Benefits of Dog Grooming
Just like us, the main benefit of grooming is to be clean and healthy. Dogs need to bathe, wash their hair, get trims and more in order to keep their hair clean and smelling fresh. In addition, grooming your dog will help them stay healthy because during this process you are able to check for fleas or any skin abnormalities.
Grooming and cleaning will also reduce the chance of ear infections and trimming nails will reduce risk of bad posture and other paw problems. Depending on your dog's coat, consistent grooming and brushing will help them shed less! Overall, there are many benefits to grooming and at its basic level - every dog should be groomed frequently.
Dog Grooming At Home
Not all dog grooming needs to be professionally done. While there are perks to having someone else groom your dog, the most common and affordable option is to take on grooming in your own home! In order to properly groom your dog at home you will need a dog brush, dog shampoo, dog nail clippers and an old towel!
There are amazing videos on YouTube that will teach you the best practices for at home grooming. Most of it is simple but for some things, like clipping your dog's nails, you will want to learn how to safely and properly do this on your own. You will learn great tips and can even search for videos based on your specific dog breed.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How Much Does Dog Grooming Cost?
If you choose to get your dog professionally groomed, those costs will have a wide range. Depending on size, breed, age, behavior and even where you live will change the cost of this. Our average estimate is that you will spend anywhere from $40 - $75 on a grooming session. The price can fluctuate on what you want done as well.
How Long Does Dog Grooming Take?
It can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours for a full groom. This will depend on the size of your dog and the type of coat they have. In addition it depends on what services you get done. You will be able to drop your dog off and they will give you a proper time frame to come pick them back up.
How to Keep a Dog Calm for Grooming?
One of the hardest parts of grooming is keeping your dog calm during it. Grooming can sometimes involve sharp tools and if your dog is not calm it can be very dangerous. In order to help them relax before their grooming appointment you can do a few different things.
First off, on the day of your grooming session, treat it as any other day. You will want to avoid creating stress before you even arrive at the groomers. Once you get there, stay calm and let them take their time sniffing the area and the people working. Give them lots of treats and help them onto the grooming table.
Don’t start the session until they are settled and stop immediately if they start to get agitated. If your dog is still struggling to stay calm you can try anti-anxiety medicine and treats.
How to Sedate a Dog at Home For Grooming?
If you’re struggling with keeping your dog calm even during at home grooming sessions, and have tried the above calming tips, we recommend reaching out to the vet and talking about anxiety medication options.
Tradzodone is a common medicine used to help sedate a dog and relieve anxiety. This can be used before grooming sessions and any other instance that creates anxiety for your dog. Your vet will be able to facilitate this and help provide some stress relief for you and your dog.
A natural sedative-type option is CBD for dogs! Be sure that you are getting CBD that is meant for dogs so it doesn't contain harmful levels of THC. Give it to them at least 30 minutes before grooming so it can start to work its magic. You will also want to use it in other instances so they don't associate CBD with a grooming session. Dogs can recognize the signs if something stressful is about to happen (like jingling your car keys can set off a dog with separation anxiety) get anticipatory anxiety!
Overall, grooming is a very important part of your dog's routine! While they don’t need grooming as often as we do, we recommend brushing 1-3 times a week and a full bath every couple of months!
