Home grooming seems to be a trend that is growing in popularity. There are a number of reasons for this, not only does grooming your pet yourself save you money but it is also a great way to spend some quality time with your dog.
This is particularly important for those of us with busy lifestyles which can often mean leaving our dogs at home for long periods at a time. Not only should you look to ease this separation while you’re away but it also means you should value the time you do have with your pet even more highly.
With this in mind, it is not difficult to see why more and more dog owners are deciding to groom their pets themselves. However, if this is a step you intend to take in 2018 then there are a number of considerations you should bear in mind. One of these factors is the equipment you use to carry out the job with and the way you introduce your pet to the new home grooming experience.
This post will look to lay out three grooming tips you can follow in order to ensure the best end result for your dog.
- Make Sure Your Pet is Comfortable
This should be your key consideration with almost anything you do with your dog but is still worth including here. Making sure your dog is comfortable being groomed at home is particularly important if you have recently switched from having the service carried out a saloon.
In some ways this may sound pretty obvious, of course your dog is going to be happy being groomed at home, it’s where they spend most of their time why would they not be comfortable?
However, the difference is they spend most of their time at home snuggled up in their bed or keeping you company on the couch. This means in their head they don’t associate being home with the grooming process that some dogs may not always take too kindly.
Ensuring your pet is comfortable means easing them into the process slowly. Remember when grooming your dog at home it is a new experience for both you and your pet so rushing the procedure will only lead to more complications in the long run.
You should familiarize your dog with the home grooming experience by introducing them to their new grooming spot and rewarding them when they behave well as you begin to groom them.
Treats should be kept on hand at first and hopefully, in time your dog will realize they have nothing to worry about and that they can enjoy hanging out with you while being groomed
- Use specialist grooming equipment if possible
This is one of the most important pieces of advice we give when owners ask about grooming their pet at home.
Although it can be tempting to use regular nail clippers or humans shampoo to groom your dog with as that’s what you already have at home this really isn’t recommended.
The reason for this is because pet-specific products are designed to be exactly that, pet specific. They have been designed to be used on dogs which regular products haven’t. For example, dog nail clippers are usually rounded to fit the shape of dog nails. The same is true for dog shampoo which has been manufactured to suit the PH level of your dog’s skin which is different to that of us humans and why it is not advised to use human shampoo on dogs.
Grooming clippers are another item with a pet version that differs from traditional products made for humans. Dog grooming clippers have variable speed motors and blades that are designed to be powerful enough to cut through dog fur. This isn’t the case with regular hair trimmers that are made for humans and can mean you tug or pull at your dog’s coat rather than cutting through it with ease.
- Consult the experts
Grooming your dog at home doesn’t mean you have to do it completely alone. There are a number of leading dog grooming blogs that offer advice and tips to keep a dog’s coat, fur and nails in the best shape possible.
Many professional dog groomers will also be happy to walk new dog owners through the process of grooming a dog for a fee and it may be worth reaching out to groomers in your area to see if this is something they offer.
If you are completely new to the process you can also ask your friends who are dog owners who have more experience in the field. Learning from others in the same situation is one of the best ways to learn as they have also once been in your shoes and know the struggles and worries that come when switching a dog’s grooming routine.
Hopefully, these three tips will allow you to begin grooming your pet yourself. Remember to take things slowly and in time you will come to know exactly what it is your dog does and doesn’t like about being groomed.
It is also worth remembering that the results may not always be to the level you would receive from a professional service. This is to be expected because as mentioned above, the experience is a new one for both you and your pet. Over time, as you become used to the process the results will only improve, which is great for both you and your dog.
