Simply put, static electricity is caused by the buildup of electrons on an object. When two objects with different charges come into contact, electrons transfer from one material to the other. This movement of electrons causes the static shock you experience.

On your pet, hair follicles repel each other when positive charges accumulate on the coat. Low-humidity environments (like a home heated in winter) can create ideal conditions for static electricity in your pet’s coat, leading to tangles and unintentional shocks when you touch them.

Get the Dry Out! A dry, low-humidity environment is the most favorable condition for static electricity. If you live in an area with cold winters, forced air heaters may be a part of your life for much of the year. While these heaters do a good job of keeping you warm, they also strip the air of the moisture needed to prevent excessive static electricity.

You can increase humidity in your home while staying warm by using a humidifier throughout the winter months. This will raise the moisture level in your home, helping to combat dry skin, scratchy throats, and reduce static electricity.

When you brush your dog, consider using a coat conditioner, detangler, or even a light mist of water to slightly dampen the coat before you begin. Adding moisture will reduce friction and help minimize static shocks during grooming.

After bathing your pet, use a dog-specific conditioner. This will help the hair retain moisture, making it more difficult for a static charge to accumulate.

Change Materials If your pet wears a sweater or jacket, ensure it is made of natural fibers. Synthetic materials tend to accumulate more static charge than natural fibers like cotton.

Remove Your Static If you frequently experience shocks while petting your dog, changing your clothing material may help reduce them. Since friction causes the buildup of static energy, walking on carpeted floors in socks or certain shoes can create static that discharges when you touch your pet. In cases where static is a major concern, consider wearing shoes designed to prevent static buildup.

In addition to keeping your dog’s coat moisturized, keeping your hands well-moisturized can also reduce static shocks. Regular lotion works well, as do specific static-reducing creams that can help minimize shocks.

Get Creative Many pet owners have found creative ways to reduce static in their pets’ coats. Using anti-static dryer sheets is a common method; rubbing one of these sheets over your dog’s coat can often reduce static, though it may only be a temporary solution and might need to be reapplied multiple times a day.

Some people have even resorted to using clothing anti-static spray on their pets. This is not recommended, as these products often contain ingredients that can be harmful or toxic to pets if ingested. In addition to making your dog sick, the aerosol nature of these sprays can trigger allergies and other issues.

Dealing with static and pets can be a tricky dilemma. Using a humidifier and adding moisture to your pet’s coat can be your best defense against static, ensuring you and your pet enjoy a less shocking relationship.

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The Health Benefits of Brushing

Brushing has many health benefits for your dog. Regular brushing, regardless of coat length or type, helps to keep the coat and skin healthy. Most dogs do not require frequent bathing (once a month or less!), but brushing in between bath times helps keep them clean by removing dead hair, dirt, and other debris. Brushing also helps distribute natural oils from the skin throughout the coat, promoting a healthier coat and cleaner skin.

In addition to the direct benefits for your dog’s coat, brushing allows you to become more familiar with your dog’s body. You may not notice lumps or bumps right away, but regular grooming can help you detect any growths early. A veterinarian should examine any lumps or growths you find to rule out cancer or other potentially dangerous conditions. Early detection can lead to a better prognosis for your pet’s health.

In daily life with your pet, you may not routinely check his ears, teeth, or underbelly. Regular, thorough brushing lets you check these areas for signs of infection or other problems, which can be addressed before they become uncomfortable for your dog.

While all dogs should be brushed at least twice a week, dogs with certain types of coats or lifestyles may need daily brushing to keep their coats tangle-free and clear of debris, dead hair, and dirt.

There are six basic types of coats on dogs, each with its own specific requirements. How often you should brush your dog depends on which of the following categories best describes your dog:

Smooth-Coated Dogs: Dogs like Labradors, short-haired Chihuahuas, and short-haired Dachshunds have the easiest coats to maintain. These dogs shed constantly, and routine brushing with a soft brush can help reduce excess hair.

Curly-Coated Dogs: Dogs like Poodles, Bichon Frises, and Kerry Blue Terriers have non-shedding coats that should be bathed and clipped every 8 weeks. The longer the coat, the more it may tangle, and daily brushing towards the end of the clipping cycle may be required.

Short-Coated Dogs: Dogs like Corgis, German Shepherds, and Jack Russells have short but thick coats. These dogs shed, and the dead hair often becomes trapped in the rest of the coat. Frequent thinning and raking of the coat are needed. These dogs should be brushed at least twice a week, more during seasonal shedding periods.

Wiry-Coated Dogs: Dogs like Australian Terriers and Cairn Terriers have stiff, wiry coats that can shed and require frequent grooming to prevent matting.

