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Learn
Dog Grooming Styles
& Techniques
Are you
feeling motivated to learn dog grooming styles and
techniques?
 Great! Unfortunately, without any
direction that motivation can turn into a
pathetic attempt to pin down our squirming dog and scare the
you-know-what out of them with vibrating clippers.
Who can blame us? A trip to the groomer can cost a pretty
penny and hours out of our day, and often times our dogs come out
looking
like a fluffy circus dog!
So listen up courageous
dog owners, if you are interested in attempting to learn dog grooming
styles, we have compiled a few tips, precautions and pictures to help
you along the way:
- Dog ear cleaning (coming soon)
The Benefits
of At-Home
Grooming
Even though there are numerous reasons to learn dog grooming styles,
you may still feel that the hassle outweighs the benefits.
Completely understandable!
Grooming your dog at home requires much time, preparation, patience and
commitment, but if you’re willing to give it a shot it  can
certainly be
worth it:
- Save Money
& Time - Groomers seem to be getting more and more
expensive and for those of us with high maintenance dogs, we’re looking
at a trip to the groomer every five weeks! And how long does
it take you to get in your car, drive to the groomer, explain what you
want, drive home, drive back, pay for the service then drive home
again? Just do the math and see what you could save if you
decide to learn dog grooming styles. Include prices in
California
- Happier Dogs
- Many dogs aren’t wagging their tails through the door to the
groomers. If you could eliminate that unpleasant trip from
your dog’s life just by taking the time to learn dog grooming styles,
isn’t it worth it?
- Better Care
- No one will ever treat your dog as well as you do!
- Better
Training & More Quality Time - Grooming your dog
at home will likely become a source of quality time for you
both. It allows you to work on obedience training and to
spend more one-on-one time with your dog.
Even if you decide to continue using a professional groomer, you will
still need to groom your dog at home from time to time.
Cleanliness leads to healthiness…
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Are There Health Benefits
from Maintaining a Well-Groomed Dog?
Although many of us love to let our pooch’s hair grow nice and long, it
is often times impractical, not to mention dirty! The longer
your dog’s hair, the more frequently you will need to groom them.
The main health benefit is parasite control. When your dog’s
coat is well groomed, it is much easier to check what’s going on
underneath the fur. Fleas
and other creepy crawlers like to
make their homes on our pets, and the sooner you spot them the
easier
they are to control.
Keeping your dog’s face well-groomed is also an important
task. Having long hair hanging in your dog’s eyes can bring
unwanted bacteria and dirt which can lead to eye infections.
For all of those furry and fluffy dogs out there, consistent grooming
will prevent excessive matting. This is obviously a good
thing, unless you’re a fan of buzz cuts!
(back to top)
What are the Tools Required?
The tools required to learn dog grooming styles vary according to the
type of dog and the look you are trying to achieve.
The first step to at-home grooming is to reflect on the temperament of
your dog. If you have a dog that is very high strung and
tends to freak out at the mere sight of clippers, it may be beneficial
to talk with your holistic
veterinarian about prescribing a
sedative. This will calm your overactive dog enough so that
you can get the job done.
Next, you will want to pick up some supplies:
- High
quality animal clippers - Experts in the field of dog
grooming recommend that you do not go cheap when purchasing clippers
for your dog’s hair. And do not buy clippers made for human
hair. While the initial cost of quality animal clippers may
be high, they can last you a few years, eliminating the need to
 re-purchase
anytime soon.
- Small
brush - Opinions on which type of brush works
best to
learn dog grooming styles differ among professionals.
Generally the size of the dog will be a good factor when choosing an
appropriate brush, along with the type of fur the dog has.
You want a brush with fine, bent bristles that will easily make their
way though a tangled mess.
- Comb
- A sturdy metal comb is a great tool to learn dog grooming
styles. The comb follows the brush and does a quick check for
missed matted areas.
- Organic
dog shampoo - A clean dog is the easiest dog to groom, so
the first step will be to bathe your dog with an organic dog
shampoo. NEVER use a shampoo formulated for human hair on
your dog. It is way too concentrated and could cause a skin
rash. There are many excellent organic shampoos on the
market, just take your pick.
Also see dog nail trimming and dog ear cleaning for additional recommended supplies.
Once you have all of your essential tools, it is now time for the fun
part…actually grooming your dog!
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Steps
to Learn Dog Grooming
Styles
No one claims that the steps necessary to learn dog grooming styles are
pleasant and simple. But if you follow this process
and keep your dog (and yourself!) calm, it could become as routine as
chow time:
- Before any actual grooming begins, it is smart
to pick an appropriate
area of your home that will give you some space
to work and is forgiving of a hairy mess! Many people choose
to groom their dog outside to prevent the possibility of home damage.
Some people prefer to place their dog on a table for a grooming
session. Others are more comfortable sitting on the ground
where they have more control over their dog’s movements.
- A clean dog is always much
 easier to
groom. Not only is it easier on you but it will extend the
life of your clippers. If your dog has become extremely
matted it may be difficult to give him a bath – in this case, it may be
time for a good old- fashioned shave down! Even if your dog’s
hair
is in good shape, give
them a thorough shampoo bath as well and allow them to
dry before moving onto the next step.
