Dogs- health advice and tips

Grooming tips for pets

Grooming is an essential part of your pet care routine. It is a huge consideration as to what breed of pet you get. I underestimated the amount of grooming involved in owning a Border Collie - Toby is one hairy dog! I brush him diligently and he still sheds piles of fur all over my house, my car and my clothes. Lucky I love him so much!

No matter what type of coat your pooch has, he/she will need regular grooming and bathing to remain comfortable and healthy, as well as look good for you.

Here are some tips…

• There are a huge variety of coat types in the canine world - short hair, long hair, non-shedding and double coats. All have different grooming requirements but all dogs benefit from regular brushing. It removes surface dirt from the coat, helps prevent tangles and also helps spread natural oil across the skin. Brushing allows you to feel your dog over from head to toe and is a great way to check for lumps and bumps or any sores.
• It’s best to start brushing your pets from an early age to get them used to it. Reward with treats when they sit patiently and start with just a short session, say 2 minutes and then build up to longer times.
• Dogs with short, smooth coats such as Staffordshire Terriers and Boxers are known as ‘wash’n’wear’ dogs because their coats are easy to care for. A rubber brush used against the lie of the fur, will usually do the trick. A little tip… a chamois cloth rubbed over the coat actually polishes it and gives the coat a shine.
• Dogs that have a long coat with a protective undercoat (like my Border Collie, Toby), need thorough brushing every couple of days. Otherwise, the hair will matt and become extremely uncomfortable for the dog. A wire slicker brush will help get all the loose hair out of the coat.
• Gently comb out matts and tangles with a wide-toothed comb and make sure you trim the hair between his toes.
• Some dogs such as Poodles, Schnauzers and Bichon Frise have hair that grows continuously like wool and doesn’t shed. This makes them ideal dogs for allergy sufferers but they still need regular bathing and to have their coat trimmed with clippers every 6-8 weeks. It is easiest to get a professional groomer to do the job, but you can do it yourself provided you purchase a good quality pair of clippers available from most pet stores. This will save you money in the long run.