When it comes to keeping your best buddy clean and tidy you can always rely on our very talented groomers to do the dirty work for you. However, a DIY grooming in between purrfessional services is always recommended to ensure that you pup is comfortable and healthy – our tips should help make the process less painful for the both of you.
1. Exercise Beforehand
Not you, the dog – you’ll be getting enough exercise during the groom! If your dog tends to get a little excited or anxious during a wash then some exercise furst should help keep him/her calm and still during the ordeal. This is especially helpful with younger doggies.
2. Trim around the Paws
Have a look at the underside of your pooch’s paws – is the fur quite long around and between the pads? A careful trim of that hair will not only give your doggo better traction when he’s indoors, but you might also find that he won’t bring in quite as much pawful dirt from outside.
3. Brush before Wash
Combing or brushing the coat every day or every second day is usually enough to keep the unwanted mats or dreadlocks at bay – start at the head and work your way through to the tail. Of course you’ll want to comb out a tangle as soon as you encounter one, but just make sure that you don’t cause brush burn from brushing in the same spot for too long. And if any of those mats are impawssible to brush out then go ahead and snip them off – severe matting can pull and irritate the skin.
It’s also important that you use the right kind of brush depending on the breed:
Short-haired dogs: a simple curry brush should suffice
Medium- to long-haired dogs: use a steel comb, pin brush, slicker, or an undercoat rake
4. Use a Bath Mat
If you’re going to use the tub then it’s a good idea to put down a non-slip bath mat to avoid a catastrophe– we all know how slippery things can get in there!
5. ONLY use Dog Products
This should absolutely go without saying, but it is extremely important that you only use shampoodle and conditioner that is specifically formulated for dogs. Despite your pup’s gorgeous coat, his hair is not the same as humans’, and using human products could be toxic to animals.
6. Rinse and Repeat
It’s very important that you get every last bit of shampoo or conditioner off when rinsing, so double up the job to be safe (using lukewarm water). It may be laborious task, but it’s an absolute necessity; any product that is left over could cause some nasty skin irritations.
PETWORLD sells everything you’ll need to keep your beloved pets clean and healthy, but when in the need of a professional service, look no further than GROOMWORLD! Book online, in-store, or over the phone.