How to Properly Groom Your Dog - Grooming for Fido
To keep your canine companion in great condition you need to learn how to properly groom your dog. A coat that is healthy and shiny is a sign that your dog is healthy both inside and out. Unlike cats, dogs aren't able to keep themselves clean or groomed and their boisterous and active lives mean that your pooch will invariably need a bath! Learning to properly groom your dog may be critical to your dog's well being.
When you properly groom your dog it fulfills an even more important function. Regular grooming will help you to spot any potential health problems in your dog and early intervention could save his or her life.
To properly groom your dog you will first need to get him or her used to the idea. A dog may never like their bath but (unlike some cats) most learn to tolerate their soaping with some patience. The best time to introduce your dog to grooming is when it's still quite young. By the time he is a year old he should either look at his bath as a necessary evil or enjoy it thoroughly.
As you groom your dog make sure to check for any unusual lumps under the skin, any rashes, bald patches, sores or cuts. Is your dog's coat dull or his skin dry and flaky? Are his eyes sore, inflamed, cloudy or tearing? Do the ears have an odor or are they tender or swollen. Are the teeth and breath in good order? To properly groom your dog you need to pay attention to more than just his coat.
If your dog has short hair you will need to properly groom your dog once a week using a natural bristle brush and fine-tooth comb. Dogs with long hair that shed may need to be groomed 2 to 3 times a week or every day if it is an outdoor rambler. Use a wire brush and a wide-tooth comb as well as a fine-tooth flea comb on your longhair.
