Welcome to week eleven of Fenrir’s 12 week plan! This week we’ll be going over grooming and all you need to know to keep your dog’s coat healthy. Just like you, they can benefit from the occasional trip to the salon! It will keep them free of mats and other debris that can cause skin irritation and infections.
Breed and coat type are two things that affect what type of grooming your dog will need and how often it will need to be one. A dog with a short, tight coat such as a pitbull will need much different grooming that a double coated german shepherd. This includes items such as brushes and combs as well as a different grooming schedule.
Desensitization is another aspect of grooming that needs attention. It’s important to make sure your dog is used to being groomed. They should be okay with having their feet, ears, tail, and other sensitive areas touched. Remember that grooming is more than just brushing! It includes trimming away hair from the hide area, cleaning ears, clipping nails, and baths. Your dog needs to be comfortable with all of those things to keep grooming safe and stress free.
A lot of your dog’s grooming needs will depend on the individual. Some may need more frequent ear cleaning or nail trimming than others. Some coat types are easier to brush out and some need more attention. Dogs that shed a lot may need to be brushed as much as daily while some are happy and healthy with a good brush once a week.
To help you give your dog the best grooming, we’ll discuss things such as how often to brush them, grooming supplies you will need, and desensitisation. So, let’s get to it and see what it takes to groom your dog!
Desensitisation to Grooming
This goes hand in hand with socialisation and getting your dog used to new situations. This is especially important as a puppy during the sensitive period when they are easiest to socialise and desensitise.
You can easily start this process by touching your dog’s ears, feet, tail, and other sensitive areas on a daily basis. For ears you can gently rub and touch the inner parts of the ear. Especially if your dog loves ear rubs. For dogs with folded or floppy ears make sure you are lifting them up as well and make sure your dog is comfortable with them being positioned and moved in different ways.
For feet, touch and rub their paw pads. Gently lift their paws off the ground while they are sitting or laying down. Get them used to you lifting, extending and repositioning both front and hind legs. This will make nail trimming much, much easier and it can help with brushing as well.
The tail and hind area are very sensitive but important to groom and keep clean as well. You can work on desensitisation in these areas by gently moving their tail from side to size and up and down. You can run your hand over their inner legs and around their rump.
The key idea behind all of these is to get your dog used to your touch no matter the situation.
To introduce them to tools such as nail trimmers, grinders, brushes, and combs: you can use neutral and positive reinforcement. Leave the items lying around where they can see them. You can pick them up and put them back down. This makes them a normal part of the environment and nothing scary.
To start positive reinforcement, you can take the item and place it in front of your dog then give them a treat. This can be escalated to touching the item to the appropriate area and then rewardeding them. That way when it’s actually time to use the item, they have positive interaction with it. This may be a little more difficult with something like a nail grinder, because they can be noisy, so if you find it difficult, there are other options. You should never press your dog into something they’re afraid of. It will only hurt in the long run.
Having a Grooming Schedule
A grooming schedule is an important part of your dog’s health whether you do it yourself or take them to a professional groomer. Most grooming care can be done at home, but there are services a professional can provide that can be difficult to do at home such as blow outs. This service allows a groomer to remove all loose and shed hair from dogs with very thick coats and double coats such as german shepherds and newfoundlands.
You should be grooming your dog or taking them to a groomer every 4-6 weeks. This includes: a bath, drying, brushing, ear cleaning, nail cutting, and fur trimming. So, it’s no wonder so many people opt for a groomer when it comes time, but that can be expensive and it can be worth it to groom your dog at home.
Brushing
Aside from grooming every 4-6 weeks, you’ll need to do some maintenance work. Regardless of coat type, your dog should get brushed at least once a week. Dogs with short, tight coats may not need any further brushing to remove shed fur, but it keeps them free of dirt and it will help keep their skin and coat healthy. Dogs with more fur and dense coats should be brushed at least three times a week and may need daily brushing during shedding season.
Coat Types
It’s usually pretty easy to identify your dog’s coat type. You most likely already know what it is, but just in case we’re going to go over some of the most common coat types and how you can identify them.
Low Density Coats
Is your dog’s skin easily visible? Then they have a low density coat. Their hair is very short and fine. You’ll often hear people refer to this coat type as “tight” meaning it is close to the skin. This coat type benefits from grooming because it helps distribute oil across the skin and that will help to prevent dry spots. So, don’t skip grooming just because they have short hair. You’ll recognize this coat type from breeds such as: Chihuahuas, Bull Terriers and Doberman Pinschers.
Medium Density Coats
This coat type is longer and fluffier than a low density coat. You may be able to see some skin through their fur on their belly and on the inside of their legs. These dogs may need their fur trimmed to keep them tidy and help prevent mats. They also have an undercoat to help protect them from the elements. This means they will need extra brushing as they do shed. You’ll recognize this coat type from breeds such as: German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers and Collies.
