Dogs are known to be the best companions of human beings.
Unlike many other animals, dogs are a rare combination of beauty, brains, and
character. They look great, behave gentlemanly if trained and are quite
intelligent. What's more, they are also known to possess a sterling character
and are very loyal to their adopters. However, as many dog breeds have large
hair and they remain active all day long, the dogs need constant grooming.
Thought there are any professional grooming parlors in the city, the care and
attention offered by you are simply unmatchable. So, investing some time and
effort in grooming your dog can actually make your relations much better and
also offer a personalized care to the dog. So here is a simple guide on
grooming your dog at home:
Hair Clipping
As your dog likes to remain active whole day long, it is but
natural that its fur will trap much of dust and catch a variety of fleas. Some
of them are very annoying while others might even be fatal for your dog. Hence
you need to jeep its hair short by offering it a regular "haircut":
Tools and Skills
Contrary to the belief, the dog grooming does not require
any special tools. Just a simple clipper along with a good quality hairbrush
and a comb is enough.
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The dog's hair can be clipped using clippers.
The best thing is that contrary to the belief, one can clip the dog's hair
using ordinary clippers. The only thing to remember is to adjust the length of
clipper to cut the long hairs of dog. Ordinary human clippers employ the use of
plastic guard is that the clipper cuts at the longer length. One more things to
keep in mind is to keep your dog amused and absorbed in some activity when you
are clipping its hair. You can either have toys or favorite treats keep them
amused.
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The dogs are very sensitive to the noise and
touch. Hence you need the right kind of clipper that should glide through
smoothly. In the same manner, the comb should have ideal gaps between the teeth
so that it should not tug at hair. Also, avoid the noisy clippers as the sound
may startle your dog or frighten it.
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One thing to ensure is to avoid pushing the
clipper too close to the skin that can not only be painful but can also cause
serious injury. Also be careful with the speed. Going too fast is not
recommendable at all. Go for the constant and steady speed.
Preparing
for Hair Clipping
First, you need to ensure that your dog's fur very well. If
it isn't then dry it up using a towel. Once it is dried up well, brush in the
opposite direction of hair growth. Then use the clipper to clip in the
direction of the growth of hair. While moving across the skin of the dog go
maintain a constant speed while moving the clipper surely. Clipping against the
dog's hair growth will result in very short hair. The neck is always the best
spot to start with while clipping the hair. Start from the neck and go down
through shoulders. Be very careful with certain delicate areas like throat,
stomach, armpits, and reproductive organs as a minor mistake can be fatal to
your dog.
Important Things to
Remember
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During the process of clipping the dog may
startle and start jerking or make sudden movements that can be harmful to it.
So, it is best to have another person holding it very well, though gently while
you clip its fur.
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Different breeds of dogs have different hair
growth and thus they need different clippers. For the best results, it is
recommendable to check with your veterinary doctor to ensure the right kind of
clipper for your dog.
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Depending upon your creativity you can also give
a stylish hairstyle to your dog but it is always better to ensure that the new
style would make your dog look handsome and not weird. And last but not the
least, always remember that the safety of your dog is of utmost importance.
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You should consider switching the clipper off
occasionally to avoid it from getting very hot and burning your dog's skin.
Touch the clippers the tips of your finger occasionally to ensure that it is
not hot. If it is, turn it off and allow it to cool down.
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You can change the blades occasionally as using
the same blade constantly can make it very hot. Dogs are naturally proactive by
nature. So, keep the trimming session as short as it is reasonably possible.
Ideally, 15-20 minutes should be enough to offer your dog an excellent haircut.
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Depending on the specific breed of the dog you
can choose to offer clipping sessions after every 7-9 weeks. Apart from
clipping, you should also consider brushing your dog's hair regularly to
prevent the knots from forming. Combing with an ideal dog comb will also keep
your dog's hair well-arranged and that can be helpful while clipping your dog's
hair.
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One particular area to be careful with while
clipping your dog's hair is the anus. In fact, the anus is one of the most
sensitive areas and is also surrounded by hair. Being careless clipping the
hair around the anus can be fatally detrimental to your dog. Go slowly and
always be considerate about the main anus so the clipper should not harm it. In
the same way, the genital area should also be dealt with very carefully.
Nail Clipping
It is also necessary to get your dog's nails trimmed
regularly as the overgrowth of nails can be painful for the paw pads. They can
also affect the normal walking of the dogs.
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Many people use the human nail clippers for
trimming the dog's nails that are not a right practice. It needs you to exert
extra pressure and can be harmful to the dogs. There are specially designed
nail clippers available in the market. Do not cut the nails too close as that
can harm the cuticles of the dog.
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Instead of cutting off a large portion it is
recommendable to cut a nail in several small bits as that will ensure that the
nail clipper does not touch the cuticles. It is always better to go for a good
quality nail clipper that is sharp and offers sure clipping. Avoid using the
nail clippers that need several attempts as that can not only elongate the
entire process but will also affect the quality.
Though there are many dog grooming centers that offer
commercial services for grooming your dog, you need to remember that no one
would be able to offer the same care and attention as is provided by you. Hence
it is best to groom your dog at home instead of going for dog grooming services.
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