Long-Coated Dogs: Dogs like Shih Tzus, Maltese, and Lhasa Apsos have long, straight hair with a thick, cottony undercoat. These breeds don’t shed much, but their coats can quickly become matted and attract dirt, foxtails, and branches. Daily brushing is essential, along with regular trimming around the face and ears for hygiene and health. Clipping these dogs short is a popular alternative, reducing grooming needs.

Silky-Coated Dogs: Dogs like Collies, Shelties, and Afghan Hounds have the most challenging coats to maintain. These dogs shed a thick undercoat that easily mats into their long outer hair, requiring daily attention. Brushing with a slicker brush and rake, along with strategic clipping, is needed to maintain their coats.

There are many types of brushes available for your dog, and long-haired dogs may require a variety of tools.

The slicker brush is one of the most commonly used tools for long-haired dogs. It has rows of tiny, bent wire teeth set close together, which help remove mats and dead hair. Slicker brushes are also useful for shedding breeds that need to release large amounts of coat, such as short-coated and silky-coated dogs.

Pin brushes, similar to the ones people use on their own hair, work best for long-coated dogs to brush out tangles, as well as for silky-coated dogs after the undercoat has been thinned.

Grooming rakes have metal teeth with blades on the inside, ideal for dogs that need to shed a large amount of dead undercoat or untangle mats. Use rakes with caution to avoid injuring the skin.

For short-coated dogs, a bristle brush with soft bristles is ideal to prevent skin irritation under their short coats.

In addition to brushes, there are combs and other grooming products that can help with brushing your dog. Consult your groomer or local pet store for the best tools for your pet.

Regular brushing is a vital part of dog ownership that will keep your dog looking and feeling his best, while also fostering a strong bond between you. How often you should brush your dog depends on its coat type, but the positive outcome of grooming will always be the same.

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There are many benefits – for both you and your dog – to maintaining a consistent grooming routine. Not only will your dog feel better, he’ll be more pleasant to live with!

Proper grooming provides many benefits, and is as important as good veterinary care.

Why Is Grooming Important

Your Dog Will Shed Less
Some breeds of dog shed a LOT. This can make cleanup frustrating as it will seem that and hour after you vacuum, the floor is already full of fur again. While grooming will not eliminate shedding completely, it can greatly reduce it. Your dog has an undercoat of fur and this fur sheds on a regular basis. By grooming your dog, much of the fur that would end up on your furniture, can instead be brushed out by the groomer.

Your Dog Will Smell Better
Think about what your dog does while he is playing the yard or frolicking at the dog park. If he’s like most dogs, he does a lot of rolling around on the ground and tromping through the mud. Over time, that’s going to make for an unpleasant smell. Regular bathing will help your dog smell fresh and clean instead of smelling like a dog.

Your Dog Will Feel Better
Bathing and keeping your dogs coat groomed will help him feel more comfortable. In the heat of the summer, having extra or matted fur can be especially uncomfortable. Help to keep your dog feeling as cool as possible by keeping his coat brushed and trimmed.

Prevents Oral Diseases
Just as humans teeth require regular care, so do your dog’s teeth. While brushing them each day isn’t necessary, they should be given treats that help remove plaque from their teeth, and they should have their teeth cleaned as part of their regular visit to the groomer. Dogs are prone to the same dental problems as humans such as gingivitis and inflammation of the gums. If these diseases occur, and are not treated, tooth loss can result. A dental care program can help prevent these diseases.

Prevents Matting
It’s not much fun to pet your dog when you run your hand over his coat only to feel hard lumps of matted fur. Once fur becomes matted there is no way to correct the problem other than cutting out the section of matted fur. This practice doesn’t exactly make for an attractive dog. Regular brushing will prevent matting. Some breeds will not need as much brushing; other breeds need to be brushed every day in order to prevent matting. Your groomer will be able to tell you how often you need to brush your particular breed of dog.

Provides Early Detection of Fleas and Ticks
There are a lot of reasons to want to keep your dog free from fleas and ticks. In addition to the discomfort, there are serious medical conditions that can be caused by such infestations. Flea bite dermatitis, which causes an itchy red rash, to the more serious Lyme disease, which ticks can carry, all are good reasons to want to keep your dog flea and tick free. If you are not taking a close look at your dogs coat and skin on a regular basis, he can be infested and you may not know. By having him groomed, it will be easy to pick up on signs on infestation in their earliest stages, so that they can be taken care of quickly.

Ear cleaning – prevent infections
Having your dogs ears properly cleaned can help prevent ear infections. It will not prevent all ear infections, but one of the common types, otitis externa, is caused mostly by bacteria or yeast in the ear. Regular grooming can help prevent this type of infection, which can be very painful to your dog.

Now that you know some of the reasons that grooming is important, the next step is finding a quality groomer. You don’t want to randomly select a groomer, or put your pet in the hands of the lowest bidder. By doing a little research, you can be sure that your dog is receiving the best care possible from his groomer.

