Dogs like to look and feel their best just like their people! Depending on your dog’s breed, grooming could take anywhere from minutes to hours. Proper grooming may be easily accomplished at home or may require a professional groomer.
How do you know which category your hound fits in? When should you dish out money for a a pet salon or spa?
Generally, your indoor dog will stay cleaner than that of a dog that stays outside. However, because of the close living proximity to your indoor pup, you probably notice when he’s tracking in paw prints, smelling a little funky, or looking less than glamorous. Your indoor dog still goes outside, giving him plenty of opportunity to visit those muddy puddles that formed after a recent rain. If you’ve made the assumption that your indoor dog will require less grooming, think again. That’s likely to not be the case at all.
Lack of grooming can make for a hairy situation! Most breeds shed twice a year. However, there are low-shedding and non-shedding breeds like the Maltese and Poodle. Then you have breeds that shed moderately throughout the year such as the Dalmatian. Evaluate the time (or money) you are able or willing to spend working the hair brush when you select your dog breed. You may want that luxurious coated critter, but do you want to brush the Collie’s long hair every time he runs through your flowerbeds?
Brushing is just the tip of the iceberg. You’re not finished with a simple brushing. Consider the time you’ll need to bathe, dry and brush again. Grooming goes beyond the coat. Your dog’s nails, ears, eyes and teeth all need attention too!
A beagle and his floppy-eared cousins are all prone to picking up extra dirt and debris in their ears. Skipping proper ear cleaning will lead to ear infections more so than some short-eared breeds. Some non-shedding breeds will have excess ear hair that will need to be pulled out, not cut, during grooming.
While it is tempting to pass Fido a rawhide or Greenie for his oral health care needs, these should never substitute a good brushing. Additional oral cleanings at the vet are a great way to keep your dogs teeth in tip-top shape.
Since every dog needs grooming, where might your dog rank on the scale of grooming maintenance?
Long Think Coat (ex: Akitas)
- Regular brushing. Daily brushing when shedding. Use a firm bristle brush.
- Bathe once in the spring and again in the fall to avoid removing the protective oils from their coats.
Long, Silky Coats (ex: Spaniels)
- Weekly bath and brushing
- Coat trimming every two months
Wiry Coats (ex: Terriers)
- Brush three times per week
- Bathe every three months including stripping and hand plucking any dead hairs in the coat, which can take several hours
- Cut excess hair around eyes
Non-Shedding, Curly (ex: Poodles)
- Clippings and bathing every two months
Smooth Coats (ex: Boxer, Labrador)
- Groom using a hand glove. Short-haired breeds need a weekly brushing
- Bathe two to three times per year to avoid removing the protective oils in their coats
Dr. Susan Wright DMV is the staff dog containment system expert for Dog Fence DIY. Dr. Wright has been a practicing veterinarian for more than 10 years.
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