Pet Grooming

Do-it-Yourself Grooming Tips For Your Dog

Professional groomers have a few tricks to make your dog look polished when they leave. Here are some simple steps that will help your pet dog get the same look and feel to tide over till the subsequent trip to the groomer.

If you don't mind squeamish stuff, you can get your dog the same professional polished look by completing simple grooming tasks at home.

Eyes- Dogs usually have a stain at the end of their eyes and if it is not cleaned, it can become a medical condition as infection sets in. To remove the tearing discoloration on light colored dogs, apply hydrogen peroxide along with warm water. Apply the warm damp cloth near the stained eyes just move in the direction of the hair growth and gently swab. This process, if continued on the regular basis will help remove the stains. To clean the eyes of dark haired dogs, a soft cloth dampened with plain water will clean the dirt and grime that collects with time.

Ears- The long hair within the ears attract dirt and wax so if you take out the hair from the outside ear canal, wax collection will be less. You can do this by gently but firmly plucking out the hair from the base towards outside. You can also get the ˜stripping fingers" that are small and rough to wear while doing this for a better grip. However, never use scissors in the dog's ears or try pushing fingers into the ear canal.

Anal Glands- Though it is smelly and messy, emptying the anal glands can bring your dog a lot of comfort. If your dog is sliding its bottom along the carpet, it is a sign of impacted anal glands and not worms as commonly thought off. To start with the process, don surgical rubber gloves and take a soft cloth dipped in warm water. Grasp the tail and over the anus, hold the wet cloth over the area to heat it up. Remove the cloth and with your thumb and index finger press on the sides of the anus.

Apply gentle pressure and you will feel the anal glands as hard balls just under the skin very close to the anus opening. By gently pressing, some thick and smelly discharge will be there but if it does not happen, try the wet cloth again. If it still does not have a discharge, immediately take your dog to a vet as impacted glands can damage tissue.

Nails- Clipping the toenails of your pet dog is very important to protect yourself, your furniture and furnishings as well as other pets in the house. To clip the nails yourself, it is best to buy the slotted scissor style or the guillotine style nail clipper. Do not try using the human nail cutters to cut the pet's nails as they will sheer the nails and cause damage and pain to your pet. You can hold the paw in one hand and put the toenail into the guillotine hole and cut just below the pink surface or quick. Always cut at 90 degrees so that the toenail is always parallel to the floor.

Some simple steps that you can follow at home to make your doggy look as manicured and polished as if it came from a professional groomer.

About the Author:
Written by Jeff Nenadic from My Dog Shop - Buy high end dog products like elevated dog feeders & pet furniture only at My-DogShop.com