy are infamously wigglers and can’t sit still for long, brush in short sessions. Be sure to give your puppy plenty of praise and encouragement all throughout the process and don’t forget a treat at the end!
Puppy Baths
Puppies are going to get dirty and will need to be bathed. Use a tub with a non-skid surface and keep hold of your puppy’s collar. With lukewarm water, start by wetting and lathering the dog’s body. Move to the head after that, being sure to keep soap and water out of their eyes and ears. Rinse well and towel dry. Work fast if possible and keep your voice calm and full of praise. Puppies will often shiver and whimper while being bathed, so be sure to encourage them with words.
Puppy Footcare
It’s best to look after your puppy’s feet while playing with them. Inspect their paws for matted hair and remove what you can quickly. Also try to trim the hairs around the paw pads to keep a level walking surface.
Inspect your puppy’s nails. Dewclaws (little claws high up and on the back of the leg) need to be trimmed often and front claws should be kept short for comfort. Use scissors or a guillotine clipper (make sure they’re sharp) and again, work quickly.
Never trim too short though, as that can cause bleeding and infection, not to mention giving your puppy a painful impression of paw grooming.
Puppy Ear Care
Puppy grooming involves regular ear care. This can fit in right after a bath and usually takes a short time.
Wipe the outer part of your puppy’s ear with a cotton swab. Use baby oil to dampen it if you like, but the moisture from the bath is probably enough. If you need to clean wax and debris from the inner ear, use a special cleaner and follow the directions exactly. It’s usually a good idea to leave those sensitive areas to a professional groomer.
Give your puppy a gentle rub or massage around the base of their ear to loosen and relax them. Watch that you haven’t gotten any soap or shampoo in their ear.
Puppy Teeth Care
Feed your puppy a high quality dry puppy food that helps with teeth care. Look for treats that fight against tartar as well.
About once a week, use a canine toothbrush and paste and give your puppy’s teeth a quick cleaning. Every year you’ll need to have the vet perform a more thorough dental exam and cleaning, but routine brushing helps too.
With a little time, lots of love and care and plenty of praise for your dog’s patience, puppy grooming is easy. Your efforts are important to provide optimum puppy health. Pamper your precious pet with regular grooming.