June 23rd, 2022 by Becky Calvert

Grooming your pooch can sometimes be put on the back burner. It can be time-consuming and expensive, which is why so many of us have taken to grooming our pooch on our own. Although this is great and allows us to groom our pooch exactly how we’d like, whilst also saving some money, there are some important do’s and don’ts to at-home dog grooming to make sure your dog is as safe as possible. Here’s what we’d recommend.

Do’s

Do Take Your Time

When it comes to grooming your pooch, especially if you’ve only just started, it’s important that you take your time. This will prevent any accidents or stressful situations – particularly for those dogs that find grooming to be an awful experience! Starting slow will also help you to find the best ways to groom your pooch and what works for you both. That way, you can establish a stress-free routine for you both, and one that you can do without dreading it every time!

Do Buy the Correct Equipment

Although you can save money by grooming at home, that doesn’t mean that you should just use your kitchen scissors! By investing in some good quality grooming supplies (at the very least scissors, clippers, a brush and some nail clippers), you’ll get a much more professional result. It’ll also make the process a lot easier as those kitchen scissors aren’t designed to cut through thick and matted dog hair, whereas specialised scissors or clippers will do the job easily.

Do Use a Gentle Shampoo

Dogs can have really sensitive skin and are prone to a lot of skin conditions. As a result, the shampoo that you use should reflect this to prevent any irritation – especially if you’re not sure if your pooch has sensitive skin or not. Our Pretty Pooch Gentle Touch Shampoo is designed to be gentle on any breed of dog and every coat type – so there’s no need to worry. It also has a mild, baby powder fragrance so your pooch is sure to smell amazing once you’ve finished!

Do Be Gentle

As previously mentioned, a lot of dogs don’t particularly enjoy grooming. For this reason, make sure to be really gentle when you start to groom them. If you start slowly and gentle, then the grooming process won’t seem as daunting and will be a much more pleasant experience for you both!

Do Groom Regularly

Although dogs don’t need bathing anywhere near as often as we do, it is important to maintain their grooming. Set aside a bit of time each month to check if they need their fur trimmed, a bath or their nails trimmed and this way, you can stay on top of it without having to do a massive groom each time! For in-between grooms, our Doggy Deo spray is perfect. It freshens up your dog's coat by leaving it smelling fresh and clean, but without the hassle of a bath! 

Don’ts

Don’t Rush

Trying to cram in a full grooming routine in ten minutes just isn’t going to work. You’ll get stressed, your dog will hate it and you’ll end up with a dog that looks even messier than when you started! Instead, make sure to dedicate the time and do it properly. The results will be much better and you’ll definitely enjoy it more!

Don’t Make it Stressful

If your dog hates getting washed, brushed or whatever part it might be, you getting stressed and flustered too won’t help. Instead, you’ll just add more stress to the situation and make everything seem much worse. So, take a deep breath and keep trying – the more you get your dog used to it, the less flustered they’ll be in the morning.

Don’t Do Too Much Too Fast

If you’ve never groomed at home before, don’t try and do everything all at once. Take it step by step and learn how to do each stage properly. Whether that’s washing your dog, clipping their nails or just thoroughly brushing their fur, you’re best taking each stage separately and mastering one before moving on to the rest.

Don’t Cut Their Nails Too Short

Many people still go and seek professional help when it comes to their dog’s nails. This is because they have blood vessels in their nails and if you cut them too short, it’s likely that they’ll start to bleed and feel some discomfort. However, if you are intending on doing it at home, make sure that you do your research and buy the correct nail clippers to prevent this from happening.

Don’t Give Up

If you’re struggling at first, that’s completely normal. It takes time to understand what products and equipment will work best for you and how to make your dog feel at ease during the process. Keep persevering with it and we’re sure you’ll be a dog grooming expert in no time!