How to Choose a Groomer
You should never decide on a groomer based on an ad. Instead, you should first visit the shop to get an idea of how they do business.

How Do the Groomers (and Assistants) Handle the Dogs?

Do they seem to have patience with them, or are they handling them in a rough manner. You should never see a groomer or assistant yelling at a dog. While some dogs will be nervous at the groomers, if every dog appears to be terrified that should be a red flag. Dog groomers should appear confident when handling dogs, and should do so in a gentle manner.

Is the Shop Clean?

When you visit, take a look around the shop. It should be appear clean and well-organized. The staff should seem happy and relaxed. If all you see and hear in chaos, you need to ask yourself if you want your dog to be left in such an environment.

Check the Better Business Bureau
Dog grooming is a business, and if any past clients have had a serious complaint, they may have filed it with the BBB. Be sure that the groomer you are considering has a clean record.

Look at Their Album of Clients
A good grooming shop is going to have a photo album which shows off their work. When looking through the book, you should see a variety of styles and clients. By looking through the book, you can get a feel for whether the groomer’s style matches what you want for your pet.

Each breed of dog has different grooming requirements. Some will require regular grooming at home – some on a daily basis – while some require much less care. The only way to know the best grooming routine for you dog is to talk to a professional groomer. Find a quality groomer soon. Your pet will thank you for it!

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While some may think the answer is as simple as “when they get too long,” there’s actually more to it than that. Ideally, you wouldn’t need to trim your dog’s nails at all (except for the dew claw). This is because, with proper exercise and the right conditions, a dog’s nails would naturally stay at the perfect length.

The Importance of Exercise for Nail Health

When you take your dog for walks, the nails will wear down with each step. This is nature’s way of keeping a dog’s nails trimmed. However, if a dog doesn’t get enough exercise, their nails will grow so long that you’ll hear them tapping on the floor as they walk. This is when trimming becomes necessary.

The exception to this rule is the dew claw. This claw grows on the inner side of the paw, and since it doesn’t touch the ground during exercise, it needs to be trimmed regularly. If the dew claw isn’t properly maintained, it could bend and grow into the dog’s skin or pad, which may require surgery if not addressed promptly. Infections and other complications can also arise.

Many dogs resist the nail trimming portion of their grooming routine, making the process more challenging. An uncooperative dog can make it difficult to trim their nails safely. If they squirm a lot, you might accidentally trim the nail too short, cutting the “quick” (the fleshy tissue under the nail). Cutting the quick can cause significant bleeding and is very painful for your dog. In some cases, dogs may become so distressed by nail trimming that they require sedation. If your dog seems overly upset, it’s best not to continue and instead consult with your vet or a professional groomer for advice.

If a dog has not been properly exercised, their nails may grow too long. When this happens, the quick may also grow longer than usual to nourish the entire nail. In this case, you may need to leave the nail longer (depending on the quick’s length) or consider a more drastic solution, where a vet trims both the nail and the quick while the dog is under general anesthesia.

Proper grooming throughout your dog’s life can help prevent such issues. Because trimming a dog’s nails requires a certain level of skill, the best course of action is to leave this task to the professionals. However, if you prefer to do it yourself, there are tools available that can make the job simpler and safer.

Tools You Will Need

Trimmers

There are several types of trimmers available, with the two most common being guillotine and scissor trimmers. Many groomers recommend guillotine trimmers, but it’s a good idea to have both types on hand.

Scissor trimmers are easier to use on nails that have begun to curl, while guillotine trimmers are safer for straight nails. The reason for this is that the guillotine trimmer has a ring that rests on the point of the nail you want to trim, holding it in place as you cut, which reduces the risk of cutting too short.

Just in Case

You should keep some corn starch or a styptic pencil on hand in case you trim too far and accidentally cut the quick. These items can help stop the bleeding quickly. Even without them, the bleeding should stop on its own within about five minutes. If it doesn’t, you should contact your vet.

Whichever tools you choose to use, be careful not to trim too much. Light-colored nails are easier to trim safely since the quick is visible, so you can easily see how far down to cut. It’s safe to trim light-colored nails in one clip. However, with dark nails, the quick is not visible, making it easier to trim too far. In this case, trim in several small cuts to reduce the chance of cutting into the quick.

If your dog is especially sensitive to trimmers, or if you’re nervous about using them, there is another option for keeping your dog’s nails at the proper length.

Dremel Tools

Some dog owners and groomers opt to use a Dremel tool to keep their dog’s nails at an appropriate length. Dremels can be purchased at most hardware stores and work as a motorized nail file. Instead of trimming the nails, use the Dremel to file them down to the desired length.

Note: Most Dremel tools come with both stone and sandpaper attachments. Only use the sandpaper attachment—never the stone. Additionally, you should select a tool with adjustable speeds and always use the lowest setting.

