Bringing a new pet into house is not much different from welcoming a new baby into the family. But, pets also require care just like our kids. To keep the pets healthy and happy, care should be taken to provide them proper diet and keep them clean. Grooming the pets regularly and thoroughly keeps them dirt and germ free.
While grooming your pet, you will be able to observe any fleas, ticks or other parasitic infestations or any skin infections early. It helps you in taking actions to treat them promptly, and eventually take preventive measures for potential diseases. By following some common pet grooming tips, you can keep your dog or cat tidy and in good condition.
Get your pet ready for grooming first
It is required for your pet to keep calm and cooperate with you while you are grooming them. Training them to follow a few commands like ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ will make your work easy and stop them from running away while you are grooming. Once it becomes a routine, your pet will also enjoy these dog grooming or cat grooming sessions.
Essential pet grooming tips
The cleaner your pets are, the healthier they will be. Take a quick look at the frequency of different grooming activities to help you schedule them properly:-
Take a look at these most essential pet grooming tips to keep your pet clean without any hassle:-
- Cleaning the teeth
Just like humans, pets can also develop dental problems like plaque, tartar, bad breath, and gum bleeding. To maintain their oral hygiene,- Brush your pet’s teeth twice or thrice every week.
- Use toothpastes that are specially prepared for pets. Usually, pet toothpastes are edible and do not harm them.
- Start by applying the toothpaste on your pet’s teeth gently, initially with your fingers. Once they get habituated to this, you can move on to using specially designed dog or cat toothbrushes.
- While brushing your pet’s teeth, be vigilant for gum health too.
- Serve your pets dental care chews to get rid of bad breath.
- Cleaning the ears
Ears have sensitive skin. Your pet’s ears can catch dirt and various types of infections while you take them on a walk or maybe after an outdoor playful day. It is important to keep them clean.- Clean the ears twice or thrice a month.
- Use good cleansing drops to remove the wax and debris from your pet’s ears.
- Use a cotton ball to clean debris from the ear completely.
- Cleaning the eyes
It is important to clean the eyes of your pet too.- Clean their eyes at least twice or thrice a month.
- Use the cleansing drops to clear the white part of the eyes.
- Use the stain removal solution to clean brownish tear stains of the pets, especially light-skinned ones. Wipe the cloth or sponge, wet with this solution from inside to outside direction on the skin just below their eyes.
- Brushing the coat
It is one of the most important tips for grooming your dog at home. Brushing removes the dirt and comforts your pet. Each breed of dog and cat has specific brushing needs that must be met.- Brush your pets at least once a week.
- Brush the pets with longer hair more frequently compared to the one with shorter hair as they can get more tangled hair and mat problems.
- Select the correct brush and comb as per the pet’s coat type. A rubber brush works fine for pets with short, smooth coats. Whereas for pets with dense fur or long coats, a slicker brush that can clear the knots easily will be more suitable.
- Brush in the general direction of the fur for best results.
- Brush your pets regularly and keep the fleas and ticks infestations away. Brushing gives a closer look at the fur and coat and alerts you on time for such parasitic attacks.
- Bathing your pet
Bathing helps maintain your pet’s hygiene and keeps many skin infections and parasite infestations at bay.- Bathe your dog twice a month.
- Use warm water for conducting dog-washing activity.
- Use a well pH-balanced pet shampoo to clean your pet as they have a very different pH from yours.
- Lather your pet thoroughly and then rinse the shampoo completely.
- Use a good quality conditioner. It helps in avoiding the knots and tangles, especially in the dogs having long, silky coats.
- Place a bath mat or towel for the pet to stand on to avoid any slipping or sliding incidents. It is required for the safety of your pet while you are managing dog bath in-house.
- Use a towel or hairdryer at a moderate temperature to dry them.
- Trimming the hair
Your pet will get irritated if the hair gets in their eyes or if they develop mats due to long hair. Regular trimming helps in reducing shedding too. To keep your pet’s hair in good condition,- Trim your pet’s hair every two months.
- Use proper scissors and be careful while you are trimming their hair in-house.
- Comb properly before trimming to untangle the hair.
- Get rid of the patches and mats with the help of trimming.
- Cleaning the paws and trimming nails
Your pets may get dirt between their toes after taking a walk or may have gunk below their paws. For their foot hygiene,- Clean their paws every two weeks and trim their nails once a month.
- Wash their paws with shampoo or clean them with wipes to keep them germ and dust free.
- Trim their nails so that they do not lose traction. If you hear a lot of clicking while your pet is walking, it is time for them to get their nails trimmed.
- Use a clipper or grinder to cut their nails.
- While trimming their nails, make sure you do not hurt their quick (a soft cuticle that contains the blood vessel and nerves.)
Do not panic in case of accidental bleeding during nail trimming. Use wet wipes to clean and put styptic powder on it.
In the end
It is important to keep your pets clean. Grooming them at regular intervals is beneficial in keeping them healthy. It is necessary to take appropriate safety precautions while grooming to prevent any unexpected mishaps. Following the above-mentioned pet grooming tips will help you in cleaning your furry pal safely.
