Dog Grooming Tips: How Often Do Dogs Need Grooming

Just like humans, dogs need grooming. To determine how often do dogs need grooming, you have to look a number of factors. They include age, coat type, the breed and other factors. It is advised that you have a dog grooming schedule to maintain the general wellbeing of your dog.

First, you can assess your dog’s grooming needs. The current skin condition and health will also contribute to the grooming schedule. Whatever you see in your dog at the current time is what you will use to make correct grooming decisions. Does his coat look dull or oily? How much is he shedding? Are the nails and hair too long?

In this guide, you will get tips on how often you can groom your dog.

1. Brushing Your Dog’s hair

Frequency: Once a week

There are several reasons for brushing your dog’s hair. These include;

• Removing dead hair that is stuck in the coat
• Removing debris and dirt stuck in the coat
• Reducing shedding in the home by getting rid of soon-to-be shed hair
• Stimulating production of oil important for a healthy coat

Brushing once a week is enough to keep a dog’s coat healthy. However, long haired dogs, heavy shedders, dogs prone to matting, and working dogs should be brushed more times a week.

What are signs that can make you increase the frequency of brushing? Your dog may appear dull. There could be patches of discoloration where the dead hair is stuck in the coat. In other dogs there could be matting or dirt build up. Itchy and dry skin is another signal to check out for on how often do dogs need grooming.

Lastly, make sure you do not overdo it because it may lead to an excessively oily coat.

2. Brushing Your Dog’s Teeth

Frequency: Once a day

How often should I do this grooming? Normally, you can brush your dog’s teeth every day. This will go a long way to prevent plaque building up. Plaque leads to bad breath and poor health in general. The minimum you can brush your dog’s teeth is three times a week. Also, dental toys and raw bones help with your dog’s dental health.

3. Giving Your Dog a Bath

Frequency: Once every three to six months

Bathing adult dogs can be done once every six to eight weeks. Vets have also explained how too much bathing is unhealthy for canines. Over bathing causes depletion of skin oils which is uncomfortable for the dogs.

Ideally, you can wash your dog after three months. However, there are circumstances that may necessitate an unexpected bath. Your dog could be exposed to parasites or fell into a mud pool. You also have not that there is a difference between bathing and rinsing a dog. You can rinse mud from your dog without bathing him.

When bathing your dog, use shampoo made for dogs. Do not ever use human shampoo on your dog. Human shampoo can strip oils from your dog’s skin. As a result, you will have a dog with dry and dull coat.

What tells you that this grooming is too often? Your dog’s skin becomes too oily or dry and itchy due too much bathing. The excessive oil is meant to compensate for the excessive dryness in the coat.

4. Clipping Your Dog’s Nails

Frequency: Once every three to eight weeks

How often you clip your dog’s nail depends on the breed and daily activities. Most dogs have their nails clipped monthly since regular walking on hard surfaces keeps the nails at a healthy length. When you start hearing a tap as your dog walks in the house, that is a sign that the nails are too long.

Trimming a dog’s nail can be hard task where there are injuries. This is why it is advised to have styptic powder on your hand to help control any bleeding. Bleeding can be caused by cutting the nail too short or too quick.

5. Cleaning the Dog’s Ears

Frequency: Check regularly, but clean only when necessary

For most dogs, ear cleaning process is natural thus does not need any human intervention. The dog’s ears have a way of introducing any foreign cleaners and maintaining ear health. Although in some dogs, for instance the long eared dogs or dogs prone to swimming, ear cleaning is important.

First step is to always dry your dog’s ears after exposure to moisture. You can use a drying powder to ensure complete dryness. Clean regularly during humid months as it prevents yeast infections. Something you can do regularly is a visual inspection for any ear infections. Also, the smell of ears can tell you how dirty your dog’s ears are.

Remember, there is no schedule for ear cleaning unless your dog has a history of ear infections.

6. Trimming Your Dog’s Coat

Frequency: Once every 2-12 months, depending on your dog’s breed

This type of grooming can be determined by visual inspection of your dog’s coat. Be sure to be keen on the following;

• Has the hair overgrown over the eyes?
• Does your dog’s coat mat?
• Are there regular tangles on the coat?
• Is the coat looking unkempt and unhealthy?

The above signs can help you if you groom at home. If you have problems clipping your dog’s coat, visit a professional groomer.

The question of how often do dogs need grooming has been adequately answered above in the guide. With the above tips, you can be assured of a healthy companion in a dog.