When it comes to grooming our dogs, many of us feel overwhelmed. We may not know how to bathe them properly, trim their nails, or cut their hair. But don’t fret now because this article will show you the steps to groom your pooch even without leaving your home.
How to Cut Your Dog’s Hair
If your dog has long hair (not medium/wiry), you will need to use a comb and scissors. If you have a dog with short fur, consider shaving them as opposed to cutting its hair.
You need the right kind of scissors for this job. They should be for animal use only or at least have rounded tips to avoid injury. Use thinning shears for dogs to reduce the bulk of their fur as opposed to cutting it absolutely straight.
Start by brushing your dog’s fur to remove all knots. Comb through their fur from head to tail to find any tangles that may need extra attention during brushing.
Cut the mats out first before going about your trimming. Be careful not to pull on their skin when doing so! This can hurt them and make them uncomfortable when you go to brush. It may be helpful to use a detangling spray or even conditioner too.
After completely brushing through, look your dog over and find places where their fur may still be longer than others. If it is more out of place in certain areas of their body or long enough that it could potentially get tangled with other hair, start cutting! Slowly, trim away extra fur until satisfied with the outcome.
How to Bathe Your Pooch
You are going to need shampoo, a towel, brushes/combs, rubber gloves, clean water, and dog-safe soap.
Find a place where you can lay out your towels big enough for your dog. Grasp the fur between your dog’s shoulder blades with one hand and support their belly with the other. This will make them feel stable and relaxed during the bath.
Use warm water (not hot) because it will be closer to your pet’s body temperature. Lather up once or twice around its neck before applying shampoo to its back. Take care only to get their head wet – not all of their body – until they are finished rinsing off the shampoo on their backside.
Use a cup or a bucket to pour water over your dog. Don’t use the shower because it will be too hard for you to control. Use your fingers to work the shampoo into their fur, making sure you’re massaging their skin all the way down to their undercoat. You can also use a soft brush or an old toothbrush if it makes it easier on your back.
Rinse until no more suds are visible. Usually, it takes two washes for this purpose. Use conditioner if your dog has matted hair, bad dandruff, or sensitive skin. If you are using conditioner, go ahead and massage it in after shampooing but before rinsing off excess soap from fur. Let the conditioner sit on your dog’s coat for a few minutes. Use a cup or a bucket to pour water over your dog to rinse it all away.
Gently squeeze the excess water from their fur once finished rinsing by holding them firmly and swishing them around in one direction (not back and forth). Do not rub! This may cause the matting of hair. Towel dry them as much as possible, but if you let them air-dry they will do so faster and without tangling as much. For this same reason, do not use a hairdryer.
How to Trim Dog Nails
Yes, there is such thing as nail trimming pliers – no need for those sharp clippers just yet!
Get a towel and lay it down on a flat surface. Fold the bottom of the towel up so you can hold on to it without having to put your bare hand near their nails. Make like you are about to make a fist with your non-dominant hand. Place this hand under their paw to help stabilize them if needed, but do not let them step on top of it – only keep the “fingers” underneath!
With your dominant hand (the one closer to their feet), place the tips of each nail into the gap between your thumb and index finger. Pull gently away from their body and downward to ensure that all of their nails come out. If they didn’t, try again by placing each nail tip between your thumb and index finger one at a time. This is to prevent cutting into the quick (the pink part)! If you do happen to cut them, stop immediately and apply pressure to stop any bleeding.
If your dog bites down during this process, just ignore it. They’re only reacting because they don’t like feeling pain – something we all know too well. If their nails are unusually long or seem difficult for you to clip, take a break for a day or two and try again later after giving your hand a rest from all of the heavy-duty work.
Groom your dog at home every once in a while to keep them looking their best. They won’t mind at all – they will probably love it, actually.
