If you are like most dog owners, you love to cuddle with your canine companion. To keep that cuddle factor alive and well in your relationship with your pet, it’s a good idea to have your dog groomed on a regular basis.
Bathing, brushing, nail trimming and clipping are all part of regular grooming. You can do your dog’s grooming yourself at home or take him to a professional groomer. If you go for the do-it-yourself option, invest in a quality shampoo and conditioner, a good brush and a pair of grooming scissors. If you need to trim more hair than scissors can handle, spend money on a quality clipper.
If you have a dog who needs extensive clipping (a poodle or a schnauzer, for example), or if you don’t have the time or physical ability to wash, dry and brush out your dog yourself, take him a professional groomer. A good grooming shop uses quality products and equipment, and the expertise of a professional groomer—especially if you have a dog who needs more precise clipping—is worth the money.
Whether you do the work yourself or hire a professional to get it done, remember that consistent grooming offers many benefits for both you and your dog.
Good Smells
A well-groomed dog smells good. Bathing with a quality shampoo and conditioner removes dirt, oil and that “doggy smell.” A dog who smells good is easier to get close to.
Less Shedding
If you have a dog who sheds, regular grooming can help keep loose hair to a minimum. Bathing brings loose hair to the surface and brushing captures that hair before it ends up on your floor.
Better Health
A clean dog is a healthier dog. Grooming your dog gives you (or your professional groomer) a chance to go over your dog’s body, where you are most likely to notice any issues your dog may be experiencing. Fleas, ticks, wounds, lumps: All of these can be easily discovered during a grooming session. Professional groomers are also good at expressing a dog’s anal glands, which can help keep this area clean and free from problems.
Great Socialization
Although your dog may not like baths or trips to the groomer, these events are an important part of his life. We sometimes have to do things we don’t enjoy, and that applies to dogs, too. Doing your own grooming at home gives you a chance to spend some interactive time with your dog. Most dogs enjoy being brushed, so a once over with a brush every few days or at least once a week is a good way to keep your dog clean while deepening the bond between you.
About the Author: Audrey Pavia is an award-winning freelance writer and author of “The Labrador Retriever Handbook.” She is a former staff editor of Dog Fancy, Dog World and The AKC Gazette magazines. To learn more about her work, visit www.audreypavia.com and hollywoodhoofbeats.net/
Pet grooming is definitely a good way to keep pets healthy. When you want to groom a dog or cat, it is better to hire a professional groomer as it can be quite complicated if you do it at home. In fact, groomers can also give you valuable information related to parasites or abnormalities, if there are any.
I really appreciate this article about the benefits of professional dog grooming. I have my dog groomed from time to time, and I have always known that it helped him look and smell good, but I didn’t realize it was actually helping his health by providing a check up of his body. I will have to take him to the groomer more often after reading this! Thanks for the information.
This is some great information, and I appreciate your point that having your dog frequently groomed can reduce shedding. Mine has a real shedding issue, and I find fur all over the place in my house. I’ll definitely look into taking her to the groomer more frequently to try and help reduce that. Thanks for the great post!
I like the benefits of having the dog washed on a regular basis. Less shedding stood out to me, so I will not have to worry about it getting on my clothes. I also like how it makes them smell better, and they have better health.
Thank you so much for giving such great examples of why pet grooming is so important! I love the suggestion to use a quality shampoo and conditioner if you choose to care for your animal at home. Choosing the right cleaning supplies is so important, my puppy hated the shampoo I first used on her, it was a bit of a low-quality shampoo and I think it may have been uncomfortable for her. Though, along with having a clean animal I love the tip that grooming can be a great way to bond with your pet. I love being close to my dog, she is one of my best friends. I hope everyone can feel the love that comes from having a happy, healthy pet that loves you back.
Shedding is terrible! I own a Siberian Husky, and he sheds everywhere after each winter. Thanks for bringing that up Audrey, if I didn’t learn how to brush out all the excess hair in the spring, I would waste hundreds at the groomers.
I have a husky and he sheds everywhere in the summer. Taking him into a grooming salon is a must! Besides the health benefits, the walk to the salon is always a fun experience. The appointment gives me time to bond with him and I recommend it to all dog owners!
One of the hardest things about having a dog for me is all of the hair that sheds! That is why getting him groomed is so important to me. I have noticed it really does reduce the hair he sheds when we have him groomed properly.
I own a one-year-old golden retriever, and I can definitely say he’s hairier than I imagined. I have no allergies so basically, it’s fine, but I’m still worried about cleaning my space once he begins shedding. I never actually thought that grooming my pet regularly will keep the loose hair to a minimum until I saw it in your article. Thanks for the tips. I will definitely bring my dog to a pet groomer as soon as I can.
Thank you for suggesting that if you have a dog with long hair, regular grooming can keep the shedding to a minimum. My husband and I are wanting to get our lab groomed before all of our family comes over next week. I’ll have to look into groomers in the area and find one that will do an amazing job on our little guy.