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. 

pets, especially when it comes to cats, the bath can be a terrifying experience. The fear can be so overwhelming, that they will bite and scratch their beloved owner. The owners also face the fear of getting the soap into their pet's eyes and ears. Avoiding all this is a good enough reason to pay an average price of $30-$100 per visit to the professional pet groomer or stylist.

them to the professionals.