It’s a well-known fact that dogs look better with a good brush, but there’s more to grooming them than just making them look their best. From skin health to mental health, the benefits of a good grooming session are numerous – and we’re here to tell you all about it! Keep reading to find out why proper grooming is so important for our furry friends.
Contents
The Health Benefits of Grooming
The health benefits of grooming your dog are vast and very important. Proper grooming is essential to make sure your pup is healthy and comfortable. Here are the key health benefits associated with the upkeep of their coat, nails, teeth, eyes and ears:
- Healthy coat: A good brushing routine removes dirt, dander, allergens and excess fur while promoting a healthy distribution of natural oils in the coat. Brushing also helps reduce tangles and mats that can feel uncomfortable for your dog if not addressed quickly. Regular brushing encourages blood flow to the skin giving it a lustrous shine.
- Nail trimming: Keeping nails trim will help reduce their chances of infection or injury due to overgrown nails that could snag on something accidentally-causing an open wound vulnerable to bacteria or infection to set in quickly.
- Expressing glands: Gland expression helps ensure healthy immune system functioning as well as support healthy digestion through regular bowel movements. These glands around their bottom should be expressed every six weeks or so for optimum health benefits for them!
- Dental hygiene: Dental hygiene involves brushing your pet’s teeth at least 3 times a week. This routine removes plaque build-up which can cause bacterial infections or even result in tooth decay over time. It also contributes to fresher breath!
- External parasite removal: Grooming includes cleaning away any potential parasites such as fleas, ticks, mites etc. that may be living on your pets fur or skin. Parasites can carry diseases so it’s important they are properly treated with appropriate products regimentally as apart of your pet’s grooming routine
- Eye care: Cleaning away any discharge around their eyes with warm water helps keep their eyes clear from any bacteria that could cause inflammation or irritation if left unchecked regularly This helps contribute to healthier vision in general!
- Ear care: Regularly inspecting the ears of your pet- not only helping you detect any ear infections but it also keeps clean from too much wax buildup . Using appropriate cleansing solutions when necessary will contribute greatly towards wax build up prevention- helping towards better overall mobility !
Tools and Supplies
-Brushes: Different brush types are designed for different coat types; if in doubt, ask a groomer or vet. The two main brush types are bristle brushes and slicker brushes. Bristle brushes gently massage the skin, remove dirt and spread natural oils throughout the coat; slicker brushes can penetrate deeper into longer coats to remove dead hairs before they start to matt.
-Combs: A comb is necessary to comb out tangles from long hair dogs, or to separate mats from medium and short hair breeds. Combs come in wide-tooth versions which are best used on short coats, as well as fine-tooth versions which help with matted areas of longer coats.
-Shampoo & Conditioner: Good quality shampoos must be specifically formulated for dogs – never use human shampoo on your pet! And good quality conditioners helps restore moisture and luster to the dog’s coat after a bath or between regular maintenance washes.
-Clippers & Scissors: Clipper sets come with combs (or blades) of various sizes that enable a groomer (or even a home user) to clip the hair evenly over its body; withholding scissors can help ‘clean up’ the edges around paws, face or any particularly hard to reach area where clippers cannot reach easily. Both clipper blades and scissors must be sharpened on a regular basis for hygiene reasons.
-Ear Care Products: To cleanse the inside of their ears, use specialist ear cleaning wipes or liquid cleaners that contain antibacterial agents such as tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil or witch hazel; never use cotton buds because they may cause injury if inserted too deeply into the ear canal! Also available are specialized wax removal products designed specifically for dogs’ ears – most pet stores will stock these too!
Professional services like the ones offered at Dog Grooming Madison include all of these tools in their treatments. So, if you think doing it by yourself is too much, and would rather pay to get things done, do not hesitate to contact a dog salon.
The Importance of Regular Grooming
Regular grooming is essential to the health and wellbeing of your dog. Not only does it make them look good, but it also enables you to find and address any potential issues such as skin irritations or parasites that may be present. Grooming also provides an opportunity to give your dog a calming massage, which has been known to relieve stress, increase circulation and alertness, strengthening the bond between you both. Below are just a few of the many benefits of regular grooming:
- Adds an extra layer of protection against external parasites such as fleas and ticks, as well a dirt that can cause skin infections and irritations.
- Ensures your dog is comfortable while they shed their coat by reducing potential matting that can form if left unchecked
- Helps identify lumps or other unusual areas on the skin which may require further investigation
- Provides an opportunity to check for any looseness in nails or pain when brushing. This can be an early sign of arthritis or other joint related conditions.
- Supports overall circulation through massage strokes, relieving pain from stiff joints due to exercise or old age, allowing your pet to remain active for longer
- Keeps your house clean by removing loose fur before it becomes a problem
Conclusion
In conclusion, grooming your dog is an important and essential part of being a responsible pet owner. Beyond having a shiny coat and nice-looking fur, proper grooming has medical benefits as well, such as reducing the chances of skin irritation or infection. Additionally, regular brushing helps keep your home cleaner by removing excess dander and loose hair. Finally, it’s a great way to bond with your pet and keep them feeling pampered. All these benefits mean that grooming is not only necessary to ensure that your dog looks good, but also helps ensure their continued health and happiness!