How to groom your dog at home?
Having a dog comes with several responsibilities, including keeping it clean. In fact, grooming your dog prevents the development of skin problems, regular brushing will reduce the amount of hair on your furniture and clothes, and it will help prevent the formation of mats.
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Grooming salons offer these services, but you can groom your dog in the comfort of your home, without too much expense. 10 Tips provides you with advice and tricks to groom your dog yourself at home. The
1. Before you start grooming your dog
Many dogs do not like being handled because they were not used to it as puppies or because they experienced trauma during a previous grooming session. If you have a puppy, get it used to being handled from an early age: gently play with its paws, ears, etc. Combine these handling sessions with something pleasant for it, like dog treats or small pieces of dried liver.
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Every time you touch a part of its body, give it a treat. Follow the same principle to get it accustomed to grooming tools. However, if your dog has experienced trauma during grooming, it would be best to consult a behavioral veterinarian who can help you gently desensitize your dog.
Never entrust this type of therapy to someone using adverse methods that could exacerbate your dog’s grooming issues.
Essential grooming accessories
To groom your dog at home, make sure you have a few essential accessories on hand. Of course, you will need a good shampoo specially designed for it and its hair type, towels to clean and dry it properly. But grooming your dog is not just about giving it a bath! These grooming tools should be part of your kit for a complete grooming:
Grooming brush: The brush should be used at least once a week to remove dead hair and untangle knots. Additionally, it is advisable to brush the dog before bathing, as this will prevent the drain from getting clogged with clumps of hair. To make it easier, get a quality brush that also removes undercoat hairs.
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****1 Curly brush: the ideal brush for brushing and grooming your dog at home. 
Nail clippers: You will need to trim your dog’s nails at least once a month, perhaps more if it is a pet that doesn’t get the chance to wear them down on rough surfaces. Equip yourself with a professional clipper that will be more effective and strong, especially if your dog is large. Additionally, you should prefer a model with a safety notch, which will prevent cutting too short and potentially injuring and bleeding the nail.
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****1 Quality nail clippers allow you to easily trim your dog’s nails at home.
Dog clippers: Although it is not recommended to shave your dog, leaving it without an insulating layer against the sun, cold, and heat, you may need to do so. In fact, you might need to trim certain areas of its body when knots form that are impossible to untangle, if burrs get caught in its coat, etc. Also, some long-haired dog breeds have hair that grows between their paw pads, which will need to be trimmed to prevent slipping and to avoid debris accumulation that could cause injuries. Buy a clipper designed for cats and dogs, preferably cordless to make it easier.
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****1 Dog clipper: clipper for dogs and cats with 4 adjustable combs and other grooming accessories.
Dog dental kit: It is certain that a good quality diet will help your dog have healthy teeth and gums, but it will still need to be brushed regularly. This will help prevent tartar buildup and gum disease as well as give it fresh breath. Choose a brush and toothpaste specially designed for dogs, and a model that is the right size for its mouth. Never use human toothpaste, as most contain toxic ingredients for animals.
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Dental kit: toothpaste & toothbrush for quick cleaning of your dog’s teeth.
How to bathe your dog?
Before putting your dog in the bath, make sure you have everything you need on hand:
- Shampoo
- Towels
- Brush and comb
- Hairdryer
To prevent the dog from slipping in the tub, place a large towel or blanket. Don’t forget to close the bathroom door so your dog doesn’t escape and spray the whole house!
- Once your dog is well brushed and settled in the bath:
- Wet the coat with lukewarm water, then apply the shampoo.
- Lather and scrub well all over, avoiding the ears and eyes.
- Then rinse thoroughly with water to remove any soap residue.
- Wipe your dog’s hair with a towel.
- Next, make sure to dry it well with the hairdryer to remove moisture. In fact, it can cause skin diseases.
Clean your dog’s ears.
To prevent the proliferation of bacteria that can cause ear infections, your dog’s ears should be cleaned regularly. For this purpose,
- Use a pet-safe ear cleaner and arm yourself with cotton swabs or soft tissues.
- Gently hold your dog’s ear and inject a good flow of liquid into it.
- While still holding the ear, massage well to help the product flow down the canal.
- Then let your dog shake its head, and when it’s done, wipe the outer ear with the swab or tissue.
Be careful not to push your fingers into the canal and, if possible, never use cotton to clean a dog’s ears.
If you are looking for a quality and economical ear cleaner to clean your dog’s ears, here is one right here:
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Ear cleaner: An ideal cleaner for the hygiene and care of your dog’s or cat’s ears.
Clean your dog’s eyes
Some dog breeds tend to have eye discharge that stains the hair underneath. You will find products specially designed for this task at your veterinarian’s. Additionally, these products can also be used to clean the facial folds of dogs such as pugs. Apply a bit of cleaner on a soft pad, then gently rub around the eye or in the folds. Then dry well to prevent bacterial growth caused by moisture.
If you are looking for a product for eye protection and hydration in dogs, here is a very popular product:
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Gel for eyes: Gel for the protection and hydration of the eye in dogs. Great price!
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