At Home Dog Grooming Tips: How to Keep Your Dog's Coat, Ears and Teeth Healthy

It is possible to keep your dog looking his best between trips to the groomer. The following are complaints owners often have regarding home grooming, and how to address them.

My Dog Won't Let Me Brush Him

A puppy should be introduced to a brush at about three weeks old. If the breeder has not started this before you get the puppy home, then you should start right away. Dogs are never too young or too old to be taught about grooming.

Use a brush with soft bristles to introduce a daily brushing routine of ten minutes to start and gradually increasing depending on coat length. Find a time that is convenient, and stick to this time, or close to it, so he will be expecting it.

For longhaired dogs, start at the ends of his hair and work down to the skin. Grooming time is not time for play and the ground rules must be set right from the beginning. If he gets out of it by a whimper once, he will do it every time. Getting your dog to relax is important. You want to be able to have him lay on his side so you can brush underneath his legs. This takes time, but again letting him know you are the boss and he can not get up while you are brushing is essential.

My Short Haired Dog Doesn't Need Grooming

Brushing is not only for the heavily coated breeds. It stimulates the natural oils in your dog's skin and conditions the coat naturally. It enables you to rid him of the dirt he will collect just being a dog. It can alert you to potential health problems early. Brushing is only part of providing good grooming for your dog.

My Dog's Ears Smell

He could have an ear mite or infection. Dogs with long ears or long hair around their ears are more susceptible to this. Keeping the hair away from his ears and allowing air to circulate keeps them dry, as moisture is the chief cause of ear infections. Regular treatment for ear mites will help keep the problem from progressing to an ear infection or a chronic ear problem. Most pet stores carry solutions for ear mites, however if your dog has developed an infection, see your vet for antibiotics.

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