- Once you and your clean dog are situated in
your special grooming spot, take out your metal, heavy duty comb and
your fine-wired brush. Start
by combing out the areas that
are not
matted. Next
it’s time to conquer the matted
areas. These areas are often found behind the
ears, under the
tail, inside the thighs and on the backs of the rear legs. If
you find a matted area, move onto the next step. If not, way
to go, and move on to step 5!
- Getting
out a tough matted section of hair can
be tedious and occasionally painful for your dog. Keep this
in mind and work slowly. First, take your comb and start at
the edge of the mat, using the teeth of the comb to slowly pull the mat
away from the skin. Once you have raised the mat as far away
from the skin as possible, then take your scissors and begin to clip
right under the mat. Though this clipping technique will
probably not leave you with the look you intended when you set out to
learn dog grooming styles, it is the best way to remove matted hair
from your dog.
- Now you have finally gotten to the
step where
you can let your artistic juices flow - your dog is your
canvas! Practice
and learn dog grooming styles that you
prefer for your dog.
- Please, don’t
get overzealous with the clippers. Keep
in mind that the noise clippers make is not
one favored by our dog’s sensitive little
ears.
Turn
the clippers on and allow your dog to become accustomed to
the sound. Place the side of the clippers on the dog’s skin
and let them feel the vibrations. Once your dog seems
accepting of the clippers, you can begin using them on the dog’s hair.
 |
Taylor Tips! I hate
the sound of the clippers almost as much as the
vacuum cleaner. If my owner lays a few of my favorite treats
in front
of me, I tend to not mind it quite as much. |
- Finally the clipping begins by starting at the
back of the ears. The position that you hold the clippers is
very important in order to prevent a skin rash or
a cut.
 Lay
them flat against the dog’s body and make slow, long strokes
following
the way the dog’s hair naturally lays. Refrain from making
any type of scooping motion with the clippers. Use the same
long slow strokes around the entire body of the dog until you reach the
point where you began.
Proceed to the
legs, using the same
method and remembering to follow the lay of the hair. The top
of the head can be trimmed using the clippers, but use caution when you
get close to the eyes.
- Once you have finished with the clippers, your
dog should be dying to get free and your arm will be aching.
Are w
 e having fun yet? Press on – you’re
almost
done! Now is time for your dog’s face. You will
want to use your scissors VERY slowly around the eyes and
nose. Many people like to use the scissors to trim the ears
to a desired length. If you are very talented
with the
scissors then feel free to be creative when styling the adorable face
of your dog.
- Lastly, you may find it necessary to bathe your
dog after the grooming is complete. This depends on the type
of hair the dog has and whether or not the trimmed hair is clinging on
for dear life. It’s also a good way to get all of the loose
hair out.
Congratulations! You made it - hopefully unscathed - through
all nine steps. Give your dog a treat and pat yourself on the
back. And remember, the more you do this with your dog, the
easier it will get for both of you.
Dog nail trimming
Dog ear cleaning
(back to top)
Where
Should I Take My Dog if I Don't Want to Do It At Home?
Where should I take my dog to be groomed if the at-home grooming does
not work out?
If at this point in the “how to learn dog grooming styles” process you
are feeling that this is all just too overwhelming, or if you have
tried to learn and it did not work out as well as planned, there’s no
need to fret.
There are many wonderful groomers that can be found all over the
country and finding the right one for you can be made easier with a few
recommendations.
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Find a Dog Groomer in Your Area
Check out findagroomer.com to search for a
dog groomer in your area. Their site includes the
three types listed below.
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Home Based
Groomers
Home based groomers bring the dogs into their own homes for grooming
sessions. In addition to often being a more comfortable
setting for your dog, home based groomers are also more likely to groom
your dog while you wait. Not only will this save you time,
but you can also learn dog grooming styles by watching a pro in action.
The average cost for
these sessions is $50-$70
Mobile
Groomers
Mobile groomers have put their shop on wheels. They usually
have a good sized van that they have transformed into a mini-shop just
perfect for home visits.
Other benefits include:
- Relief of stress from travel and noisy grooming
shops
- Animals are not caged and are not forced to sit
and wait for other dogs
- No separation anxiety
- No contact with other animals
- Accommodates busy schedules
- Reasonable rates ($60
- $75, depending on business)
- As with home based groomers, mobile groomers
allow you to learn dog grooming styles by observing
Salon and
Grooming Shops
We always recommend that you select a shop that uses all natural and
organic supplies. Whether you learn dog grooming styles at
home
or hire a professional, this is a must. Many
groomers who
have “gone green” or
choose natural products will advertise this. If not,
simply
ask the  groomer and they are required to tell you each and
every
tool/wash that they will use on your dog.
Also, anytime you bring your dog to a new groomer, ask what their
health code policy is. You don’t want your dog to come in
contact with other dogs carrying an illness or disease.
Lastly, make sure that the groomer you have selected does not over book
dogs. You want to make sure your dog gets all of the
groomer’s focus and attention during their individual grooming session.
The average cost for a trip to the grooming salon is between $50 and
$80.
(back to top)
Back to Health
& Wellness from Learn Dog Grooming Styles
& Techniques
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