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Dog grooming tips at home

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No matter what of breed of dog you own, regular grooming in between professional grooms helps to keep their skin and coats healthy. So, here’s some dog grooming tips to help you at home.

Washing

Now this might sound strange, but washing your dog when it’s dirty is not always the right thing to do. Over-washing can rob a dog’s skin and coat of essential oil, so check what is recommend for your dog’s breed and hair type with your vet or groomer.  Instead use natural dog wipes, like the DGG Bamboo Wipes to remove any dirt, particularly around their feet and bellies.

Also, if your dog has longer hair or a double coat that is not being regularly brushed out, it may be matted underneath. By adding water you make the matting much worse, causing discomfort and pain for your dog and increasing the risk of bacteria and infection underneath.

Shampoo & Conditioner

Key grooming tips include ALWAYS using a pet shampoo and conditioner, never human ones, as a dog’s PH levels are very different to our own and it can cause skin irritations or sensitivities.

I always look for a natural pet shampoo and conditioner, with essential oils and botanicals, no nasty chemicals, and not tested on animals, which is why I use the DGG range.

Regular Brushing at home

Regular brushing at least once a week at home helps to keep your dog clean, prevents matting, increases circulation and reduces shedding. Longer hair will need more.

If you have a dog with a double coat, use a de-shedding brush or rake to remove the undercoat to help keep them cool in summer and avoid matting in the winter.

Eyes and ears

Regularly trim and clean your dog’s fringe and hair around the eyes using a damp cloth to gently clean the eye area and remove any ‘gunk’ that can block the tear ducts and cause infection.  If your dog is prone to tear stains, read more about that HERE.

Likewise, regularly gently clean the inside of your dog’s ears with a wet cloth. If they are rubbing at the ear or shaking their head more than usual, get a vet to check.

Teeth

Daily teeth cleaning with a dog toothpaste and brush is also really important in between professional cleans, as gum disease impacts on their overall health. Fresh breath and plaque control products can also help.

Nails

Long nails on dogs can cause them pain, so they need to be kept trim. You don’t want to cut through the red nerve though, which you can usually see in clear nails. If you are unsure, or they have dark nails, ask your groomer to show you how to do it, or book them in for a nail clip in between professional grooms.  For tips on cutting your dog’s nails, click here.

To help with your home grooming needs check out the DGG range at PETstock, or visit the DGG website.

Check out more dog grooming tips on this website including: grooming puppies for the first time, our dog breed grooming guide, tips for grooming older dogs, common dog grooming injuries and more.


About the Author: Lara Shannon is a certified dog behaviourist and trainer, pet food nutrition specialist, Executive Producer and Host of Pooches at Play on Channel 10 and editor of Poochesatplay.com. Lara also runs her own dog training business in Melbourne’s Bayside area and is the Author of World of Dogs and Eat, Play, Love Your Dog

Looking for more dog tips and fun facts?

Get your paws on Lara Shannon’s best selling books ‘Eat, Play, Love (your dog) and World of Dogs.

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