With the world still not quite back to normal, it’s hard to figure out the right way to groom your pet. Do you take them to the pros every couple weeks? What is safe for you to use at home? Do you actually need to groom your cat?
All are valid questions, and we are here to answer them!
Besides just keeping your pet clean, there are other advantages for doing some at-home grooming. While grooming your pet you can check for any unwanted pests (such as fleas or ticks), you can see if there are any new cuts or scrapes you weren’t aware of, and it also helps create a bond between you and your pet!
Below we have a few tricks up our sleeves to help you help your pet with their personal hygiene.
Dogs:
- Remember to always brush out or comb your dog before giving them a bath! This makes it easier for the shampoo to fully clean their coat and reach down to the skin.
- It’s also good to clip their nails before bathing as well, just make sure to stay clear of the quick otherwise you will be dealing with some blood and your pup will have a sore paw! If you are uncomfortable clipping your pup’s nails, click here to find out more about our grooming services.
- Make sure to regularly check your dog’s ears and eyes for any goopy mess hanging around, and give them a helping paw and clean it out for them. Use a damp cotton ball for around the eyes and the most outside part of their ears. Talk to your vet about better ways to clean the sensitive inner-ear areas.
- Get your dog on a teeth cleaning schedule! Start them off getting used to a toothbrush or a fingerbrush. Put some toothpaste on the brush and let your pup lick it off. Slowly ease into the actual tooth brushing, and make sure your dog is comfortable with it.
- Bonus: If your dog is a breed that requires more special attention with their coat type, having a regularly scheduled grooming appointment with a profession might be best for you. For more info click here.
Cats:
- Short-haired cats should be brushed about once per week, while long-haired cats should be brushed 2 or 3 times per week.
- Daily teeth brushing helps remove plaque from your cat’s teeth. Just make sure to ease your cat into this habit, it will be uncomfortable for them at first.
- Check your kitty’s ear about once a week, by gently wrapping them in a towel and folding their ears back. Healthy ears look pink and have no odor. If you notice anything unusual be sure to call your vet.
- To help avoid too much wear-and-tear clip your cat’s nails every couple of weeks. Just be sure to avoid the quick!
- Bonus: a quick tip to remember while grooming your pet cat, be quick, quiet and calm.