Final Thoughts

So, how often should you trim your dog’s nails? The answer varies depending on the dog. Ideally, you should check your dog’s nails weekly to ensure they aren’t getting too long. Also, listen for the “click, click, click” of their nails when they walk across the floor—if you hear this, it’s time for a trim. If you’re not completely confident in trimming your dog’s nails, it’s likely best to leave the task to a professional groomer.

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The Impact of Bathing on Your Dog’s Coat and Skin

Dogs have essential oils on their coats. These oils are vital for their warmth and buoyancy. Some dogs have thicker oils. You can tell because when you wet them, they don’t get very wet. You have to wet their coats, use a little soap, and then wet them again to really get a good lather. These oils help them be the master swimmers that they are.

Some dogs produce these oils faster than others. Most dogs can handle a good scrub down once a month. Even dogs with dry skin can fare well, provided you use an oatmeal-based shampoo and conditioner. I always thought conditioner was pampering a dog in a way that wasn’t necessary, but I was wrong. It actually helps prevent dry, itchy, and irritable skin. Some dogs have skin that is so sensitive that giving them a bath without a specialized conditioner can cause them to scratch mercilessly for days, or until their human is kind enough to fix the problem—which usually requires an additional bath.

Using the once-a-month guideline as a starting point, most dogs smell as though they could use another bath long before that. This is usually intentional. A dog’s own aroma is part of his identity. The fruity-smelling shampoo you slathered on him just isn’t part of who he is, and he will find a way to cover it up. The most glaring example is the dog who launches out of the bathtub and straight to the backyard, where he has no problem finding some horrific smell to roll in. More subtle examples include rubbing against their humans or scratching along the carpet. Even that constant licking, once they’ve come to terms with their bath, is an attempt to rearrange the smells on their fur.

Since dogs prefer their own scent over the more attractive smells humans try to impose, many dogs will need a bath more than once a month. Many dogs will carry the same offensive odor within a week. This can become a frustrating cycle, especially if your dog sleeps in your bed, and you wake up to that stale dog breath odor lingering on yesterday’s clean sheets. If you live in an apartment or small house, it won’t take long before the dog aroma takes over your home, and the first thing you notice is the smell of your pooch as soon as you open the door.

Dogs with very healthy coats can handle a bath about once every two weeks, but this should be on a short-term basis. Over time, frequent baths can dry out their skin and coat. However, if you have a particularly active water-loving dog during the summer months, the question of “How often should I bathe my dog?” may turn into “Why can’t I bathe my dog every day?”

Even when your dog has a healthy coat and seems undisturbed by extra bathing during the warmer months, you can’t expect his skin to hold up indefinitely. After all, bathing is a human activity, not a dog’s natural tendency. In the wild, the most a dog might get is a splash through a stream and the work of his own tongue. His skin isn’t designed to handle the harsher soaps we use without considering their chemical makeup. Expect some drying, and make sure to choose your shampoo carefully.

In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to help control what your dog considers to be his best aroma. First, wash his bedding weekly. This may annoy him, but he will get over it. Freshly washed bedding has a way of imprinting a more pleasant smell on the dog, even if it’s only for a short time. Again, be cautious with the chemicals you use. I can always tell when someone in our household has had enough of the dog’s smell. For about 24 hours, our dogs have a wonderfully fresh, clean, straight-from-the-dryer scent to their heads. Of course, they think we’re out of our minds for sniffing their heads during this time.

There are a handful of dry shampoos on the market designed specifically for “spot” cleaning (forgive the pun) between regular baths. These are different from dry shampoos used to replace traditional bathing. These help absorb odors that would otherwise linger.

Do not spray perfumes, colognes, or household air fresheners on your dog. You can cause serious skin irritations if you choose the wrong products. While your frustration with limited bath time is understandable, you shouldn’t inflict your dog with products that aren’t designed to be safe for him. So, how often should I bathe my dog? Technically, the answer is about once a month, a little more often during the summer months, but certainly not as frequently as the human world thinks is necessary.

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Almost all dogs shed to some degree. Shedding can be worse during seasonal changes, such as Autumn (when they shed the summer coat to prepare for a thicker winter coat) and Spring (when the thick winter coat is shed for the summer coat). However, many dogs shed year-round. Coping with a shedding dog can be one of the most frustrating parts of pet ownership. But with careful management and a little daily attention, most shedding can be reduced and managed.

How to Manage Your Dog’s Shedding

Step One: Know Your Dog
Shedding is the natural process of losing hair, allowing a new coat to grow in. Humans shed too—the hair on our heads is constantly falling out, and new hairs grow in their place. We don’t notice it because:
a) we brush our hair several times a day, and the shed hair accumulates in a brush, and
b) our coat is only on our head.

