Grooming Your Dogs Coat Yourself
The expense of taking a dog to the professional groomer is a stumbling point to many a canine aficionado who loves to do the best for her or his dog, but who reels when thinking of the prohibitive prices that these groomers charge. In addition to the foregoing, the fact that many dogs are extremely stressed in this environment the smells and presence of other dogs is sometimes more than a dog accustomed to being the only dog in the home can handle makes many a dog owner extremely hesitant to persist in the monthly appointment.
Mother Nature has endowed dogs with a fur coat to offer warmth during the cold winter months while providing a useful shield against the harmful rays of the sun during the summer. Thus, during the winter the coat is bound to thicken, while in the warmer months it will shed to rid itself of the overage that will only serve to overheat the animal while keeping enough to fulfill its summer purpose. To the human companion of a dog this means brushing the dogs coat frequently and keeping any grooming efforts in harmony with the changing conditions of the fur as indicated by the seasons.
Of course, those living in temperate climates may need to reconsider Mother Natures choice of fur and might need to groom the dog even during the winter since the temperatures are warmer than other places. Rarely considered but just as important is the dogs lifestyle. If your canine is a show dog, your grooming regimen most likely will be entirely different from that of a dog living on a working farm whose main function is to keep the sheep and cows in check. At the same time, a companion dog that is not shown or in other ways required to keep the coat in a certain cut will quite frequently benefit from a style and cut that is beneficial to the person living with the pet.
The supplies needed when grooming your dogs coat yourself are simple to come by: you need a set of clippers that are well oiled, a brush, and a comb. For precision cutting around eyes and in between toes, sharp scissors come in handy as well. Begin grooming your dog by allowing the animal to become familiar with the sound of the clippers. Fail to take this important step and you will have a dog that goes into hiding and is hard to drag out from under the bed or table. Even worse, you may end up with a dog that snaps at you and the clippers.
If your dog simply cannot stand the clippers and is known to head for the hills as soon as it is grooming time, the presence of a friend who will help to hold the animal still and gently talk to it while you quickly work will make the chore much easier. Do not attempt to use the scissors around the eyes or ears if the dog is struggling. Wait with this step until the dog has calmed down and will not be likely to fight you. This is dangerous territory and much harm can be done if you do this too early in the session.
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