Puppy Grooming: How To Get Your Dog To Absolutely Love Baths, Clippings, & Brushings

All puppies need to get used to being groomed, and starting as early in its life as possible. Doing so will prevent future grooming problems from happening later on in their lives.

Whether your puppy has a short coat (Boxer, Basset Hound, Labrador Retriever), long coat (Lhasa Apso, German Long-haired Pointer, Samoyed) or one that falls somewhere in between, she'll need to be groomed on a regular basis.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Different kinds of coats require different grooming steps, but basic grooming care such as bathing, brushing, ear and teeth cleaning, and nail trimming is needed for all dogs. If you have a long-haired breed, grooming will have to be practiced more often and may be a bit more difficult. Therefore, it is important to introduce your puppy to grooming early on in her life. Life will be more pleasant for both you and your puppy if she learns to enjoy this experience while she's still young.

Groom Your Puppy Everyday

In order to make sure that your puppy creates a positive experience with grooming, you must introduce her to the process slowly and often. Get her familiar with each piece of equipment by showing it to her one at a time. Show her the brush, let her sniff it for a few seconds and then give her a small treat.

Next, gently touch her with the brush and the treat. Once she has fully accepted the object, gently brush one stroke and immediately follow with a treat. Repeat this about three more times until she realizes that being brushed is a great feeling. Break down the procedure into small steps as this will give your puppy the chance to create a positive experience within each step.

Take her to the grooming station and let her get to know the area before you start the grooming process. A few days before giving her a bath, put her in the bathtub while it's dry and let her play with a toy and throw in her favorite treat. Repeat the same process the next day, adding some water and a sponge. Let her get used to the water before filling the tub.

The same procedure goes for the nail clipper, toothbrush, and other grooming tools. Take the time to introduce them to your puppy and she will enjoy grooming for the rest of her life.

When it comes to puppy grooming, do not ignore proper eye care and safety. Some dog owners forget the little things when it comes to grooming their pet which can result in health problems in the future. Below are a few puppy eye-care pointers.

1. Guarding your puppy's eyes from injury is important so be sure to be overly conscious of your puppy's head when you are playing games that have potential consequences for injury to the eyes. Some example games to be careful of would be when you are kicking a ball around with your pup, playing fetch with a stick, or simply play-wrestling by using your hands.

2. Each and every morning, examine your dog's eyes and wipe away any of that "morning crust" that builds up overnight. If this crust is left unchecked and builds up, your puppy can experience a very irritating and painful reaction. Use warm water and a soft cloth to wipe the eyes clean.

3. If your dog has very long hair because of his breed type, do your best to trim around his eyes. I realize that there are some breeds out there who are supposed to have long hair covering or overlapping the eyes, but this can cause irritation if the hair is constantly rubbing inside of the eyeball. Just use your best judgment and try to err on the side of your dog's health as opposed to his appearance.

4. When bathing your dog, try to avoid squirting shampoo and flee chemicals directly on top of his head. Even if you are being extremely careful, there is always a chance that some of this material will spray in his eyes. Gently rub the shampoo into your hand and then over your dog's scalp and surrounding face areas. This will avoid potential eye irritation.

5. When bringing your dog along for a car ride, avoid the temptation to let him hang his head out of the window. I know it is a joy to watch your pet having so much fun as you are driving along, but there have been many serious eye injuries, and even the loss of an eyeball due to a small pebble or rock hitting the dog's face. I don't know about you, but that is not something I would want to risk at all.

I groom my own Poodle. His front legs are very bowed. Is there any way to disguise this?

Using a pair of scissors, cut the hair shorter over the outside of the elbow and the inside of the ankle and longer over the inside of the elbow and outside of the ankle. This trick won't work any magic, but it should help a little.

What can I do to keep my Poodle's ears clean between grooming sessions?

Sometimes the hair in a Poodle's ears clings so lightly it can be pulled out with the fingers. Other times, however, it is rooted as tightly as his body hair. In this case, you can use a pair of tweezers, preferably the type that works like scissors.

Remove a few hairs at a time, reaching only as deeply into the ear as you can see. The ear is extremely tender, so be careful not to poke or pinch it. Finish by cleaning the ear thoroughly with cotton and an ear lotion from the pet shop. Many Poodle owners prefer a non-oily lotion, but any of them will work well.

