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Good grooming attends to your dog’s overall hygiene and doesn’t focus merely on any single part of his body. Particular attention should be given to areas that are hard to reach, such as the ears, the armpits, between the toes, and the teeth, since these areas are the most susceptible to infections and fungal growth. Here are some tips to keep your dog as clean and healthy as he can be.

Bathing is perhaps the most important part of your dog’s hygiene regimen. When bathing him, all areas should be thoroughly wet. Avoid dousing water into the ear (only wet the posterior area) and eye areas. After scrubbing him with a good dog shampoo, rinse him thoroughly to avoid having remnants of the shampoo sticking on the dog’s skin and fur. Some products can cause flaky skin and irritation.

In cleaning the face area, use a damp cloth. Don’t shampoo around the eye area, as this can cause eye irritation. After bathing, dry his coat by using a towel first. You can then choose to dry him further using paper towels or, if your dog doesn’t mind, a blow drier. When his coat is dry, you can then start combing or brushing it – dogs naturally like this part of the bath, since it’s soothing.

Another part of dog hygiene is nail clipping. Use appropriate nail clippers for your dogs – these can be bought at pet stores. You must trim your dog’s nails little by little, avoiding cutting into the quick. When any accidental bleeding occurs, put on a little flour to stop it. Your dog’s veterinarian can show you the proper way of clipping your dog’s nails.

Many dog owners underestimate the importance of maintaining good dental hygiene in their dogs. Dogs are just as susceptible to dental problems as we are. Use appropriate toothpaste for dogs — human toothpaste are designed specifically for spitting, which dogs can’t do. Dog toothbrushes and toothpaste can also be bought at pet stores and veterinarian clinics.

Make it a habit to check your dog’s teeth. Check for any bleeding, inflammation or any hard objects that get stuck between their teeth. If there are hard remnants of food that cannot be cleaned by brushing, remove them manually. Chew toys can help dislodge such objects from between your dog’s teeth.

Vaccination also plays a vital role in your dog’s health. Take him to a vet for vaccinations against lethal dog illnesses, such as rabies and dystemper, as well as other potential threats that your vet may identify.

Wash your dog’s beddings regularly to keep it from infestation. Use flea control products for treatment. Also clean your pet’s feeding bowls regularly since these may carry harmful parasites.
 
Finally, remember that no matter how clean your dog may be, it’s important to always wash your hands thoroughly after handling him. They may have parasites that are too small for the eye to see, and these may be very harmful to children, the elderly, and immuno-suppressed individuals. Keep these things in mind to keep your dog and yourself protected from disease and discomfort.

Dog grooming is important to the care and maintenance of the dog’s physiological and psychological health. The dog’s physical state influences the way he feels and acts. There are cases wherein lack of proper dog grooming can negatively affect the behavior of a dog.

Dog grooming is not difficult to maintain. Dog grooming may be seen as simple affectionate petting, and dogs generally love getting the attention. The following are general guidelines in dog grooming.

Combing/Brushing: Sebaceous glands under a dog’s skin secrete a fatty substance that protects the skin and hair. Combing and brushing, when done as part of the dog grooming routine, stimulates these oil glands and gives the dog’s coat a beautiful, clean sheen. It also keeps the dog’s fur in good condition. This aspect of dog grooming removes dirt, prevents tangles, and keeps the skin clean and free from irritation.

Ears. Cleaning the ears should also be a part of any dog grooming routine. Always check your dog’s ears for waxy buildup, excessive hair matting in the external ear, any redness or inflammation, retention of dirt, or foreign material in the ear canal. To find out if mites, fleas or ticks are nesting in the dog’s ears, take a whiff and see if you detect a sour, cheesy odor from them. If you do, then it usually indicates the presence of these parasites. Drop a small amount of mite ointment into the affected ear to prevent the parasites from burrowing even deeper. Left alone, these parasites can cause severe infection and deafness in the dog – lifelong impairments that make ear cleaning an important part of dog grooming.

Teeth. Dog grooming includes routine examinations of your dog’s mouth and brushing the teeth to avoid plaque forming on the gum line and tartar building up on the teeth. Plaque combines with minerals in the dog’s saliva and forms tartar, which in turn may cause gingivitis (inflammation) if left alone. Use a dog toothbrush and toothpaste when brushing your dog’s teeth during a dog grooming session. Don’t use human toothpaste – it can cause abdominal discomforts if accidentally swallowed by your dog. As most dogs love to chew, this aspect of dog grooming is particularly important to your dog’s happiness.

Nails. Dog’s nails should be trimmed regularly, but not necessarily at every dog grooming session, to prevent overgrowth. Use dog nail clippers and slowly trim the nails, avoiding the quick. It is advisable to make several small nips until you see what appears to be a black dot in the nail, which is the start of the quick. Keep styptic powder at hand to stop any bleeding if you accidentally trim onto the quick.

Dog grooming must be done regularly, and an annual visit to the veterinarian for a thorough checkup will make certain your dog will be in tiptop shape. Apart from helping identify any newly emerging problems before they become serious, regular health assessments will give you the chance to learn about more and better dog grooming practices. Keeping a good dog grooming schedule will keep any troublesome medical conditions at bay, letting your dog get the most out of his life.