The Importance Of Grooming To Your Dog’s Health

Posted February 9, 2011 by admin in News | Comments Off

So much focus seems to fall on diet and exercise when it comes to the health of pets but grooming is an essential part of animal care, particularly in the case of dogs.

Grooming is a fundamental part of canine hygiene in all dogs, though some breeds require more care than others in order to remain healthy and comfortable. Pet owners who neglect their grooming duties put their dogs at risk of skin problems such as thrush and scratches. Grooming also improves the general cleanliness of the dog, helps to forge a bond between dog and owner and helps the owner to keep a close eye on the dog’s general health and behaviour.

Breeds such as the Cocker Spaniel and Rough Collie have thick coats of hair that require daily brushing to prevent hair from matting close to the dogs skin. Shorter coated dogs, such as Dalmatians and Bulldogs, do not need to be groomed as intensively but will still require attention to their coats two or three times a week.

A wide range of tools and utensils designed especially for dog grooming can be bought from your pet store or on the internet. Curry brushes are often used to loosen dirt and hair from your dog and stimulate its skin to produce healthy natural oils. The brushes are often small and made of plastic or rubber. Other dog brushes, such as bristle brushes, wire pin brushes and slicker brushes are also
used.

As well as grooming your dog’s coat, regular grooming practices include bathing, nail trimming and dental care. Bathing can take place using a spray or shower head, or water from a bucket. Dogs often require two baths to be thoroughly cleaned and thickly-coated dogs will need to be brushed before they are bathed.

Clipping your dog’s claws is important to keep your dog’s paws healthy. This practice is often carried out by a veterinarian during a dog’s regular check-up, but guillotine clippers and scissor-type clippers can be purchased if you wish to do it at home. Always follow veterinary guidelines when clipping your dog’s nails and bear in mind that your dog will be unlikely to enjoy the process, so try to get them used to it at a young age.

Veterinarians will oversee dental care for your dog but many owners supplement the care offered by brushing their dog’s teeth on a daily or weekly basis. Vets also endorse the use of a number of dental chews for dogs.

While pet insurance might cover medical expenses and veterinary bills, a trip to the vets can be avoided through a regular grooming routine. If your dog is healthy, it is worth using the internet to compare dog insurance, as dogs often encounter increased health problems related to grooming issues as they grow older.