High Density Coats
Dogs with this coat are the fluffiest of the fluffy. You may have trouble finding their skin at all without some work parting their fur. They need regular brushing and deshedding. They may even shed year round. Regular shampoo isn’t going to cut it for these guys as you need a product that will get down to their skin. You'll recognize this coat type from breeds such as: Huskies, Bernese Mountain Dogs and even Pomeranians.
Ear Cleaning
Ear cleaning should be done once per month when grooming occurs, but dogs with long, floppy ears may need their ears cleaned every week or every other week. It’s also important to remember to clean and dry their ears after swimming as trapped water can cause an infection.
Nail Trimming
Most dogs don’t need their nails trimmed very often. Once every one to two months should do the trick. They may need less frequent nail trimming if you and your dog walk on the sidewalk often as the concrete will naturally file their nails down. Just be sure to check your dog’s nails once a week for any cracks or slips that need filed down between trimmings.
Grooming Products
Now that you’re more familiar with grooming your dog regularly and what coat type they may have, let’s take a look at what you need to get the job done. There are all sorts of products out on the market for dog grooming, you’ll find something you and your dog both like.
Brushes
There are many different types of brushes out on the market, so instead of doing a deep dive into each, we’re going to give you a little bit of an overview of what they are and what they do.
Slicker brushes are very common and you’ve probably seen one before. They are often made of plastic with a large, wide head that has very thin, metal bristles with plastic tips. These brushes are made to help prevent mats and should be used for medium and high density coats only. They can irritate the skin, so a light touch should always be used. Remember, this is to untangle fur and not to brush your dog’s coat out.
Bristle brushes are another common type of brush. The handles can be wood or plastic and sometimes they have two sides. One will be a slicker and the other bristles. These look a lot like the boar hair brushes you’ll see for people. They’re great for low density hair as the soft bristles don’t irritate the skin and help to distribute oil across the skin. They can be used on other coat types to smooth out the top coat and add some shine.
Pinhead brushes could be mistaken for a human hairbrush if you aren’t careful. They’re often made of plastic and have plastic bristles. The pad the bristles are set down into is soft and squishes when pressed. These brushes are best used on long fur to give it a nice finish and to work through any small tangles.
Undercoat rakes look like a small garden rake with metal tines that are spaced apart. They come in different lengths to accommodate your dog’s coat length and can be used on any double coated breed. These rakes are made to get down through the top coat and pull up any loose under coat. They are an indispensable deshedding tool.
Rubber brushes are also sometimes called curry brushes. They also come in the form of grooming mitts. They have short soft bristles that are good for massaging the skin, and removing loose hair and dirt from the skin’s surface. These brushes are best for low density coats as they can’t get down through thick fur properly.
Shampoo
Shampoo is going to be dog dependent. If you have a low density coat dog, you will probably only need a mild soap as opposed to dog’s with thick fur who may possibly need a specialty product. Regardless of fur type: you want to look for something natural without harsh chemicals. Be sure to also keep in mind that some dogs may need a hypoallergenic formula.
Nail Clippers
There are a few different styles of nail clippers, but they all serve the same function. They’re used to trim your dog’s nails. They also come in different sizes, so you’ll find something that works for any sized dog. Just be careful when trimming so that you don’t trim too much. You can accidentally cut the quick of your dog’s nail. It can be easy to see the quick in lighter coloured nails, but you may not be able to see it at all on nails of a darker colour. Trimming too little is better than trimming too much and causing injury when you aren’t sure.
Nail Grinders/Files
Nail files for dogs are very similar to the ones for us, but they tend to be made out of a tougher material. These can be used in conjunction with a set of nail clippers to remove any jagged edges. A nail grinder is like a nail file, but they’re usually battery operated and look like a dremel tool. These can be a good alternative to nail clippers for dogs with dark coloured nails.
Ear Cleaning Solutions
There are many ear cleaning solutions out on the market and some are even vet prescribed. In either case, you may want to talk to your vet about what option is best for your dog. These cleaners work by helping loosen up wax and debris so you can wipe it away. You should never stick a q-tip in your dog’s ear as you can damage the eardrum. Instead you are going to use a cotton ball and cleaning solution for cleaning.
To use ear cleaner, you drop the appropriate amount of solution into their ear and massage to help spread it around. Then let your dog go. They’re probably going to shake their head, but that’s fine. Once they’re done, you can gently wipe the outer part of the inner ear clean and you’re all done.
Conclusion
Those are all the basics of grooming you need to get started. So, grab a brush and get to work. The first few times you do it, it will probably feel slow as you and your dog work on it, but you’ll get better at it in time. You and your dog may even begin to look forward to their monthly grooming as a bonding experience.
We’d love to hear about your grooming experience along with any tips and tricks you might have. Come over to social media and share with us and others!