Well-groomed is well cared for

Another important factor that contributes a lot to your dog’s health is good grooming. Don’t be fooled into thinking grooming is just a matter of brushing his hair. Grooming your dog accomplishes much more than just making your pet’s coat look nice and shiny.

Grooming also helps you bond with your puppy. It helps you spend time with him. Combing, brushing, and bathing are all activities he should get used to and gradually he will associate these functions with the pleasant times both of you had.

You will be able to check your dog closely for any problems while grooming. Move the hair aside and examine the skin closely for signs of flea, ticks or skin irritations. Look for any unusual problems with the coat such as mats, tangles or dandruff. Mats and tangles can be carefully removed while grooming. Learn where he likes to be combed and brushed and where he doesn’t.

All dogs have sensitive areas that need to be groomed a little more gently and carefully than others. By paying special attention to these areas, you will help make your dog more comfortable while being groomed, and he will not resist future grooming sessions. You will also become familiar with areas that he enjoys having groomed. This is helpful if you need to calm him during stressful times such as veterinary visits. Grooming requirements vary from breed to breed, some requiring daily brushing and combing, others less often. Some dogs may also need professional grooming; this can be as often as every six weeks, or as little as twice a year.

Start early
Puppies have short attention spans. Besides, they are very energetic all the time. Select a time when the puppy is less energetic. Start with short grooming sessions: five minutes or so. Talk to your puppy in a gentle, reassuring tone while grooming to make him feel comfortable.

Check his ears, paws, teeth, and underside during the grooming process. This will, in time, make him accustomed to being handled and examined. Eventually, he will be quite comfortable being groomed, and will look forward to these sessions with you.

What’s more, you need to get your puppy accustomed to being groomed from a very early age.

If you make it a fun thing at first, a bit of a game, it will be easier for you to train him.

Gradually build up the amount of time you spend grooming your puppy. He will be quite happy to stand for you to brush his coat. Eventually the puppy will enjoy being groomed and may even get quite excited when you produce his brush and comb from the cupboard.

Never approach grooming, as a chore. Maintaining long hair is one of the most difficult tasks but extremely rewarding. The puppy must be taught to allow you to pull on his hair, and brush him. Until the dog is four months old, comb him gently everyday, while he sits in your lap eating treats. This forms a positive association with the comb and the grooming process Grooming time is also an ideal time to check him over for any lumps and bumps. You can also check the skin, by parting the hair, to see if your dog has any ticks, fleas or any red, sore or inflamed areas that may require treatment. Also remember to check the dog’s eyes, ears, mouth, nose, feet and nails.

There are many small breeds, which have long hair. Remember: fur is not hair. Hair does not shed, does not smell, and requires frequent grooming. A few examples of such breeds are:

Maltese, and the Yorkshire Terrier. There are three main options you have when maintaining such a dog, you can shave it, give it a puppy cut, or allow the hair to grow. With the shaving, you must remove all hair from all parts of the dog except the ears and muzzle, which you cut down with scissors. The puppy cut simply necessitates leaving approximately one inch of fur all over, which can be done with special clippers.

A dog’s coat can be one of five types; long, non-shedding, silky, wiry or smooth. There are also a few that don’t fit into any of the above, these are the hairless breeds and the breeds which have coats that are twisted into cords.