Why It's Important to Groom Your Puppy

The issue of puppy grooming, while not as important as house breaking, is an important part of raising a healthy and well taken care of puppy. It is critical that a young dog be completely groomed on a regular schedule; this includes brushing and eliminating all tangles and matted hair, as well as clipping nails, cleaning the ears, and checking for any possible parasites on the skin.

Getting Started        

Small puppies, while fun, are not known for remaining still during the grooming process. Several months of this regular grooming will go by before everything can be calmly and gently accomplished in one sitting. Remember to go slow – this is new to the puppy as well. One of the best ways to calm the puppy is by gently brushing him while talking to him in a kind voice.

Allow your animal to submissively and quietly lie down while you inspect the paws, the ears, and the anal region. While doing this, continue to reassure him by speaking in a kind and gentle voice. The tone of the voice means more than the words, as the calming nature of your presence will drastically reduce stress.

Before clipping your puppy's nails and cleaning his ears for the first time, get instructions and tips from your veterinarian. Long-haired dogs require more maintenance, such as clipping the hair from the anal region to prevent the amassing of fecal matter. Dirty pets are not just dirty on the outside; they can provide grounds that encourage the spreading of parasites and disease – causing harm to your animal and expensive bills down the road. Some dog breeds, such as Poodles and English Sheepdogs, require daily grooming in order to keep up both health and appearance.

Begin Young

Just because your puppy is being hard to handle right now when you are trying to groom him does not mean that things will get better down the road. Like all good habits, they must be instilled at a young age. Dogs that are not trained early on end up having to become slightly sedated in order for a complete grooming job to take place. To avoid this, begin with short and gentle grooming practices from the very beginning.

Over time, you will learn that just give minutes spent caring for your dog each day will result in many long-term advantages; you will have less difficulty when the dog is older and larger, reduced veterinary bills, and a healthy, well cared for animal for years to come.
 
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