Hi, I am Joyita Sethi! Some of you might have met me at Fur Ball Story, Gurugram since I manage the place and take care of all the dogs present there. What you don’t know is that I am also a professional groomer by education and practice. I have done a Grooming Course from California academy of animal aesthetics in association with Dog Care Singapore. Before joining Fur Ball Story, I also ran a grooming parlour of my own for over 3 years! I believe that important knowledge must always be parted to others so here I am giving you some tips on dog grooming at home.
Grooming tips for your dog during lockdown
Covid-19 came as a surprise for us, especially the part where we were told that due to lockdown, the possibility of going out is next to impossible. The month was March, the time when most of us get our dogs groomed and prepared for the coming summers but unfortunately the groomers were also now shut due to lockdown. Today it has been more than 50 days since lockdown, and most of the groomers are still shut. So here I am, trying to help you find the best ways to get your dog well-groomed at home!
Regular grooming keeps your dog clean, healthy, and comfortable. Many people prefer professional groomers; they can make dogs look great while using their professional expertise to keep them safe. However, during this lockdown when you can’t go anywhere, here are some tips to keep your dog feeling and looking great.
COMBING
For Long coat dogs (such as Shih-tzu, Lhasa Apso, Golden Retrievers)
Combing your dog’s coat daily or every other day will keep most mats at bay. Simply brushing, as most literature instructs, is not enough for dogs that can mat up: the brush will easily pass over at angles that a comb will get stuck on. A thorough combing should always be the first step of the grooming process.
Comb gently, be it with a brush or with a comb, as rough combing may result into unnecessary hair pulling which might hurt the dog.
Begin on the head and move down the body. Be careful under the belly, as it is a sensitive area, and don’t forget to comb the tail.
While you are combing, if you find a tangle, use a brush, and try to work out the tangle. Be mindful not to brush burn your dog from brushing for too long in the same spot. You can check by looking under the fur to see if the skin becomes red with irritation.
Avoid combing all together in case the dog has skin infection or allergy.
Short Coat Dogs
You can brush short-haired dogs with a brush or gloves.
Comb and brush medium- to long-coated dogs with more specialized tools like a steel comb, slicker, a pin brush.
Whatever you use, it must remove loose hair and distribute oils from the skin throughout the coat.
CLEANING THE EYES
Breeds like (Pekingese, Pugs, Pomeranians, Shihtzus, Lhasa Apso, etc.) those with large eyes that water a lot may need more maintenance in this area than others.
Depending on your dog, this step may be a simple matter of wiping or pulling eye debris away from the corners of the eyes.
Long-haired dogs may need special attention to make sure that all gunk is out of the coat, as they may get tear stains.
Use a cotton wool damped in warm water, to first moisten the gunk and then it can be gently pulled out using your fingers or even a steel comb with small teeth. You can also buy products made for removing “tear stains” from a pet supply store
A healthy eye should be clear and should not show any signs of irritation or unusual discharge.
Don’t try to trim hair away from the eyes yourself, as you might injure your pet. Ask your vet or groomer to do it for you.
CLEANING THE EARS
It’s normal for a clean ear to have some wax in it, but there shouldn’t be any smell to it, or any kind of itching If there is, a vet visit is recommended.
To clean your dog’s ears, apply some ear cleaning solution or just clean water, to a cotton round. (Not too much or it will drip into the ear while wiping, which may be harmful for the dog)
Wipe dirt and wax away from the inner ear, but don’t rub vigorously, as this might cause sores. Don’t push too far into the ear, either.
If your dog has drop ears like a cocker spaniel, wipe the inside of the ear flag as dirt collects there as well. The groomers rule of thumb is to clean only what you can see.
TRIMMING NAILS
Trimming a dog’s nails is something that shouldn’t be done at home because there are very high chances of cutting the blood vessels and this can lead to excessive bleeding which cannot be stopped easily.
Please do visit your vet or groomer if you feel that your dog’s nails need clipping. However, if you feel they have sharpened, you can certainly file them using a normal filer.
BATHING YOUR DOG
Bathing is a must for your dog in this season since the temperature is rising by the days, but there are certain things to be followed while doing it. You can bathe your dog at home once in 10-12 days in the summers.
In tick season, you can use an anti-tick shampoo, otherwise you can use a good quality shampoo available at your nearest pet store. Frequent use of tick shampoo can make your dog’s fur dull and coarse, so it’s best to alternate it with a normal shampoo.
Make sure to clean the abdomen part of your dog as well as pits of the front and hind legs. These areas are where the ticks hide the most. Also, cleaning the paws is a must while giving a bath since this is the part where the ticks climb from. But be careful while doing it as it may hurt the dog if not done gently with a soft brush or cloth. In some cases, dogs just don’t like their paws to be touched, so what you can do is use a water hose and apply fast running water under the paws.
When temperatures cross 40 degrees, you can keep your dog cool by sponging them with a wet towel once a day. Make sure the dog is fully dry post bath or else it can develop skin allergies if the skin is left moist. It is advisable that the dog doesn’t enter an air-conditioned room immediately after sponging or till still damp. Keep your dog well hydrated in the summers. Lots of water and curd once a day is a must and keeps the stomach cool.
Important Note: If you follow these tips, you may need not go out to a professional groomer unless the matting is too much to be sorted at home, or if you wish to have a proper hair cut for your dog. Please do not attempt to trim your dog’s hair at home as it might hurt the dog. Please don’t use scissors or human trimmers as well! You can use the above tips for basic care, but things such as hair cutting, matters should be left for the experts.
