Dog
grooming is, undeniably, the most common and popular form of
professional pet grooming. Dogs, far more than cats, are often
considered to be symbolic of an owner or a family, and are often
considered extensions of those who take care of the dogs. For this
reason, many people become image conscious about their dogs and their
appearances. However, dog grooming is actually important to the long
term health and happiness of a dog.
Dog grooming, as with most
pet grooming, happens in three general "tiers:" hair grooming, bathing,
and nail clipping. Hair grooming is what most commonly thing of when
they imagine dog grooming, and while it is the most significant part of
the grooming process, it is not the only one. Bathing a dog is an
important part of a dog's cleanliness, and is not quite as easy a task
as one would expect. Deep cleaning often requires special care, and in
many cases a groomer will have to apply particular quantities and
mixtures of shampoo and other chemicals so as to both achieve the best
cleaning and also protect the dog from irritation and harm.
Bathing
will usually only happen, however, after the dog's hair has been
properly maintained. Often dog grooming requires a dog's hair to
receive a variety of treatments, from currying matted fur on the outer
coat, to stripping dead or excess hair from the undercoat. Dog grooming
is a precise process, and often requires the correct tools to do so
effectively, as a dog's hair type will often dictate specific forms of
brush or comb that will both be effective at smoothing or removing hair
and yet will not hurt the dog in the process.
There are, of
course, many different breeds of dog, and among the multitude of
differences is the amount of hair they have at any given time, and what
they are able to do with it. Depending on the breed of a dog (as well
as its overall health and age), some dogs need to be groomed with great
regularity: sometimes monthly, weekly, or daily. Most dogs undergo a
process called moulting, where they shed their excess hair, but certain
particular breeds, such as poodles or schnauzers often shed rarely, and
they often require steady and repeated professional grooming many times a
year. Some dogs also have extremely thick coats, and thus they
sometimes require seasonal dog grooming to prepare them for warmer
weather.
The next vital part of traditional dog grooming is the
process of nail clipping. It should be remembered that with all dogs,
"paws" are synonymous with "claws," and therefore it is important to
trim the nails of dogs so that they do not inadvertently find themselves
in a position to hurt someone else. Trimming a dog's nails however,
also provides them with comfort, as long nails can sometimes make them
uncomfortable to walk or groom themselves, or may curl under and
actually pierce the padding of a dog's paw. Most professionals in pet
grooming usually trim nails since most dog owners are nervous about
doing so, but there are tools on the market that allow pet owners to do
so without harming their dogs or risking harm to themselves.
Some
professional dog groomers also provide a number of other services
directly related to the cosmetic appearance of a dog, such as fur
coloring, nail painting, or providing them with clothing or
accessories. Dog grooming should not be seen as something charged to a
professional. Dog owners can and should perform basic, regular grooming
tasks, such as brushing hair, giving a bath, brushing teeth, and
providing proper flea and tick protection.
In general, besides
maintaining a dog's appearance, regular pet grooming protects a dog from
various skin diseases, infection, and affections, such as fleas and
ticks. Due to the typical high quantity of hair on their bodies, it is
often very common for potentially bad skin conditions, cuts, bruises,
and tumors to go unnoticed. Whether it is done by a professional or by
an owner on a regular basis, dog grooming, as with any form of pet
grooming, is like performing due diligence on a pet, checking and
maintaining that is healthy, happy, and comfortable with its
appearance. Regular, basic grooming of a pet by its owner is also a
terrific way of building a positive relationship between the two, as a
happy dog is one that is always reminded that it is loved.