Not all dogs need regular professional grooming. Many smooth-coats like Labs, beagles, and pugs are easy to maintain at home with a simple brushing and occasional bathing. Your veterinarian can give you advice and tips keep your dog looking his best Medium coat dogs like a spaniels or golden retrievers can be maintained with regular brushing and occasional bathing at home. Some owners like to bring their medium-coat dog in for a seasonal cut or a sanitary clip. Almost all other types of coats will need a regular grooming with a professional. This includes the long-hair coats, wire coats, and curly coats. These types of coats are more likely to become matted and knotted, causing pain and other health issues. The importance is regular grooming.Take the advice of your grooming professional and schedule the next grooming appointment. Dogs that are brought in because they are matted and knotted have a painful and long experience at the groomer. They will often resent the visit, causing future behavior problems associated with grooming. Dogs that are brought in more frequently are better acclimated and often have a positive experience of being pampered and brushed.
If you have a breed that will need regular grooming it is best to get started as soon as possible. Dogs need to behave during the grooming. A grooming professional will be operating sharp scissors and running noisy clippers and dryers, often with your dog standing on a table. Puppies easily adapt to new environments and situations. But asking your adult dog to go to a groomer for the first time may incite panic and can make the grooming process dangerous or impossible. Ask your veterinarian when they recommend your puppy's first grooming and find a groomer sooner than later and discuss your breed with them. Grooming professionals will often discuss what to expect regarding a grooming schedule and what kind of products you can use at home to help maintain your dogs coat.
Choosing a grooming professional is important. It's like choosing any professional you are going to visit on a regular basis. Find a groomer that informs and teaches about your dog's coat and physical characteristics. Make sure their facility is licensed, as required by your local agencies. It can take several hours to bathe, dry, groom and brush out a dog, so make sure the facility is kept clean and safe. Also look for a groomer that requires vaccines such as kennel cough. This will ensure the others dogs getting groomed that day will not be sharing kennel cough with your dog. A groomer housed within a veterinary facility typically leads to a well-educated and informed groomer, as they have instant behind the scenes access to a doctor. They are often better informed about flea and tick products, and will give you better advice for your dog. Groomers very often find lumps and bumps and other problems that need early veterinary attention. The service a good groomer provides is invaluable. Do not judge it by its price tag. Plus, groomers keep your best friend looking his best!Authors:Mary Acampora, Certified GroomerJohn P. Beres, DVM
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