Many dog owners have one huge common misconception. That getting their dogs groomed is not necessary. We here at The Pup Life would like to inform these individuals that they could not be further from the truth! Even if your dog or puppy does not appear particularly dirty, regular grooming has a whole host of benefits in store for them that may not be immediately obvious. And even benefits for you! Don’t believe us? Then check out The Pup Life’s short list of 5 reasons why dog grooming is important below.
REASON 1: Prevention Is Better Than Cure
Sending your dog to a professional groomer proves to be one of the best ways to detect any potential health problems early. Part of a professional groomer’s job is to identify any signs of health problems that your dog may have, such as infections, lumps and rashes to name a few. These signs can sometimes be easy for owners to miss out on. Additionally, having a regular groomer can make this process a far more effective one as well, as your dog’s regular groomer would naturally be more familiar with your dog’s skin and be able to detect abnormalities. The importance of early detection for diseases cannot be understated enough, and regular grooming sessions would thus go a long way towards stopping any serious condition from happening to your dog.
REASON 2: Put Ear Infections to a Stop
Keeping your dog’s ears clean is of paramount importance in order to prevent infections, particularly so in the case of breeds who have long and heavy ears such as Basset Hounds. Due to the structure of their ears for these breeds, airflow is restricted and moisture is easily trapped, leading to potential bacterial buildup. Additionally, some long-coated dog breeds such as Shih Tzus have hair in their ears that require regular plucking. Most important of all, keeping your dog’s ears clean allows them to simply feel more comfortable, and that’s what we all want for our best friend!
REASON 3: Stop Things From Getting Hairy
Regular grooming helps to maintain a healthy coat and fur for your dog, which has many benefits. And you can even do it at home yourself. All you need is a brush. The benefits are plenty. First and foremost, the feeling of being brushed is something that most dogs and puppies enjoy, as it feels like a massage to them. Brushing them can thus strengthen your bond with your fur-kid!
Brushing your dog’s coat also helps to remove dead hair and skin from it, as well as dirt, while stimulating new growth through the spreading of natural oils over their coat. Additionally, regular brushing helps with the prevention of matting on their coat. Matts occur when fur becomes bunched and entangled. If left untreated, they grow to cause your dog pain and discomfort, as they not only allow bacteria and parasites to thrive, but can potentially cause sores.
REASON 4: Prevent Joint Issues
A key aspect of grooming involves caring for your dog’s nails, an aspect that is often overlooked in importance. Uncut nails go far beyond an aesthetic issue, as it can result in huge problems for dogs if left unkempt. For example, long nails can result in dogs having less traction on slippery floors, experiencing joint pains due to walking with misaligned pads, and cause them to develop bone deformation. Trimming your dog’s nails thus prevents them from curling and all these potential issues, while also stopping germs from getting in.
Trimming your dog’s nails can be a challenging process, but no matter how hard it can get, it must be done. Simply ensure that you are well researched and have the right equipment such as safety clippers. If not, you can opt to send them to a groomer on a regular basis. We recommend cutting your dog’s nails at least once a month.
REASON 5: Groom Positive Behavior
Engaging in regular grooming for your dog can help encourage positive behaviour from it as well. First and foremost, a well-groomed dog is cheerful, happy, and an absolute ball to be around. The positive reinforcement it will get only serves to improve their behaviour. What’s more, when grooming becomes a positive experience, it helps to increase and improve your dog’s sociability and temperament, ultimately further developing the relationship between the two of you.
Grooming is an important part of life for every dog. In fact, it probably holds equal importance to bringing your dog to the vet. If you have a puppy, it is advisable to start acclimatising it to grooming early, to inculcate the fact that it is all a natural part of life. In fact, you can start when the puppy is around 10-12 weeks old! To help smoothen the process, choose times when your puppy is less energetic and keep the sessions to a few minutes at a time. Then reward them with a treat after!
If you do not have the time to groom your dog or puppy, or find that they still do not seem to enjoy the grooming process even after repeated experiences, consider sending them to professional groomers. We here at The Pup Life would be more than happy to help you take care of your precious fur-kid. Drop us a message. We promise we don’t bite!