Keeping Your Pet Calm At The Vet

Before you give your dog a bath, take the time to perform a few grooming techniques on your pet. You need not take your dog to a dog groomer to do these things. Throughout the course of this brief article, you will learn of a few ways that you can groom your dog on your own.

Clipping Your Dog's Nails

Clipping your dog's nails is an incredibly important part of the grooming process. If left ungroomed or untrimmed, your dog's nails can continue to grow underneath their pads. This can cause them injury. A good rule of thumb is that if you hear your dog's nails on the ground as he or she trots, then this is a sign that they demand to be clipped. Invest in a pair of dog nail clippers, as they can make the process much easier for you. Make sure that you do not clip your dog's nails too close, however. Doing so can burst a blood vessel in your dog's paw. If you do hit a blood vessel, make sure that you apply a bit of styptic powder to the wound and apply pressure to it with a clean cloth.

Combing Your Dog

Depending on the consistency and length of your dog's hair, you should comb it out once every other day to once every month. If your dog has long, curly hair, note that brushing its hair is usually not enough. While combing your dog's hair, you should take the time to remove any mats that may have manifested themselves in their hair. Take the time to cut any of these clumps of hair as you go through the combing process. Brush from the top of your dog's head to the end of its tail. Steel combs and undercoat rakes are recommended tools for this job.

Brushing The Dog's Teeth

Brushing your dog's teeth once a day is highly recommended, although if this is not possible, attempt to brush their teeth once a week. It is imperative that you use specialized toothpaste for dogs, as fluoride can be harmful to your beloved pet. You can brush your dog's teeth by simply placing a bit of the toothpaste on your finger and spreading it across your dog's teeth and gums.

This guide should have given you some idea of how to go about grooming your dog. If you do not feel comfortable with grooming your pet on your own, it is recommended that you hire the services of a professional dog groomer like those at Rush Animal Care Clinic PC.