Grooming Dogs Needn’t Be A Big Deal

One thing to keep in mind when choosing a dog for your family is how much care it needs. In some cases, grooming dogs is a full time job!

When thinking about what is involved in grooming dogs and how it may fit into your family life, some breeds to consider are those with short coats, who don’t shed much. Dogs such as Smooth Coated Collies, Fox Terriers and Greyhounds are much easier to manage than Afghan Hounds or Rough Collies, for example.

If you speak to people involved in grooming dogs for a living, they will suggest that you get your dog used to being bathed from a young age. Use warm water and a soap free shampoo, and try and make the experience as stress free for your puppy as possible.

Another aspect of grooming dogs is ear care and foot care. Some dogs need the hair between their toes trimmed, and most dogs will need a manicure at some stage. Ears may need to be cleaned on occasion and your vet will give you guidance on how to do it and what products to use. It’s a good idea to also handle your dog’s feet frequently from puppy hood, so it gets used to having its nails clipped.

Grooming dogs is not likely to be something your child can manage alone so you will have to be involved on a regular basis. If you can choose a low maintenance breed with a short coat that doesn’t need clipping, avoid floppy ears and get it used to having a nail clip, then grooming dogs won’t take up your whole weekend.