Having a pet is a big responsibility. You’ll offer food, work on potty training, and spend time with your pet. A dog will need to be groomed often, too, to promote a healthy life. Here are some of the health and wellness benefits of grooming your dog.
Maintain A Healthy Coat
Regular brushing promotes blood circulation to the skin, keeps their coat shiny, prevents matting of their fur (which can pull and be painful), and helps remove loose hair and keep any shedding fall from taking over your house. Well, it can lessen what ends up on your floor or furniture.
Keeping Clean
A regular bathing schedule with a dog-formulated shampoo and conditioner can help keep them smelling good and prevent skin irritations and infections. However, bathing too often can dry their skin. A good rule is once a month or so or if they get visibly dirty.
Check Them Out
Grooming time is an excellent opportunity to check your pet for signs of illness. Do a visual inspection for fleas, cuts, ear wax build-up, or other issues, and add a massage to feel for any lumps or bumps.
Bonding Time
Let’s be honest. Dogs usually like to be groomed because of all the individual attention they get. They know they enjoy spending time with you, which happens during grooming. It’s a win-win for you both! If they don’t enjoy it, add their favorite treats as a reward.
Now that you’ve learned a few reasons why grooming is important to keep your dog healthy, here’s how to groom your furry friend.
- Brush your dog’s coat to remove any extra fur or matted fur.
- Bathe your dog using a dog-formulated shampoo and conditioner.
- Towel dry your dog after the bath or use a blow dryer on a low-heat setting.
- Trim your dog’s nails to an appropriate length. Be careful not to go too short because you could nick the quick (the tender part of a growing nail) and cause bleeding.
- Gently clean your dog’s ears using a dog-specific ear cleaner.
- Brush your dog’s teeth with a dog-specific toothbrush and toothpaste. If you start this habit when they are puppies, you may have a more willing participant.
- Check your dog’s skin and coat for signs of illness.
- Apply flea and tick prevention medication, if needed.
- Trim your dog’s fur, if needed.
- Give your dog a treat or reward for being a good sport during grooming.
If the thought of all these tasks overwhelms you, great news! The experienced grooming professionals at Cascade Kennels can take care of grooming your pet. We have all the tools and skills to care for long fur, short fur, big dogs, or small dogs; we can care for them all. Call today for an appointment at 425-483-9333.