Almost every dog sheds all the time. Low-shedding breeds, such as poodles and some terriers, are also breeds that tend to be kept clipped short—so their shed coat is not as noticeable as that of other breeds.

The heaviest shedding types of dogs are those with short coats, such as Corgis, German Shepherds, Labs, and Jack Russells. Short coated dogs (not to be confused with smooth-coated dogs, which also shed but to a lesser degree) have coats that are short in length but extremely thick. The thickness of the coat means that large amounts of hair are constantly being shed, which will gladly rub off on furniture, carpets, and your favorite pair of pants.

Dogs with thick, double coats, such as Collies, Shelties, Chow Chows, and Husky breeds, have coats that can be particularly difficult and high-shedding. These dogs shed a thick undercoat, which easily mats into their long outer hair. Their hair often appears to shed in clumps that show up on the floors, sofas, and anywhere else your pet has rested.

Step Two: Brush, Brush, Brush!
Brushing your dog regularly is the most effective thing you can do to reduce shedding. Remember, the hair is going to fall out either way—and it’s easier for you to deal with if it’s on a brush rather than all over your house.

In addition to removing hair that’s already loose from your dog’s coat, brushing loosens the hair at the follicle and helps remove hairs that are beginning to fall out. In double-coated dogs, deep, regular brushing removes the dead undercoat, allowing for a cleaner dog with less hair to shed around.

Aside from cutting down on shedding, brushing has a number of other health benefits for your dog. Regular brushing of all dogs, despite coat length or type, helps keep the coat and skin healthy. Most dogs do not require frequent bathing (once a month or less!), but brushing in between bath times helps keep them clean by removing dead hair, dirt, and other debris from the coat. Brushing also works to distribute the natural oils of the skin throughout the coat, promoting a healthier coat and cleaner skin.

Choosing the appropriate grooming tools is a vital part of cutting down on shedding.

The slicker brush is one of the most commonly used brushes for long-haired dogs. Rows of tiny, bent wire teeth are set close together and help remove mats and dead hair from within the coat of dogs. Slicker brushes are useful in shedding breeds when a large amount of coat needs to come out, such as with short-coated dogs and silky-coated dogs.

Pin brushes, the type that many people use on their own hair, work best for long-coated dogs to brush out and prevent tangles, as well as for silky-coated dogs once the undercoat has been thinned.

Grooming rakes have metal teeth with blades on the inside and are effective for dogs needing to have lots of dead undercoat removed or to cut through tangles. Rakes should be used with caution, as the metal can injure the skin if used too vigorously, and can even break the skin with misuse.

Short-coated dogs are best suited to a bristle brush, with softer bristles to avoid injuring the skin under the short coat.

In addition to brushes, there are a variety of combs and other products that can help most effectively brush your pet and thin out the coat. When looking for the right tools, consult your groomer or local pet store to find the appropriate match for your dog.

Step Three: Supplements
A complete, balanced diet is necessary for skin and coat health. Adding a multivitamin supplement, as well as an Omega-3 fatty acid supplement to your pet’s diet, can help further reduce shedding. Many brands and forms of fatty acid supplements are available on the market and claim to reduce or stop shedding. Used alone, you may not notice a great effect on your dog’s shedding, but in conjunction with daily brushing, fatty acid supplements can significantly improve your shedding problem.

Step Four: Check for Underlying Medical Problems
There is a difference between the average dog that sheds and a dog losing its coat due to a health problem. Even if you have a heavy shedding dog, you should never see bald patches or areas of thin hair emerge. If your dog begins to develop thickened skin, bald spots, or areas of sparse hair, a medical problem may be to blame. Fleas, allergies, and skin infections can cause irritation, bald patches, and hot spots, while some endocrine disorders, such as hypothyroidism, can cause the dog’s skin to harden, and the hair to become very thin.

If you have any doubt about the quality or condition of your pet’s skin and coat, consult your veterinarian. Diagnosing an underlying problem will improve your pet’s health and comfort, as well as cut down on unnecessary hair around the house.

The Final Word

Coping with a shedding dog usually requires a lifelong commitment and a multifaceted approach to caring for your dog, as well as easy access to the vacuum cleaner and lint roller. But with some perseverance and daily attention, massive uncontrolled shedding can often be reduced to a manageable level.

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Dog grooming meets the dog’s basic physical needs, making them more socially acceptable. A well-groomed dog smells better, looks better, feels more comfortable, and is less likely to become injured from snarls or nails catching.

The Importance of Regular Grooming for Your Dog’s Health

While the majority of dogs equate a nail clipping procedure to the pleasantries of dental work without Novocain, it really isn’t all that bad. Nail grooming is an important part of dog health. Clipping the nails keeps them from snagging and prevents the nail from curling around and growing into the skin, which can become a costly and painful issue. It’s simply easier on both you and your dog to ensure they accept the need for nail trimming. Nails left untrimmed for months will eventually hamper your pup’s ability to walk properly.

