Being a responsible dog owner involves many things. Training, good nutrition, love and affection. Many of our products at Dogeez look to address these concerns. However, knowing how best to groom your dog at home is also an important part of being dog owner. Luckily you don’t need to go to an expensive dog grooming parlour to give your pooch a proper pampering. Learning to groom a dog isn’t complex, providing you have the time, training, patience and most importantly, the right tools. Let Dogeez Brusheez show you how grooming can also be a cost-effective, stress-free bonding experience for you and your beloved dog.

Why is Dog Grooming Important?

Healthy and clean dogs are better pets. Regular grooming gives protection for you, your family and your dog, and prevents common health issues. Grooming covers a range of actions. These could include grooming their coat to stave off yeast infections which cause skin irritation, and itching or brushing teeth and gums to prevent decay and gum disease. Grooming can also be helpful for preventative health management. It’s an opportunity for a quick doggie check-up for any abnormalities on their body that need attention. The appearance, hygiene and health of your dog are indicators of the way you take care of your dog. In many ways this is a reflection on you as an owner.

Getting Ready to Groom Your Dog

Having the proper equipment before you start grooming is important. Dogeez Brusheez and other Dogeez products have been specially designed to be kind to your dog’s body, whilst still being robust enough to tackle those mud-soaked coats, and ensure your dog is the leader of the pack when it comes to cleanliness and appearance. To do the best job possible when you groom your dog at home, you will need:

• Dogeez Brusheez
• adjustable collars or a strong leash (for example, Dogeez Brusheez and Dogeez Walkeez)
• a good quality water sprayer
• a good sized dog bath tub or wash basin that fits your dog
• shampoo formulated especially for dogs
• dry towels
• variable speed blow dryer
• dog nail clippers
• styptic powder
• medicated ear solution
• lots of clean cotton wads
• long nose hair cutters
• hair clippers made for dog’s hair

You should prepare a clean area to work in when you groom dogs. It should be an area that can be easily cleaned easily after dog grooming.

General Tips and Dog Grooming Etiquette

Sitting still while sharp objects come at you is a big ask for many humans, let alone dogs. While humans can rationalise this process as a ‘trip to the barbers’, we can be quick to forget grooming can sometimes be a scary experience for dogs. It’ll take time for them to adjust. Your dog trusts you, and so in many ways you are best placed to give them the best grooming experience above anyone else. This is where Dogeez products are incredibly helpful. By doing the grooming yourself it means no scary outside experiences for your dog; no scary experiences for your bank account. Here are some general tips to consider when grooming your dog with Dogeez Brusheez and other Dogeez products:

• Keep the session short initially for the dog to get used to the experience and tools. Gradually increase the session time until it becomes a regular routine.
• Practice grooming your dog at home consistently on a regular basis, you will find that it becomes easier and requires less time the more you do it.
• Show your dog all the tools you are using, and allow them to sniff them as you go along. This will help with acceptance.
• Maintain a playful and friendly attitude with your dog to make them comfortable.
• Reassure your dog in a manner that calms them before you start grooming and continue throughout the grooming process. If you are kind and calm, the dog will enjoy the process much more and will be a better experience for both of you.
• If your dog is an excitable thing then make sure to select a time when they are more relaxed.
• Take time when grooming your dog. Don’t rush things. It’s easy to injure them if you’re not careful with those clippers.
• Be positive and reassuring while learning to groom the dog. Dogs can sense nervousness and a dog owner who looks and feels anxious will also spread this to their dog and make them uncomfortable.
• If your dog doesn’t enjoy grooming, it may be that you are using the wrong tools. Take a look at the range of Dogeez grooming tools that’ll make your life easier and lead to a happier dog.
• If you know your dog is having a ‘bad day’ don’t force the grooming process on them. It will turn something that should be a positive bonding experience into something negative they’ll want to avoid. If you do this you are likely to get more resistance when you try again on a better day.
• Do your research on your breed of dog, and use the best tools for the job. Dogeez have a range of products to make every grooming task effortless and enjoyable.

How Often Do You Need to Groom Your Dog?

How often you need to groom your dog depends on many factors including how often it sheds, and how often it is outdoors. Breeds with hair that’s corded, double-coated and long will require more grooming efforts than those of short-haired or hairless breeds. Poodles, for example, will require a certain grooming style which might take hours while other short-haired dogs might require only minimal care. All dogs shed to some degree, so they all need at least a little grooming care to brush away any loose hair. If your dog sheds frequently, you will obviously want to groom them more often. This is where Dogeez Brusheez can come in very useful again.