Every summer, my Cocker Spaniel gets foxtails in his ears and it costs me a fortune to have them removed. Is there any way to clip him so he won't pick them up?

Clip the hair very short all around the ear opening and off the inside of the ear leather. Another effective method is to shave the entire ear, both inside and out. Keep the hair pulled out of the ear itself.

How do I properly shape my Poodle's tail?

Most home groomers start by shaving too much of the tail and leaving a long, limp flap hanging off the end. Shave only about half of the tail, leaving the end half to be the core that supports the pompon.

After bathing and fluffing, comb the hair straight out past the end of the tail. Clamp two fingers of your left hand over the hair just at the tip of the tail (to protect it from the scissors), and then cut straight across with the scissors. Next, hold the tip and fluff the hair out. You will be able to see the sharp edges that need to be scissored off. Round and fluff, round and fluff, until the shape is right.

I am planning to breed my female Poodle and male Dachshund next time she comes into season. Will the puppies have to be clipped?

It's possible. You never know what will happen in a mixed breeding until it's too late. The resulting puppies could not possibly live up to their elegant Poodle mother or handsome Dachshund father. Why take a chance on producing a litter to swell the ranks of unwanted dogs in the country today?

Why is my Poodle so fluffy when she's groomed at a shop and but becomes so krinkly when I bathe her at home?

If a Poodle is just towel dried and allowed to dry naturally, with or without a hair dryer, the hair will set wavy or curly. Your groomer apparently fluff dries. This involves flipping the hair with a brush while a dryer blows on it. Each small spot must be thoroughly dry before the adjoining spot is started. It is a time consuming process, but well worth the effort.

It's going to be dog training, dog & cat grooming, pet boarding, animal rescuing, as well as fish and birds for sale. I want something catchy and unique (not cheesy or childish) and with my name in it, like Renee_________, etc. The best name will get the 10 points!

What Dog Groomers Won't Tell You: A Brutally Honest Opinion From A Professional

Have you taken your dog to a groomer parlor lately? When was the last time he was clipped? Brushed? Cleaned? If not, then allow real-life groomer, Sara Gordon, with decades of experience, give you an honest, no-nonsense opinion from a professional groomer's standpoint on dog owners that come to see her for their grooming needs.

Read Closely, You'll Learn Something

From Sara Gordon:

I groomed some forty years and prefer to groom in the quiet. I have nothing to hide but the dogs being groomed, as they certainly act up when they see the owner, or anyone else but me.

I must agree with most groomers, however, that it is difficult to control a dog while someone is trying to take a peek as you groom.

My first concern was the dog's safety. In fact, even the sound of car tires will excite a dog and make it very difficult to handle.

I never used or believed in tranquilizers; in fact, I've groomed many dogs that bit their owners, but never bit me - and I didn't use a muzzle or a gag. I simply let the dog know I wasn't going to hurt it.

In fact, I preferred that the owner didn't even tell me that the dog would bite. Dogs are like children - if they're allowed to rule the house then they will.

I found that most of the folks that wanted a sneak peek didn't love their dog as I did, as the dogs would always come in completely unbrushed for grooming; I mean to the extent that there was no way one could get a brush through its coat.

They would say, "My dog will never let me brush him", which is, in my opinion, a very poor excuse indeed!

Letting a dog go two to four months without brushing can create a real mess. Owners must think groomers can just wave a wand and it's done. I always told them they could brush if they really cared to.

A good way to approach it also is to ask if they would let their child go two to four months without brushing or combing their hair. The answer is always no. They think about it then. It is mean to a dog to brush it after that length of time. It is sheer torture.

I've had many people say, "I just brushed her last night and she is already matted."

This is NOT TRUE! All they actually brushed was the top of the coat, and it should be brushed from the skin out. I have proven that even five minutes a week will keep out the dead hair that causes those mats.

And my last gripe is about owners that insist on seeing their dogs while I am grooming them. A groomer loses time when people want to see the dogs that are in to be groomed, as they all start barking and whining and are hard to settle back down. So I say it's cruel to upset them.

I told them to take their dog somewhere else if they insisted on watching. I was just not going to put their pet through that ordeal. They all left them with me, and, I might add, were very pleased with the results.