Dogs who aren’t regularly bathed aren’t the most pleasant-smelling pets. The lack of bathing also leads to more matting of the hair, which is not only unsightly and painful but can become a physical threat as well. If mats are left for an extended period and begin pressing against the skin, they can cause inflammation and even small cysts. Dogs who play outside are likely to get all kinds of debris caught in their fur, including burrs, twigs, and ticks.

Dogs that require a basic trim to keep their little bangs out of their eyes should be regularly maintained to avoid fear biting. Just as humans can’t properly see the world behind their hair, neither can dogs. When you allow your dog’s hair to overgrow their eyes, you’re restricting their vision and sense of security in the world. Being touched unexpectedly may startle them, and in extreme cases, it increases the likelihood of fear biting. Fear biting is a dog’s reaction to being afraid and, in an effort to defend themselves from perceived danger, they may bite before understanding what is happening.

Caring for your dog’s teeth is part of the basic grooming routine that should be done at least every two weeks. Brushing the teeth and using a dog-appropriate mouthwash helps kill bacteria, reduce bad breath, and prevent periodontal disease. Annual cleanings are vital for a domesticated dog’s dental health. Lacking the natural resources wild wolves and feral dogs have to clean their teeth, domesticated animals rely on their humans to meet their dental needs.

While underestimating the importance of dog grooming may not be an issue for about 50% of dog owners, understanding the proper tools to care for your dog is not as common. After all, the dog brush aisle is extensive—how do you know which brush suits your dog’s fur type? Undercoat rakes are specifically for dogs with undercoats. An undercoat can be determined by the ability to pull out chunks of fur beneath the top layer. German Shepherds are a prime example of a dog with an undercoat. The undercoat rake helps remove this underlayer of fur. Small bristle brushes with tiny metal teeth work well for dogs with heavier fur but no undercoat, such as Irish Setters. Soft coat brushes are best for dogs with thinner fur, like Dalmatians.

The better the maintenance of your dog, the happier and healthier they will be. The importance of dog grooming is as vital as feeding your dog. You can feed your dog low-quality food, but it won’t provide the same health benefits as higher-quality food. Grooming doesn’t have to be elaborate; it’s not necessary to put little barrettes in your dog’s hair. However, keeping your dog clean, well-brushed, and regularly bathed will go a long way toward their overall health and happiness.

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Choosing the Right Toothpaste and Mouthwash for Your Dog

Not all toothpastes are the same. Just because toothpaste works for humans doesn’t mean it’s appropriate for dogs. Humans are trained to spit out toothpaste, but a dog who can be trained to do so would surely earn a spot on national television! It’s safer to purchase toothpaste designed specifically for dogs, and be sure to use only the minimum amount to prevent over-ingestion of the paste. Mouthwash made for dogs is also available and is recommended as a supplemental tooth care routine at least once a week.

To use mouthwash between brushings, simply saturate a cotton ball with the appropriate mouthwash and wipe your dog’s teeth thoroughly. Some dogs believe this is a treat, while others might think you’re trying to torture them. If you train your dog as a puppy, the process will go much smoother. It’s easier to train a pup to sit for a mouth cleaning than an older secondhand dog.

If you’ve adopted an older dog, use caution the first time you attempt to clean their teeth. Stand behind them and off to one side to prevent any attempts to bite or struggle. Always reward the teeth cleaning session with a nice treat afterward. If possible, reward them with something other than food. If nothing other than food gets through to them, offer a small food reward, as you’ve just cleaned their teeth. However, part of the process involves training them to tolerate the cleaning, so expect a bit of give-and-take at first.

The earlier you start brushing a dog’s teeth, the easier it will be on both of you as they get older. Most vets recommend brushing either weekly or biweekly. Some vets think this may be a bit excessive and recommend a monthly brushing instead. When training your puppy, it’s okay to brush every three to four days, using toothpaste only occasionally. You may need to repeat the behavior often and follow through with a reward to help them tolerate the process.

Using a pea-sized amount of puppy-approved toothpaste, train your dog to tolerate short, incremental brush strokes throughout the entire process. Give them a moment in between these strokes to swallow and adjust. Dogs don’t always close off the back of their throat the way humans do, so there may be some coughing and sputtering. If this happens, just make your incremental brushes smaller. Do your best to clean all of their teeth.

Brushing your dog’s teeth might be more challenging than brushing your own, so take your time and don’t get frustrated. Try to make it a positive experience for them. Offer soft, soothing remarks about their good behavior, even if you have to act quickly to catch them being good. Dogs don’t like the feeling of a toothbrush in their mouth. Of course, they would chew it to pieces if given the opportunity, but they won’t tolerate the feel of the brush in their human’s hands. Go figure!

