Grooming is essential for your dog in a way that it not only maintains your dog’s clean appearance, but also helps you promptly identify any unusual spot or area on his skin. In addition to the importance of grooming, many dog owners consider grooming as a fun activity to play with their four-legged friends. However, grooming and clipping are not fool-proof by default; dog owners need particular skills and knowledge to do the clipping themselves properly so as not to hurt or injure their dogs. So, what exactly do we need to know before grooming and clipping our dogs?
You need the best-fit professional dog grooming clipper.
There are plenty of clippers in the market from which you can choose. Nevertheless, not all of them works perfectly for you. If you do not know how to choose the best one, the first criterion you’ll need to look at is the sound level. Quiet clippers are more preferable because dogs are sensitive to sounds, and loud noises will make them anxious and prevent them from being cooperative. Therefore, you can limit your options by eliminating loud clippers. Next, depending on the thickness of your dog’s coat, you can choose the most appropriate grooming clipper from the rest of options.
Sometimes it is difficult to finalize your option, so keep in mind that if you are not used to grooming your dog, you may want to keep it simple. Instead of purchasing an entire professional clipper kit, you can just buy an individual clipper. As long as it works on your dog without being broken right after a few uses, you’ll be good to go!
You got to know your furry friend better.
When it comes to clipping, technique is not everything. Before you clip your dog, you should understand his needs. Every dog is different, and not all dogs needs clipping. Even if all of them do, each requires different way of clipping.
You may think that your dog will look like a total mess without clipping, but to some specific types of dog, being a mess is how they should be as they were born that way. In those cases, clipping does not benefit the dog but reversely causes harm to him. So, in order to know exactly how you should groom and clip your dog, you need to know more than just his color and size: your dog’s breed.
Knowing your dog’s breed is essential because it allows you to find out the natural characteristics of your dog, which gives you a hint on how to take care of his coat, paws, and other body parts. For example, some dogs naturally have thick coat to protect them from external environmental factors at all times; hence, even though it is usually hot in summer and we tend to clip their hair, clipping may not be beneficial for the dog as it interrupts the natural mechanism of the coat. Therefore, being knowledgeable about the dog’s breed will help you make better judgement on whether clipping is advantageous.
Another advantage of knowing the dog’s breed is that you will know the tendency of your dog’s reaction to grooming and clipping. Each breed possesses a way of response to external stimulators, including grooming and clipping. Thus, when you are informed in advance about how your dog will behave during grooming, you will be more well-prepared and the session will run more smoothly.
Teaching your dog before hand is never extraneous.
Having your dog familiarize with the clipper is helpful as it makes the grooming session less troublesome. Remember that dogs are sensitive to sounds? Your dog will be extremely cautious at the first time you introduce the clipper to him. If you decide to clip him at that first time, there is a high chance that he will be in an alert mode, with high caution and anxiety. Therefore, teaching your dog in advance reduces his anxiety during clipping. Moreover, with the blades and electric cords, clippers do not appear to be friendly toys for dog. Your dog will need to do some inspection before he allows the clipper to get close to his body. Thus, there is a great need to teach your dog before clipping sessions, in order for him to get used to not only the noise but also the shape of the clipper.
You can start by introducing the clipper to him to have him familiarize with its size, color, smell, and so on. You can slowly carry the clipper close to your dog first, without turning it on, so that your dog can take some time to inspect it. Next, you can turn on the clipper to have your dog get used to its noise. After a few times, your dog will get familiar with the clipper and be more comfortable having it around. You can also give him some treats as he is listening to the noise of the clipper, so that he considers the clipper as a positive thing.
Don’t forget giving rewards afterwards.
After the clipping, giving him nice words and rewards is a way to help him keep the excitement for next time. Every dog loves to be complimented. Your dog will feel that he is praised for being cooperative during clipping, so next time he will remain his positive attitudes towards clipping, which makes the session go even more smoothly.
In brief, dog clipping is not as difficult as you may think, and through time it will eventually get easier as your dog gets used to it. Just remember that the most important thing to pay attention to is your dog’s attitude. It is totally alright to go slow at first, as long as your dog stays positive and cooperative, because if he does not feel good, next clipping session will be more difficult for both of you. With these tips, you can definitely have a better preparation, as well as have a clearer idea on the best practice specifically for your dog. Through time, grooming would become a routine, and you will find it more interesting and fun.