How Dog Brushing and Bathing
Can Save You Time

Choosing your dog grooming tools such as dog brushing and bathing accessories can be overwhelming with the variety and selection available. Really though, unless your dog has a specific need, there are a few basics that will get you by without completely breaking the bank.

Whether your dog has long coat or a short coat, it is important to keep up with their grooming on a routine basis. Start with a good dog brushing everyday. (And I don't mean a paintbrush!- lol!) It only takes a couple of minutes if you will commit to doing it daily and use the right dog brushing tools.

I would suggest a dog brushing/curry comb or an open shedding blade . These are the ones that look like saw blades that are bent around into a circular shape with rounded teeth. Sometimes they are metal and some are made of rubber.

I personally prefer the metal ones but I know just as many people who feel the same way about the rubber ones. I think it depends on your dog breed and how long their hair is. I have been using these for years and find they work extremely well even on long haired dogs like a Norwegian Elkhound.

Unlike other dog brushes and combs they don't become clogged or matted with hair and they last and last. When I would do a thorough dog brushing on one of my Elkhounds in the backyard, it would look like it snowed! The other bonus that I like, is that they are usually only a few dollars, so they are a bargain.

A daily dog brushing is a good way to remove the dust and dirt that is on the surface of your dog's coat. It will not only keep you from having to bath your dog so frequently but it will also save on shedding in the house.

For some dog breeds, brushing isn't always sufficient. Some dogs have a coat that will require cutting or trimming to keep it in good condition. This of course depends both on the breed of the dog and the grooming preferences of the dog's Mom or Dad.

Other dogs such as most terriers are stripped. This is when a groomer pulls out the dead hair from the coat. They can either use a stripping knife or their fingers. The point of this is so that it allows for the new coat to grow in unobstructed.

Before you even think about bathing your dog, you must have already finished a thorough dog brushing on them. Failing to keep your dogs coat maintained can lead to matting and sores on their skin.

For the average dog, you really only need to bath them about once per month. Bathing them too often can actually harm their skin by removing protective bacteria that is naturally on their skin. This can also lead to skin infections.

There are a couple of ways to bath your dog. You can use the old fashioned way of a garden hose but your dog will probably not care for this cold water method and it doesn't do a very good job either.

There are dog grooming tools called sprayers or warming sprayers that you can buy to attach to your hose that make it more effective by warming the water and fanning the water out to do a better job of washing.

It is also a good idea to water it down a bit. Often shampoo is too concentrated for dogs and will be difficult to rinse out properly. Be sure that you rinse your dog thoroughly or the residue of the shampoo will likely cause your dog to itch and cause irritation.

These few basic steps are the perfect way to start a routine of proper grooming with your favorite pup. Remember that this doesn't all have to be done in one setting or even one day.

If you and your dog are new at this, then break it down into smaller blocks of grooming. Then you can both get the feel for both each other and get a good grooming routine going.

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