A Beagle, a short-haired Chihuahua, a Labrador Retriever - these dogs do not need to be groomed, right? Wrong!

All dogs require some grooming to ensure their health and happiness. Take a closer look at your dog and find out if some of the following questions and answers apply to him.

My dog loves to be brushed. I hold him on my lap, sitting in front of the television while I brush him. I can't seem to get all the tangles out even though I brush him everyday. What do I do?

First of all, get your dog out of your lap and on a grooming table, or any table, to brush him! You cannot possibly get into all of the joints and angles when he's scrunched up in your lap. Make sure he has good footing on the table so he won't be scared. Make him stand up while you brush the hindquarters and sit, not lie, down while you brush the rest.

My Poodle is developing warts and other unwanted growths on his face. Should they be removed?

Your vet should be the one to decide that for you. From the groomer's point of view, it is very difficult to avoid injuring growths. In the shaved areas the clipper can nick one, and the brush can scratch one located in the long hair. Remember to tell your groomer about these facial growths each time.

My Miniature Schnauzer bites me when I try to brush him. I don't want to give up, but what should I do?

If he bites you only when you pull a tangle, the solution is to brush him so often that he never gets a tangle again. If he objects to grooming generally, frequency of handling will help there, too. However, if he is simply being difficult, tie the dog's nose with a length of a nylon stocking.

My groomer told me that my dog has worms. How could she tell?

When a dog has a severe case of worms, they can be seen in the stools. Sometimes, single worms pass out of the anus. Often a groomer will observe one or all of these things.

I'm confused by all the different types of grooming brushes for dogs. Which kind should I use?

The answer to this would vary according to the type of hair your dog has and whether he is a show dog or a house pet.

Brushing a show dog, so as not to break or split the hairs, would require a gentle touch. In that case, it's best to consult with people involved in showing your breed of dog. With a house dog, the main consideration is to do a good job effortlessly and speedily.

I believe a slicker-type brush is best for all but the shortest, thinnest-coated dogs. It has many close-set tiny wire claws. For the really shorthaired breeds, a bristle brush is probably the best. Any brush is worth absolutely nothing, though, unless it is used on a regular basis.

I can't afford to have my shaggy dog clipped. Would it be okay to cut off his matts with scissors?

If the matts are on the ends of long strands of hair then it might be all right, but not if the matts are tight against the skin. Many dogs have been seriously cut by their owners who couldn't tell where the matts ended and the skin began.

Sometimes, it is better to invest your money into a professional groomer to ensure that the job is done right. Also, if you have him clipped short all over once or twice a year and brushed regularly in between, he would feel much better.

Nightmare Grooming Services - How Safe Is Your Pet? ƕ)

Many reputable groomers across the country welcome the possibility of being required to get a license to continue their grooming businesses. Of course for every one reputable groomer, there are probably hundreds that run their business in an undesired manner, resulting in abuse and mistreatment of the animals left in their hands.

Many people feel that federal licensing is near at hand. Legislation of certain controls has already filtered into the pet shop industry, cutting many pet shops' business in half. Controls on importing exotic birds, exotic animals, domestic animals, turtles, and even some tropical fish, have hurt many pet shops financially.

A lot of pet shops have taken up grooming to make up for the loss even though they are not qualified dog groomers. If legislation can control pet shops, legislation can - and will - control the grooming industry.

In many ways, it's too bad, but in the long run it will do the industry good. It will help rid our industry of the many quacks and incompetents - and will make the grooming shops a safer, cleaner place for our pets.

Licensing will give the consumer a lever in which to demand fair and humane treatment of animals left in the care of groomers. It will help to ensure proper and sanitary conditions for the helpless creatures left in the care of dog groomers, without the worry of the animals contacting mange, kennel cough, distemper, or worse - getting beaten and cut by the unprofessional practices of some individuals.

As a guideline for the pet owner - and until licensing does come - the National Dog Groomers Association of America (NDGAA) suggests that the pet owner look for the "code of ethics" logo displayed by participating grooming establishments, or a Better Business Bureau logo.

With state licensing requirements, we can put an end to the fakes and sadists that have hung out their grooming standards. Sure, there is money in grooming, but there's money in the medical and veterinary field too. A person doesn't sit down and watch one episode of a home cooking show and then open up a restaurant.