Step by Step Instructions on How to Groom A Dog

Step 1: Gather all your dog grooming tools Gather the supplies and prepare the work area before bringing the dog to the grooming area. Place all the Dogeez grooming tools you need within reachable distance from where you groom your dog. Step 2: Remove any mats or tangles Owners of long-haired dogs should note that their hair is particularly susceptible to matting. For dogs that constantly have a lot of matted hair you may need to obtain a special tool from Dogeez Brusheez called a to help save the day. To avoid a disgruntled dog, when you first brush them, place the brush on their fur. Once they accept it, give them praise as a reward. Continue to do this until he/she understands that brushing is a positive experience. Calm and reassure your dog, while looking for areas with matted or tangled hair. Mats are even harder to remove when they come in contact with water, so make sure to remove them before shampooing.  A detangle solution before shampooing can help with this. Step 3: Pre-bath trimming or clipping Once all the matted and tangled hair is removed, it is the time for your dog to get a haircut. Start with scissors to trim the hair. You may choose to use dog-grooming sheers or a regular pair of hair-cutting scissors. We’d recommended looking at our range of Dogeez products are specifically designed for this function. Regardless what you use, just make sure you are extra careful with a sharp blade around the dog’s skin. If your pooch is particularly hairy beast as with some long-haired breeds, they may require more trimming around the chest, hocks, belly and pads of the feet than other dogs. Step 4: Brushing / Combing Before every dog bath, you should make sure you give your dog a good brush-down. When it comes to brushes, there are several styles currently on the market. One of the better types when you are first learning how to groom a dog is the Dogeez Brusheez De-matting Rake. The special tool is made specifically to remove dander and dirt. Other than the brush mentioned above, if you own a short-haired dog you may find that a soft-bristle brush works best. These brushes are easier on the skin and will leave your dog’s coat shiny. You may also find a chamois cloth useful for dogs of all coat types. However, if your dog has sensitive skin a rubber brush is probably best. When using the Dogeez Brusheez tool, start at the head of the dog, work from front to rear and top to bottom. Make sure you comb the entire coat of hair, including the hair on the tail and head. Pay special care when using any tools on near the face, eyes and ears of the dog. Step 5: Bathing Some dogs love baths and will happily take a dip voluntarily. Others will happily leap into a mud filled lake, but when bath-time comes they run and hide under the bed. Whatever type of dog you have introduce them slowly to the water. Offering some verbal encouragement, you may soon find that your previously aquaphobic dog suddenly can’t get enough of bath-time. It’s your choice where you wash your dog. Some owners will use a standing shower or bathtub, while others use the kitchen sink. We’d advocate washing your dog outside. It means less mess and clearing up. It’s also a place your dog will recognise so they are likely to be more relaxed. If you have a large dog, consider using a ramp to help you save time and energy getting your dog into the tub. Trying to move a chunky rottweiler into a bathtub is a recipe to injure yourself, or arguably worse, the dog. Here’s some points to note to make bath-time easier:

• Let your dog get used to the sound of water by running the tap for a little while first.
• Place some non-slip mats in the bathtub.
• Don’t use the tap but rather the shower-head to wash your dog.
• Use cotton balls in their ears to absorb the water.
• Make sure you use dog shampoo, not human shampoo. Read the label to ensure it’s right for your type and age of dog.

You should use your hands to turn the shampoo into a good lather, rubbing and massaging the dog’s skin as you work from head to tail and top to bottom of dog’s body. Using your hand means you’ll have a better feel to locate any problems on the dog’s body. This is where the prep work of detangling really pays off! Rinse thoroughly and make sure that no suds remains. Step 6: Drying Dry the dog’s coat, hair and skin completely. Use one or two dry towels at first and follow-up with a blow dryer on very low or no heat setting. Step 7: Clean the ears Dogs have much more hair on the inside area of their ears than humans so it’s important they are given close attention. Drying them properly helps to stop a build-up of dirt and wax, this prevents bacteria which could develop into a serious infection. Dogs with floppy ears that don’t get a lot of airflow, like Cocker Spaniels, are more prone to this. If you ever detect bad odours coming from a dog’s ears, see a build-up of wax or discharge, or excessive head shaking it is important for you to take the dog to a vet to get it checked out. Be careful not to go in too deep into the ear when drying as this could damage the ear drum causing the dog imbalance and hearing problems. To save time when cleaning the ears, pour an ear solution into the dog’s ears and massage the base of the ear gently to remove excess debris and wax in the ear canal. Watch out for your clothes, the wallpaper and anything else you don’t want covered in wax – your dog is likely to shake its head once you let go! Step 8: Trim toenails Dogs need their nails kept at a proper length. Walking on your dog on concrete naturally wears the nails down, but if you don’t do this regularly at some point, you’re going to have to trim their nails. No one wants to get this wrong, hurt their dog, and face their wrath, so it’s important you get it right. Cutting too short can result in bleeding and infection. Long nails can become ingrown or become infected. They also make an annoying clicking noise when your dog walks about and also cause damage to wood floors and furniture. Don’t forget to clip the dewclaw nail just inside the leg as well. As a dog owner its best to get them used to their feet being handled from a young age. If you do this, nail clipping won’t bother your dog. If you need to groom a dog that is aggressive, you may need someone else to hold the dog while you cut; a muzzle may also come in handy to prevent any injuries from your worried canine friend.

If you are new to the nail clipping process, just cut the dog’s nail at a minor angle, taking small snips as you go. If you cut back the nails too far and accidentally clip the quick (this is the pink part just under the nail), it can cause bleeding and a lot of discomfort. The dog is understandably not going to be keen to repeat the experience and will make grooming more difficult in the future. Be careful with dark nails as the quick is difficult to see. If you do cut the quick use a bottle of styptic powder to apply to the bleeding and apply pressure on the wound. Avoid removing the clot after bleeding has stopped. Trimming nails regularly will stop the quick will growing longer inside the dead part of the nail. This can increase the possibility of bleeding when you do finally cut the nails. Trimming the nail when wet as its softer is a good idea. If you really want to give your dog the ‘Hollywood Pedicure’ consider using a dog nail grinder instead. Step 9: Brushing teeth Dog’s teeth take a lot of punishment. From chewing slippers to fetching sticks there’s no escaping that over time their teeth will become dirty and start to decay. Using a specially formulated dog toothpaste and toothbrush can help keep these issues under control.

All Finished!

Congratulations on a job well done. By now your dog’s coat should be shining, its teeth glistening, and it will be strutting around the house with a brand-new pedicure. In the long run your pet will appreciate your work as it’ll be reflected in their health and happiness. If you have followed these guidelines when using your Dogeez Brusheez and other Dogeez grooming products, then you and your dog should also be looking forward to the next grooming session.