Dog and Cat Grooming Recommendations at Home: A Simple Guide for Pet Owners
Grooming your pet at home can be a rewarding experience for both of you, but it does require some forethought and planning. Personally grooming your pet can bring you closer, especially as you get to know what they like and how the experience makes them feel. We’ve got some dog and cat grooming know-how to help you achieve a stress-free process with great results.
Quality Time
Washing, brushing, trimming, and massaging your pet all have a tremendous impact on their well-being. Giving them time and special attention helps to build trust and strengthens the bond between you. Grooming at home has the potential to make your pet feel connected, all while directly impacting the way they look and smell.
Pet Grooming at Home
Investing in good tools is essential to successful grooming. First, assess your pet’s coat quality and length. Pets with short or coarse hair need different combs or brushes than animals with long, thick, or shaggy coats. You may want to introduce the clippers, if applicable, when your pet demonstrates comfort and security during grooming sessions.
- Start slowly and only address the basics at first. As the process becomes commonplace, you can introduce new facets of grooming.
- Give lots of praise and rewards. You want your pet to develop a positive association with grooming so they’ll accept it as part of their routine. Make it fun!
- Spend time feeling their musculoskeletal system, skin, paw pads, ears, and abdomen for anything out of the ordinary. Always look for evidence of fleas or ticks.
- Apply a very gentle touch when they’re in the tub or getting their hair brushed/trimmed.
- Until you’ve seen it first hand, leave the removal of any mats to professional groomers. We’re also happy to discuss your pet’s coat at their wellness exam.
Pet-Friendly Shampoo
There are many options to choose from, and it is so important to select a hypoallergenic, pet-friendly shampoo for bath time. Start with a very small amount, adding more to the lather if necessary (and only when you see how your pet reacts).
- Avoid getting any soap in their eyes, nose, and ears
- Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water
- Gently wipe the ears with a cotton ball
- Give them a lengthy towel dry; only use a blow dryer on low heat if your pet isn’t scared of the noise
Nails and Teeth
All pets need their nails trimmed regularly. You want to remove any broken or brittle nails and reduce sharpness, but you never want to cut too close to the quick (the white crescent inside the nail). Styptic powder can stop any bleeding.
You may find that adding tooth brushing to your pet’s regular grooming session is convenient and effective. Be sure to have the right size toothbrush, pet-specific toothpaste, and loads of encouragement. Give them time to accept this practice, but eventually they’ll be happy you’re tending to their teeth (especially those back molars!).
Regular Grooming
When you are involved with every aspect of your pet’s care, you gain as much possible insight into how they’re doing. If you have questions or concerns about pet grooming at home, please give us a call at (530) 673-4744. Our staff is always happy to help you at Adobe Animal Hospital & Laser Surgery Center.