DON'T brush damp fur Because brushing your dog when his hair is wet can be quite painful, while also creating more tangles and knots. That's why you should always brush dogs before you bathe them and then just let it all dry naturally afterward.
Brush in the direction of hair growth. Don't use too much pressure so that it hurts your dog's skin; instead, apply firm strokes that will help remove dead hairs. Then use a shedding blade to grab dead hairs all over the coat. Shedding blades are an excellent way to help reduce shedding and prevent mats.
Don't Forget the Post-Bath Brushing!
Brushing your dog after their bath will help remove any extra dead fur and detangle their coat. As you get more comfortable with blow-drying, you can start brushing while drying to save time — but it does take practice!
Regular grooming relaxes the dog who's used to it, and it becomes a special time that you can both share. A coat free of mats, burrs and tangles and skin free of fleas and ticks are as comfortable to your dog as fresh, clean clothes are to you. It makes you feel good, and the effect is the same for your pet.
Be cautious brushing and combing dogs with dry skin so as not to interfere with sores from dry skin. Thoroughly go over your dog's skin with special care when grooming, looking for sores, scabs, and infections that require treatment.
I recommend brushing your dog's coat at least every couple of days, even for short-coated dogs. If you have a dog with a higher maintenance coat, such as a poodle, poodle mix (these coats can be especially prone to matting), or a double-coated dog (e.g., Akita, Husky, Sheltie, Great Pyrenees), brushing daily is best.
You should brush your dog every couple of days no matter the length of his coat. Sometimes your brushing can have a specific purpose, such as removing hair mats or helping your dog shed his seasonal coat, but most often you'll be doing general-purpose brushing or combing.
Dogs eat every day, and just like humans, it would be ideal to brush your pup's teeth after every meal.
Always brush in the direction the coat grows; dogs. don't like to be brushed backwards. ? Be gentle or you may damage your dog's coat by. pulling and stretching hairs until they tangle and.
While starting earlier is better, it's never too late to start giving your dog's dental health more attention. Unfortunately, brushing won't undo any damage, but it will prevent dental disease from worsening. So, where to start?
While some pet owners are content to let their dogs air dry, you shouldn't be. When you let your dog air dry, they'll be at risk for fungus growing between their paw pads and in locations where their legs attach to their torso. If your dog has long hair, their fur may become matted if you let them air dry after a bath.
It's best to brush your dog's fur before bathing them. This will remove any loose fur and debris from the coat, and also makes sure that any mats or tangles are brushed out, as these will be more difficult to remove when wet. Make sure the water is around the same temperature as the dog's body.
The dematting process involves taking small sections of hair at a time and working to release the mats utilizing dematting tools and products and then brushing. If the matting on your dog is severe, the safest and most humane way to remove the mats would be to clip his hair short.
Keeping your dog's tail regularly brushed will keep it looking great and avoid mats forming, which can accumulate debris and feces, presenting an unsightly, and sometimes smelly, mess!
Starting from the side, brush each side down to the center of his stomach, focusing on knots and tangles. Once this is done, brush down the center of your dog's stomach. Do not brush the genital area as it may be too sensitive. With scissors, trim around the dog's genitals.
Their fur may have been brushed too hard or that they might have sensitive skin, and will avoid your brush to prevent potential pain. And, of course, some dogs are also just impatient. They've got energy to burn and don't want to sit still.
Stop brushing when you can no longer pinch out a tuft of hair, says Bird. Avoid brush burn. Your precious pooch and feline friend need gentle care. Don't press the bristles of any brush hard against your pet's tender skin or tug at knots or tangles.
Use a fine toothed comb or flea comb to comb longer hair around ears and on the beard and chin to ensure there are no small tangles remaining. Clean around the eyes with a soft damp cloth, as well as any other soiled parts of the face including around your dog's mouth and under his chin.
Both sides help remove debris or loose hair, and break up tangles.
Generally, only the outer surfaces of the teeth need to be cleaned because the tongue tends to remove plaque from the inner surfaces. Try to brush for approximately 30 seconds per side. Make sure you give your dog plenty of praise and offer a treat after brushing.
Without brushing, plaque can build up, putting your dog at risk for bad breath, gum disease, and tooth decay. It can also cause painful infections. Severe infection can spread, causing life-threatening conditions.
Generally speaking, a healthy dog with a short, smooth coat and no skin problems doesn't need to be bathed often. In most cases, dog baths are more for the benefit of their pet parents than for the dogs themselves. Even so, it's a good idea to bathe your pooch at least once every two to three months.
Dogs need their nails clipped on a regular basis, approximately every 3-4 weeks; however, it is common for owners to wait too long in between trimmings which can lead to a number of health issues for the animal.
It depends. "If the dog has learned to accept kissing on top of the head, then that's fine," says Shojai. "For a new-to-you dog, though, I'd find other more species-appropriate ways to show affection." The truth is that some dogs simply don't like being kissed.