Do you regularly groom your dog? That’s good. Doing so can provide various benefits to you and your pooch, from maintaining cleanliness to developing a sense of trust. But, are you sure you’re doing the right thing?
Sad to say, many dog parents fail to do the right way of grooming their furry babies due to lack of knowledge. Good thing you landed on this page, for this article will let you realize if you’ve been unintentionally doing some pet grooming mistakes. Read on, educate yourself, and avoid such wrong practices.
Pet Grooming Blunders
What are the things you do when grooming your pet? Below are some common mistakes that you should avoid:
Failing to Avoid Stress
Did you know that bath is among the sources of stress in dogs? Sad to say, many dog parents are not fully aware of this; therefore, they fail to do some measures that would lessen the stress that their pets might feel.
Now, how do you prepare your pooch for bath time? First off, you may want to try some dog anxiety products. You can find a drug-free option and apply it on your dog’s food. It also helps to brush your dog to eliminate loose fur and trim its nails to prevent scratches and slips.
Using the wrong tools
For instance, some pet parents use cotton swabs instead of cotton balls when wiping dirt from the eyes and ears. Little do they know, the former can damage their dogs’ vital organs. When removing dirt, moisten the cotton balls using water for the eyes and mineral oil or olive oil for the ears.
Indeed, the tools you use in grooming can greatly affect your pet. For this, it is important to educate yourself on the right grooming tools to use and apply everything you learn.
Applying too much soap or shampoo
As you know, too much of everything is bad. Even if you’ve got a good brand of shampoo or soap for your furry buddy, applying too much of it could be harmful. It could dry out the skin and eliminate the oils that your dog needs in order to maintain its healthy coat. It may also result in suds sneaking in your dog’s ears.
When bathing your dog, see to it that you apply just the right amount of shampoo and soap. Also, don’t forget to rinse it thoroughly.
Failing to include the paws
While some pet parents regularly bathe their furry babies and brush their fur, a lot of them tend to forget the paws. But just like the other parts of your dog’s body, paws need enough attention too. When you hear the sound of dog nails clicking on the floor, it indicates the need for trimming. You should also check and trim the fur between the toes.
Failing to properly trim the nails
Numerous dog parents tend to cut their dog’s nails too close that it becomes painful. This can result in your poor furry baby being skittish around nail clippers.
When trimming your dog’s nails, make sure to do it in a well-lit area. Also, separate the toes with your fingers and gently hold each paw while trimming. It is likewise best to use high-quality clippers with the right size. To remove excess hair, use children’s scissors.
How to Succeed in Pet Grooming
As earlier mentioned, pet grooming has a lot of benefits to offer. Apart from maintaining your pet’s overall appearance and cleanliness, it can also make them feel comfortable with being touched, help them develop a sense of trust, and even enhance their social life. Needless to say, grooming your pooch is a must.
But when performing grooming tasks, make sure you know what you’re doing. You need to do enough research and have the patience and diligence to correctly apply everything you need to do. You should be open to continuous learning as well, because lots of changes occur as time goes by.
It also helps to ask the guidance of professional pet groomers. Likewise, you may want to take your pooch to a grooming service provider; for instance, Petsmart Grooming. While you can ask for tips from the experts, there are times that you should let them do the job.
Summary
These are just some of the numerous pet grooming mistakes that you should avoid. Keep them in mind and apply everything you have learned.
Indeed, being a pet parent is a fun yet challenging task to fulfill. Just like humans, animals have needs that you should provide. And you don’t just give them; you need to learn and remember to always do the right thing. After all, your pet is a family member that deserves all the love and attention you can give.
