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Grooming your puppy
Is grooming your puppy part of your daily routine? Does your puppy look neat and tidy, or does he often more closely resemble Oscar from Sesame Street? Life is busy, and keeping Fido neat and tidy may not be at the top of your 'to-do' list, but a daily grooming session is a good idea for many reasons. Apart from being good for his self-esteem (!) it's a great way to get your puppy used to being handled and touched. And I can promise you that you'll be grateful for that when you need him to stand still for a veterinary exam... or when the neighbor's toddler unexpectedly pulls on his ear. The 'How -To' guideKeep each session short to begin with, gradually increasing them as Fido gets used to the whole thing.Start with an all-over exam (it's good to get into the habit of doing a quick physical check this way once a week or so). Run your hands over Fido's whole body and feel for lumps, bumps, scratches etc. Look for ticks or fleas. Check each paw for cuts or thorns. Look in his ears. They should be clean and odor free. If they look red, hot or inflamed or if there's discharge or a foul smelling odor you need to have your veterinarian take a look. Look in his mouth. Look for broken teeth or cut gums (sometimes a puppy can get a bit vigorous in his chewing and hurt his mouth). Regular chewing on his toys and other specialties such as 'Greenies' (specially designed, edible chew toys that help to keep his gums healthy), should keep his gums and teeth in good shape. But as Fido grows up it's still a good idea to check regularly for plaque build up on his teeth. Make a habit of doing this once a month or so. Take a look at our dental care page for more information on how to keep little Fido's teeth clean and strong. Unless he's shedding very heavily, has a very long, thick coat or is a show dog, you'll find that brushing Fido once a day is enough. During those times when shedding is a problem, use a shedding comb or blade to make sure the job gets done properly! If you have a full coated or long coated puppy, don't forget to brush the hair on his chest and tummy, it can get matted quite easily. The same for the hair on his back legs and under the tail.
ToolsYou'll only need pretty basic tools to start with, as Fido grows you can add to your collection if you want to.For general, everyday use a wide-tooth metal comb does a great job on short to medium coated breeds, a soft bristle brush or one with rounded metal 'pins' can also work well. There are different kinds of brushes available.
You want your puppy to like (although you may have to settle for tolerate) being groomed, so anything that causes him discomfort isn't a good idea. You don't want him to decide that the brush in your hand is Public Enemy #1! If your puppy is super-wriggly and just won't hold still, here's a handy little trick that just might slow him down! When you're grooming a puppy and he's small enough to stand on a fairly small, low table (such as a coffee table), you can put a non-slip mat on the table and groom him while he's standing on it. He'll feel a little less secure up there and that translates into less squirming. To make the job even easier, put the table in front of a smooth, washable surface (such as the refrigerator or washing machine) and spread the surface with peanut butter. Your furbaby will be so busy licking off the peanut butter that he will forget all about wriggling! If your puppy is too large for a table, just stand him in front of the 'fridge - it works almost as well.
Take a look at the great selection of dog grooming tools on my Dog Grooming Aids page. There's everything you need to get that little furbaby of yours looking spiffy!
What about a bath?There will be times when little Fido will need more than just a brushing. These times call for a bath! How often you'll need to initiate tubby time depends on a lot of things, including whether Fido spends a lot of time outside; is long or short-haired; loves to swim in the lake; or insists on splashing through EVERY puddle on your daily walk.Bathtime may be necessary but it doesn't need to be a chore. See our
Bathing-A-Puppy page
for a step by step guide that'll have your puppy clean and sweet smelling in no time.
Who's for a manicure?Or should that be a pedicure? I'm not certain, but either way it's important to keep Fido's nails short to prevent them splitting or breaking.Your puppy probably won't jump for joy when you try to cut his nails but it's a process he needs to get used to and accept as a regular part of his grooming routine. See our
Cutting-Puppy-Nails page
for information and lots of tips on how to make this important grooming task easier for both you and Fido.
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