Special dog toothbrushes work better than discarded human brushes. Many dog toothbrushes are designed to slip over your finger, requiring only the action of feeling around their teeth as best you can. These brushes are easier to use than bristled ones and do nearly the same quality job. However, if you can’t manipulate the bristled type, it becomes ineffective, making the finger-slip type more practical.

You can start by brushing just a few teeth and gradually increase the time and number of teeth you brush every few days. This helps avoid a power struggle with your dog, which could lead them to become completely intolerant of the process and cause you to resent the idea of doing it. If it becomes too much of a fight from the beginning, you likely won’t continue. If you take your time and make it fun for your pup, they may even begin to enjoy the process—or at least appreciate the lavish praise and rewards afterward, not to mention your beaming approval of their behavior.

Brushing your dog’s teeth doesn’t need to be a nightmare for either of you. It takes patience and time to help them adjust, but the effort pays off by helping to avoid dead teeth, tooth loss, and gum diseases that can result from neglecting their oral care. Anyone who has ever had a serious toothache knows how painful mouth problems can be. Dental care for dogs is far better than the pain of untreated mouth issues.

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Assessing Your Dog’s Needs

Start by carefully observing your dog. Feel his coat—does it shine, or is it dull? When you scratch him, do you find his skin cells under your fingernails? Does he scratch himself often? Is he prone to allergies? Understanding your dog’s unique needs is the first step in selecting the best shampoo for him. Since every dog is different, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all shampoo solution.

Dogs with dry skin and those with allergies are likely to scratch just as much, regardless of the underlying cause. Sometimes, dogs suffer from both dry skin and allergies. If your dog has dry skin, you’ll probably notice flakes of doggie dandruff on dark surfaces after scratching him—this isn’t very pleasant, but it’s a common issue. Dogs with dry skin often benefit from specialty shampoos, as washing their fur strips away essential oils, further drying their skin. Some dogs may even require a conditioner to restore those oils, often with an oatmeal base. Oatmeal shampoos and conditioners are highly recommended for dogs with dry skin problems.

Even if your dog has dry skin, try to assess whether allergies might also be at play. While some allergies may only be detectable by a veterinarian, others can be observed by the keen eye of an owner. Start under his chin. Dogs with allergies often rub the bottom of their face, as this is an area that comes in contact with allergens regularly. Redness, cracking, small bloody spots, tiny scabs, or inflammation along the bottom of the chin could indicate allergies. Check inside his ears, too—small, sensitive bumps can also point to allergies, especially in dogs with floppy ears. Redness, remnants of blood along the paws, flaring of the belly, and slight swelling of the genitals can also suggest allergic reactions.

For dogs showing basic signs of allergies, shampoos designed for either dry skin or skin allergies can be beneficial. While not all stores carry shampoos specifically for skin allergies, dry skin shampoo is often a suitable alternative. If your dog seems uncomfortable after a bath, scratching excessively, consider following up with an oatmeal conditioner, whether he has dry skin, allergies, both, or neither.

All dog shampoos aim to appeal to your sense of smell—after all, the main reason we bathe our dogs is to address their natural odor. Replacing his doggy scent with something more pleasant is a natural desire. However, when selecting a dog shampoo, try to avoid those with overly heavy perfumes. These shampoos may encourage your dog to roll around, trying to rub the scent off, and they can leave him with an oily, unnatural feeling.

Natural dog shampoos, made with gentle ingredients, are often the best option. While some 100% organic products might not clean as effectively as others, they’re usually formulated to be as gentle as possible on your dog’s fur and skin.

For dogs with dull or lackluster coats, shampoos and conditioners designed to restore shine and volume can help. Adding more protein to your dog’s diet—especially from sources like salmon—can work in tandem with these shampoos to improve his coat.

Keep in mind that overbathing your dog can lead to dry skin, even if his skin appears healthy at first. Using gentle products every three to four weeks will keep him clean without stripping his skin and coat of essential oils, and it will save you the hassle of excessive bathing.

Take your time when selecting a dog shampoo. Read labels, and compare what different shampoos and conditioners offer versus what your dog’s skin and coat actually need. In most cases, you’ll find the perfect shampoo that’s gentle on your pup. If you purchase a shampoo that doesn’t meet your expectations, don’t hesitate to return it or try something else. Once you find the right shampoo, you’ll likely stick with it unless your dog’s needs change.

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Dogs have 42 permanent, adult teeth in their mouths, and just like people, they need regular attention and maintenance to keep their mouths healthy. Because dogs are unable to brush, floss and care for their own teeth, they rely on you to help prevent and treat dental problems.