Licensing will come, but not a day too soon. Until it does, we'll have to wonder what kind of groomer we've left our pet with. It makes me wonder just what our pets would say if they could tell us what's going on behind closed doors.

Grooming a Poodle can be a very difficult task to do, especially if you aren't exactly the type of person who likes to play hairdresser with your dog. But whether your Poodle is a show dog or a regular household pet, you still need to give her a nice haircut, especially for the dot's health and comfort. Below are three common questions and answers about grooming your Poodle:

1. Why does my groomer charge extra when my Poodle doesn't come in regularly for a grooming session?

Operating any business is a matter of making the income cover all the operating expenses, and allowing a margin for profit, and time does cost money. A Poodle that is even a week or two late will take a small but measurable amount of time longer to brush, dry, and finish. In some clips a shaved pattern must be re-set rather than simply followed.

A Poodle that does not come on a regular basis is more apt to be dirty and matted, and the blades that cut her hair will dull much more quickly and have to be sent away for sharpening. If money is a real problem, though, ask your groomer to suggest a simple clip that can go a little longer between grooming.

2. My Poodle comes home from the grooming shop a nervous wreck and it takes several days for her to calm down and return to her normal self. Does this mean she's mistreated at the grooming shop?

It is possible, but I also believe that most dog groomers, if not all, love dogs or they would not have chosen dog grooming as a profession. Talk to your groomer about it. It's possible that he or she is not even aware that your Poodle has a problem. There have been several cases of Poodles that are cool and calm but had nervous reactions after grooming.

3. I like my Poodle long and hairy. Is there any real reason why he should be clipped?

The Poodle was first clipped for function, second for beauty. If you are willing to brush him everyday, keep his nails cut and ears cleaned out, make sure the hair around his eyes is kept clean, and bathe him when he needs it, there really isn't anything wrong with having a shaggy Poodle. If it happens that you can't keep up with this program, you may have a very reluctant Poodle when you do decide to have him clipped.

Nightmare Grooming Services - How Safe Is Your Pet? Ƒ)

Powerful and influential groups are lobbying in many state capitals for licensing of dog groomers. If they are successful, it will no longer be possible for individuals to learn grooming from a book and then open up a business. They would first be required to pass a written test administered by the state.

There has been considerable dissatisfaction and uneasiness within the ranks of professional dog groomers for the past few years. This is due in part to the growing number of self-styled groomers - those who read a few books and declare themselves qualified.

There also appears to be a growing number of "grooming schools." Established professional groomers are unanimous in their assertion that many grooming schools are not adequately staffed, nor do they provide adequate curriculum to turn out fully qualified, competent, dog groomers.

In too many cases, it is alleged that these schools are not state-approved and in business solely to make money from unsuspecting students.

Representatives of grooming schools counter with the claim of "professional jealousy", and add that established groomers are finally feeling the pinch of competition, and that eventually such competition will force grooming prices down.

This is due to the cut-rate fees charged from grooming at schools. The work is done by students, and the prices are not in competition with the professional. In any case, where factions square off at each other, someone need only to shake a few trees and all sorts of interesting things begin to fall out for public scrutiny.

Garage Groomers

Another faction infiltrating the industry are the "garage groomers." These are people who cannot afford to pay rent on a grooming parlor. They set up business in their home as a hobby, charging but a fraction of what their professional counterparts would charge, and are not trained in the proper handling of an animal with emphasis on the welfare of the pet.

Without the need to pay employees, rent utilities - and in many cases, the Internal Revenue Service - the garage groomer can cut his prices considerably.

Regardless of what motivates the various factions to make the accusations they do, one fact has surfaced which warrants the attention of the public: There are many unscrupulous, unqualified; inept and incompetent dog groomers in this country. The real issue, it seems, is dog abuse through ignorance and lack of proper training.

According to legal resources, there is no recourse for the dog owner - or law enforcement agencies - in cases of animal abuse or injury caused by drunkenness or ignorance of a self-appointed groomer. If licensing procedures were enacted, there would be.

My goal has always been to be able to work with animals in some way. I have worked alot of jobs without much fulfillment and I know that the reason is because I really want to get into groooming animals. I live in southern illinois and I need a starting place because I don't know where to begin as far as education or training. If anyone has any information that may help me start my career it would be greatly appreciated!