Dog Grooming
All dogs need grooming, but some dog breeds need a lot more grooming and dog grooming supplies than others. You may want a dog with a luxurious coat, but you may not be able to cope with the effort involved in keeping it clean and well groomed. If you don’t want to spend a significant amount of time dog grooming, then you should choose a dog breed with minimal grooming requirements. This information is available
at our Directory of Breed of Dogs, where the grooming requirements are discussed for each dog breed. Choose a breed with 
or under Grooming Requirements. Dog grooming supplies and equipment are discussed below.
Non Shedding Dogs
Dog’s Coats
A dog’s coat has two kinds of hair. The outer coat usually consists of coarser hairs while the inner coat is made up of softer, shorter hairs. The hairs on a dog’s coat grow to a pre-determined length, at which time they stop growing and are eventually pushed out or shed by new hairs growing in. Some breeds shed twice per year, some breeds like the Dalmatian shed moderately throughout the year and some breeds like the Poodle do not shed their coats at all.
Hypoallergenic dogs
These non shedding or low shedding dog breeds are said to be hypoallergenic if properly groomed and may be better for people with allergies. However an individual’s allergic reactions will vary between dog breeds.
Heavy Shedding Dog Breeds
These include the thick and heavy double-coated dog breeds. It should be noted that heavy shedders don’t necessarily require more grooming than light shedding breeds such as the Airedale or the Poodle.
Grooming Requirements
Start grooming or pretending to groom puppies soon after you bring them home. Dog grooming is more than keeping the coat and skin clean and healthy, it also involves looking after the dog’s nails, teeth, eyes and ears. Brush your puppy daily in the early weeks to get him used to being groomed. The more you handle them as a pup, the more your dog will enjoy the grooming experience. See the free report on "Puppy Training" for information on training your puppy for grooming. Various dog breed coat types require different grooming practices.
- Longer, thicker coats such as Akitas and Newfoundlands need regular brushing with a firm bristle brush. More frequent daily brushing and combing is recommended when they are shedding their coats. Don’t bathe these breeds too often as it removes the protective oils from their coats. Probably one bath in the Spring and one in the Fall will do unless they have gotten really dirty.
- Non-shedding curly coats such as Poodles and Bedlington Terriers need clipping and bathing about every two months. Excess ear hair should be pulled out, not cut, at that time.
- Longer silky coats such as the Afghan Hound, Maltese, Lhasa Apso, Spaniels and Setters should be brushed with a pin brush after a weekly bath. These breed’s coats should be trimmed every couple of months. Spaniels’ ears and paws will need excess hair trimmed. The dead hair on these breeds should be removed or “stripped”.
- The wiry coats of some Dachshunds, Schnauzers and most terriers, like the West Highland White Terrier, need brushing and combing at least three times a week. Strip and hand pluck the dead hair in the coat and bathe these breeds every three months. Hand stripping a large dog can take several hours. Clipping is an option if the dog isn’t being shown. Cut excess hair around the eyes and ears.
- The smooth coats, such as the Boxer, Whippet and Labrador are easy to groom using a hound glove. Other short hair smooth-coated breeds just need a weekly combing and brushing. These breeds shouldn’t be bathed more than two or three times per year because it removes the protective oils from their coats. Note that there are dry bathing products available as an alternative to soap and water. Breeders keep short haired dogs looking good by running a stripping knife over their coats on a daily basis.
Dogs Ears, Feet and Teeth
Grooming should include a regular check of the ears for infections. Dogs with droopy ears must be checked very regularly. Dogs should have their toenails cut every two months or so. Teach your dog, as a puppy, to stand still while you cut the nails. It is easier to see the ‘quick’ on dogs with light-colored nails. If your dog has dark colored nails, you will have to cut them a little bit at a time over several days. If you nip the ‘quick’, then apply a ‘stop bleeding’ dog product or use corn starch. Dog’s teeth should be descaled by your veterinarian once per year. This is very important for toy dog breeds which can have early dental problems.
Dog Grooming Supplies and Equipment
There is a wide variety of dog grooming supplies and tools, available in pet supply stores and over the Internet, for assisting you in grooming your dog.
1. Grooming supplies include: dog shampoos, rinses, conditioners and supplements to clean and soften coats; Q-tips and cotton wool and oil to clean ears; toothbrush and tooth paste for cleaning teeth; and eye wipes for eyes.
-
Dog shampoos are available for: specific coat colors, resisting fleas, adding protein, whitening, sparkling, etc.
-
Dog conditioners aren’t necessary for all coat types but they will reduce tangles and mats for many coats.
2. Grooming tools will depend on your dog’s coat type. All coats will require a brush and a comb. Depending on the dog breed you may require:
-
a pin brush, bristle brush, soft brush and/or rubber brush
-
fine and/or wide toothed metal combs
-
a hound glove
-
blunt end scissors, nail clippers, and/or thinning shears
-
stripping comb and/or stripping knife.
3. Grooming equipment such as: dog grooming table, electric dryer and a dog bath will make the dog groomer’s job much easier.
Do you run a site that should be listed here? Link to this site and then tell us about it.
Articles
Choosing the Dog Breed For You
You should decide what kind of dog will best meet your requirements. You may want to choose a cross-breed, designer or pure-bred dog...
Hereditary Diseases in Dogs
An article on hereditary dog diseases that lists common health problems and the breeds that commonly inherit them.
Top 10 Toy Dog Breeds
The Toy Group includes most of the very small and miniature lap dogs and apartment-sized companion dog breeds. Toy dogs play a critical role in the lives of people that live alone and their presence can have beneficial effects on the health of the sick, the elderly and the housebound. Toys are popular companion dogs for people living in cities and adapt well to apartment life.
Top 10 Terrier Dog Breeds
The Terrier Group includes those small but lively terrier breeds that were developed (mainly in Great Britain) to hunt small burrowing animals such as badgers, foxes, otters, rabbits and rats.
Top 10 Hound Dog Breeds
The Hound Group includes dog breeds with a wonderful sense of smell and/or great athleticism. These breeds were developed to follow game either by sight or by smell.
How Dogs Can Help Teach Your Children Responsibility
Owning a dog is a great way to engage your kids in the process of responsibility. Teaching your children to be responsible is probably one of the most important aspects of being a parent. And why not have a little help in this department with the assistance of a brand-new puppy?
Making A long Road Trip More Comfortable For Your Dog
If your road trip is going to be a long one then you need to take a few extra steps to plan accordingly and ensure that you and your puppy get to your destination safe and happy. Here are a few suggestions that can help...
Xoloitzcuintli Dog Breed
The Xolo is one of the world’s oldest and rarest breeds. Statues and effigies dating back more than 3,000 years have been found in Mayan tombs. Xolos were valued for their loyalty, companionship and intelligence as well as their curative and mystical powers.
Our List of Dog Breeds
A list of over 110 Dog breeds and growing.
Additional Content
If you have a picture of your dog that you would like us to use either in a 'dog photo needed' spot or in our up coming dog breeds photo gallery, you can e-mail us the picture at dogphotos@Dog-Breed-Facts.com
All submissions become the sole property of Dog-Breed-Facts.comRead our term of use and privacy statements.
For quick browsing of our site visit our site map.