There are an array of different problems that can arise in your dogs mouth, but the most common are issues with the teeth and gums. Periodontal disease will affect almost all dogs at some time in their lives, but all periodontal disease begins when bacteria in the mouth begins to form a layer of plaque on the teeth. This plaque combines with food debris and minerals in the mouth to form tartar, a hard brownish substance which collects on the gum line of the teeth. The gum then reacts to the presence of the tarter by becoming inflamed, developing into gingivitis. If left untreated, this gingivitis will progress, leading to damage of the supporting structures of the tooth, tooth loss, abscesses (pockets of infection) and even bone infections into the surrounding structures. These bacteria in the mouth can also travel to other parts of the body through the bloodstream, causing sepsis and internal organ failure.

The earliest symptom of gingivitis and periodontal disease in dogs is bad breath, known as halitosis. As the disease progresses, so does the severity of symptoms, and affected dogs may begin to avoid chewing hard foods, have excessive drooling, or stop eating due to the pain of their dental problems. In severe cases, a runny nose and sneezing, and swelling along the face may be an indicator of severe infection in the mouth.

A quick glance of your dogs teeth at home may reveal the presence of obvious tartar accumulation, moveable or missing teeth, pus around the gum line or swollen gum tissue. If any of these are present in your dogs mouth than a serious health problem is brewing, and it is important to see your veterinarian quickly to develop a treatment plan.

Treating Dental Disease in Dogs

The best method of treatment of dental disease and gingivitis in dogs is through prevention. Just as in people, the best way of avoiding the development of dental problems is by regular brushing. Performed with either a specially designed dog toothbrush or fingerbrush, regular brushing (3 times a week or more) will greatly reduce the amount of plaque that accumulates on the teeth, thereby curbing tartar development and stopping the formation of gingivitis. Human toothpaste should not be used in dogs as it can cause digestion upsets, but your veterinarian or local pet store can recommend an appropriate toothpaste for use. Although it may take a bit of patience to get your dog accustomed to having his teeth brushed, the health advantages of preventing severe periodontal disease is well worth it.

Unfortunately, often by the time dental problems are discovered, they have progressed too far to be significantly improved with teeth brushing. In these cases, a thorough teeth cleaning and scaling will need to be performed by your veterinarian. Because a proper cleaning and examination of the teeth requires the complete cooperation of the dog, general anesthesia is required to perform a dental cleaning.

Prior to having a dental cleaning, your veterinarian will want to perform a complete physical exam, and may want to have blood work done on your pet to access the health of their organs and examine blood counts. Rest assured that all tests performed prior to the dental cleaning are to ensure the safest anesthetic experience possible for your dog.

Once under anesthesia, your veterinarian will perform a thorough oral examination of the mouth, teeth and gums, checking for abnormal teeth, loose or missing teeth, mouth ulcers, abscesses of the teeth, sites of infection and other problems. Depending on the severity of issues seen in the mouth, your vet may opt to take one or more dental X-rays (like the ones you get at the dentists office!) to further evaluate the teeth, and make sure that more severe problems are not lurking below the surface of the teeth. Dental X-rays can help detect teeth that are abscessed, or have severely compromised root systems, both conditions that may necessitate the extraction of the associated teeth.

In general, the following steps will be taken during your dogs dental cleaning. First, an ultrasonic scaler will be used along the surface of the teeth, as well as below the gum line, to remove accumulated tartar and plaque. After scaling, the teeth are polished to restore a smooth surface, making it more difficult for future bacteria and plaque to adhere to the teeth. The mouth will be flushed with an anti-bacterial solution to help restore a healthy atmosphere, and then if needed, a fluoride treatment may be performed to strengthen the teeth.

Depending on the severity of problems in your dogs mouth, your veterinarian may prescribe a course of antibiotics after the dental cleaning to treat any residual infections.

After a dental cleaning has been performed, once again prevention will play a vital role in avoiding the reoccurrence of gingivitis in your dog. In addition to regular brushing of the teeth, your vet may recommend a special diet or treats for your dog to help keep their teeth clean. Hills Brand Prescription T/D food (available only through your veterinarian) is the only food that has been scientifically proven to reduce tartar on dogs teeth, through specially designed kibble which helps to scrub off tartar forming on the teeth. In addition, there are many commercially available treats and chew toys that may help encourage healthy teeth and gums in your dog, but check with your veterinarian for recommendations.

Despite home care and professional dental cleanings, some dogs are simply more prone to developing gingivitis and dental disease than others. Older dogs and small breed dogs both tend to accumulate tartar more rapidly, and require more aggressive treatment to maintain their oral and overall health.

Dogs with gingivitis and periodontal disease require immediate and aggressive care, as the condition is both very painful, and carries a risk of causing severe internal illness. Bacteria from the mouth are able to travel through the bloodstream, affecting the heart, liver and kidneys. Gingivitis is both preventable and treatable, and a program strong in both home care and professional dental care will help to ensure your dogs life-long dental health.

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