Grooming your pet at home can help your furry friend stay healthy and happy. Besides, it’s convenient! You can avoid that awkward moment when you have to take your pet to the vet because his hair or nails got a little too long. Consider these top 5 ways you can groom your pets at home while saving money and time.
1. Get to know your pet’s grooming habits
First, learn your pet’s grooming habits. Your pet may need professional grooming services every few months, or they may only need occasional clipping. Knowing the amount of hair they grow and the length each type of coat requires can help you schedule professional groomings when needed and save you money on clipping and grooming supplies. If your pet doesn’t have any dietary needs for their hair, you can also learn about any allergies your pet may have so you don't accidentally cause them discomfort.
2. Clip their hair
You can clip your pet’s hair at home. You don’t need a professional groomer and it’s an easy and quick task that can reduce shedding and prevent tangles. If you clip your pet’s hair once every two to four weeks, they won’t have to go through intense grooming that can damage their coats. However, over-grooming your pet can cause ingrown hair, mats, and a general unkempt look. So, clipping is the best method for maintaining the length of your pet’s hair. If you clip your pet’s hair too short, their coat may become damaged and even cause bacterial and yeast infections. When you clip your pet’s hair too short, you’re removing the natural protection she needs from the sun and wind. Your pet may also experience post-clipping hair loss, which can make her appear unkept.
3. Bathe them
Bathing your pet, like clipping their hair, is an easy and cost-effective routine that maintains the coat length of your pet without the hassle of professional grooming. It also helps remove any dirt or odor in their coat, which can signal a potential health problem. While you can bathe your pet every few weeks, you don’t want to overdo it. If they’ve recently had a bath, you don’t need to bathe them right away. You can also use a gentle shampoo or dog wash that doesn’t contain a lot of sulfates, which can cause build-up in their coats and cause tangles. If your pet’s coat is especially long, you may want to consider cutting their coat short first. That way, you can use the same shampoo and bathe routine on them.
4. Trim their nails
Pet’s nails grow at a rapid rate. Even when you clip their nails, they grow back at an even faster rate. To prevent your pet’s nails from getting too long, it’s important to trim them every few weeks. Trimming your pet’s nails is an easy task that doesn’t require a lot of skill or tools. There are several types of nail trimmers that can handle different nail lengths and thicknesses. If you neglect to trim your pet’s nails, they can get painful ingrown nails that can cause bleeding, infections, and even skin damage to your pet. You can also over trim your pet’s nails, which can cause painful injury to their paws.
5. Brush their hair
Brushing your pet’s hair can help rid their hair of dead hair, bacteria, and excess dirt. You can brush your pet’s hair either wet or dry. Wet brushing removes more impurities from your pet’s hair, but it’s best to brush their hair with a conditioner if they have long hair. Dry brushing is best for short hair breeds and it helps remove the last bits of impurities from your pet’s fur. Brush their hair daily to maintain healthy hair, and don’t brush their tails unless they’re specifically groomed for it. If you’re brushing your pet’s hair only once a week, it’s best to use a hydrating conditioner. You can also use a clarifying shampoo to get rid of any buildup in their hair.
6. Dust them off After a Shower
When you bathe your pet, they get wet and dirty. This can cause bacteria and fungus to grow on their coat. It’s important to dry your pet completely, especially if they have long or heavy coats. You can use a blow-dryer or open window to dry them off. If you don’t dry your pet completely and they’re in a warm or sunny place, they can get sick when they come into contact with harmful bacteria and fungus in the air. If you don’t want to risk this, you can use a hair dryer to dry your pet’s coat. That way, your pet’s coat is completely dry when you put them away.
Grooming your pet at home saves you time and money. It can also help prevent harmful bacteria, subtle skin damage, and hair breakage. When you groom your pet at home, you don’t need to take them to the vet when they get sick and it’s more convenient than going out to the store for dog food. Grooming your pets at home can be fun, relaxing, and even therapeutic. Pick one or two of these five ways to start grooming your pets at home today. You can also use the tips to groom your pets at home during the holidays or when you have a busy schedule.