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Grooming your dog can seem like a chore making it that much easier to procrastinate and put it off. But, you shouldn’t underestimate how important it is to make sure that your dog is well groomed because it not only helps your nose but keeps the whole house from suffering, it also helps to maintain your dog’s health. Keep reading to find out which dog grooming supplies you need to make sure your pup is always looking its best.
What Is Considered Dog Grooming?
Dog grooming is not only necessary for keeping your dog clean, but it is also needed for your dog to stay healthy. These are the three key things that all dogs need in their grooming regimen:
- Baths: Keeping your dog’s coat clean from any muck and grime that they may accumulate is essential for the health of their skin.
- Brushing: Keeping your dog’s coat brushed keeps dead hair from accumulating in their top coat and undercoat.
- Nail Trimming: If your dog’s nails grow too long, they could be potentially dangerous for both you and them. Nails that are too long have a chance of snagging on something and pulling, hurting your dog in the process.
What Are the Benefits of Dog Grooming?
We’ve already outlined a few of the major benefits of keeping your dog well groomed, but there are many more. Grooming your dog is essential to their wellness for several key reasons.
- It gets the dirt off your dog. This one seems obvious, but getting any dirt, dust, fungi, viruses or bacteria that may have collected on your dog’s fur off is important to helping them avoid sickness.
- It promotes a healthy coat. Bathing your dog regularly is vital in keeping their coat shiny and soft. Baths also help remove any dead skin cells and shedding hair from your dog’s coat.
- It prevents matting. Small knots and tangles in your dog’s coat can turn into large mats if they’re not caught early on. If you brush your dog’s fur consistently, then you can get rid of these before they become a problem that may require cutting.
How Often Should You Bathe Your Dog?
There is no cut and dry answer as to how often you should bathe your dog because many factors go into determining this. Generally, washing your dog once a month and any time it gets dirty or starts to smell is appropriate. However, it’s good to be aware of the specific factors that may change this:
- What breed is your dog? Different dog breeds require different bathing frequencies. For example, tidy breeds like Shiba Inus don’t need to be bathed often because they groom themselves similar to cats. On the other hand, dogs with dry or sensitive skin, like pit bulls and Shar-Peis, may need a bath once a month with a medicated shampoo.
- What kind of coat does your dog have? Dogs with longer coats generally need to be bathed more frequently than short-haired dogs. Although, this is only a general rule; dogs with water-repellant coats shouldn’t be washed as often so as not to take any important oils off their coats.
- How often does your dog get dirty? It’s pretty simple: if your dog is indoors most of the time, it’s not going to need as many baths as a dog who is outdoors playing around in the dirt.
- Does your dog like baths? Whether or not a dog will enjoy taking baths depends on the dog. If your dog hates baths, try to keep them at a low frequency and only bathe when necessary.
The Best Dog Grooming Products
Now that you know just how vital dog grooming is for pet wellness, let’s take a look at some of the best dog grooming supplies to use on your furry friend.
All-Natural Dog Shampoo
When choosing a shampoo to use on your dog, be sure to look for an all-natural dog shampoo. The best all-natural dog shampoos have some essential topical oils for your dog’s skin, such as coconut oil, jojoba oil, lemongrass, aloe vera, olive oil, and rosemary oil.
Using all-natural dog shampoo is simple: get your dog wet with warm water, gently lather in the shampoo into its top coat and undercoat, and rinse until the water runs clear.
Deshedding Comb
Using a deshedding comb is important for removing all of your dog’s dead hair from both its top coat and undercoat. Look for a deshedding comb with rubberized bristles because these are good for both removing any allergy-triggering dander and massaging the skin to encourage a healthy coat.
Your deshedding comb can be used dry for brushing, wet for shampooing, or for massaging topical oils into your dog’s skin.
Paw Cleaners
Your dog’s paws are always on the ground, so they’re a breeding ground for all things gross. Try to look for a foaming paw cleaner that kills 99.99% of all bacteria and germs, as well as post-larval ringworm and roundworm. A good paw cleaner should contain two ingredients, benzalkonium chloride, and trimethylene glycol.
To use paw cleaner, simply wash your dog’s paws with warm water and the cleaner being careful to dry thoroughly to remove any excess moisture.
Dog Grooming Bundles
To save a little bit of money, look for dog grooming supplies sold in bundles. Many times you will see deshedding combs sold with all-natural shampoo at a discount. Take advantage of the saving and pick one up.
Takeaway
It may not always be easy to remember to bathe your dog, brush their coat daily, or get their nails trimmed; but, these are all necessary for not only maintaining your dog’s cleanliness but their health as well. By using essential dog grooming tools like all-natural dog shampoos, deshedding combs, and paw cleaners, it will be easier than ever to get your dog looking and feeling great.
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This content is sponsored by James Mahoney.
Photo: Shutterstock