If your dog has hair that grows long, you will have to find a system for keeping it neat and tidy. Dogs hate to have matted fur that is tangled.
Taking them to a trusted groomer is usually the way to go but you can extend trips and lower costs by doing this yourself.
DO NOT USE SCISSORS TO TRIM YOUR DOG’S FUR!
You will cut their skin someday, maybe not the first time but someday?and you will feel guilty about it. Use a brush and plug-in clippers if you plan on trimming yourself. I like to clip, then bathe, towel dry and then gently brush. The clippers are an investment but will help everybody long term.
Ask your groomer, vet tech, or vet for some helpful tips when first taking this on. The clippers can get hot so be wary of running them for extended periods of time. Your pet may not like the sound of the clippers.
You can get them used to it by giving them a little treat while running the clippers. Be prepared for a large volume of hair debris afterwards and plan ahead.
There are many styles of dog brush and every pet seems to have a preference and type of grooming tools that work best with their hair.
Each dog has a balance of how often they should be bathed. Some dogs need it every few weeks; others might never need a bath.
If you bathe too often you can dry your pet’s skin out so it is important to check for flakiness a few days after bathing.
Many dogs can avoid skin infections by occasional bathing so you will have to experiment to find the ideal schedule. Try to keep water out of your dog’s ears during the bath.
Flushing your dog’s ears with ear cleaner after a bath will go a long way to preventing ear infections from cropping up a few days later.
Areas that are especially prone to tangling are under the tail right around the bum hole, under the armpits and on the side of the head near the ears. Furry feet can collect dirt, ice balls, burs, and make it hard to walk or trim nails so you may want to shorten this area also.
