If I ask you what is the most difficult job you had to do as a part of your dog’s weekly routine? Many of us will answer, “Grooming my dog’s hair.” Most of us leave it to the professionals. We don’t mind shedding a few extra bucks along the way because we don’t want to risk it.
But what if I tell you that you can do a fabulous job in grooming your dog with an electric clipper at home? That will save you money and the trouble of going back and forth to “Dog Parlors.” It’ll only need a few minutes and one of the best electric dog clippers you can find.
However, the job has some delicate processes that you need to go through. That is where this article fills in. In the following sections, I’ll go through the steps one-by-one so that you can master them in quick time.
Get an Electric Clippers that Best Suits Your Dog’s Breed
Believe it or not, electric clippers come in all shapes and sizes. In addition to that, manufacturers now put out different kind of attachments that go well with different breeds of dogs. Depending on the hair size and overall hair growth on the coat, a particular type of electric clipper might be the right choice.
Yes, knowing whether you own a Labrador, bulldog, a French poodle, or cute pit-bull matters. Once you’ve found out about the lineage of the dog, then go for a clipper that has the best combs and blades complementing coat of your furry friend.
It is also handy to know your friend’s coat better. You should make an appointment with a “Pro” just to know the outline of your pet’s coat, hairlines, and patterns.
Picking a Quiet Electric Clipper is Half the Job
If you are new with electric clippers, these are noisy. Even the “Top-notch” brands for dog hair make loud noises when in operation. While the noise is a normal thing for us humans, it can startle your dog, irritate him and even put him off. The result? Grooming can go sideways. Worst case scenario is; you might even cut your trusted friend.
That is why I’ll advise you to go for the electric shaver that makes the least amount of noise.
Preparing Your Dog for Hair Grooming
Just like us humans, dogs need daily (for longer coats of hair) or weekly (for shorter hair) brushing and bathing. Nevertheless, you need to brush and bathe your dog before you proceed with clipping hair.
The washing and brushing help to untangle long hair on your canine’s back and undoes clumps if there are any. Otherwise, the tangled hair and clumps can make grooming a painful experience for our four-legged companions. After you and your dog are done, make sure he’s well and truly dry before you proceed.
Going Through the “Grooming” Process
This is where it gets interesting. Hair Grooming is 90% your dog staying still and you doing the right-hand movement. Hold your furry companion moderately tight by the skin so that he doesn’t move. Then you need to gently move through the hair starting from the neck and the ears and ending with the back leg. Repeat the process for the other side.
Make sure you move your electric grooming attachment to the direction of the hair growth of the dog’s coat. Remember I spoke about your dog’s “Coat Layout” and “Hair Pattern” earlier? Well, this is the time the knowledge comes to good use. If you move against the natural direction, there’ll be harsh lines visible on the coat which are never good to look at even from a distance.
Go slow with the clipper. Moving too fast has the danger of nicking the canine’s skin.
Handy Tips You Can Put to Practice
Well, we are almost done with hair grooming. But I just wanted to hand few tips to you. These will make the process a lot easier at home.
- Use sharp blades for grooming the dog. Lesser blades will result in nicking and cutting the skin.
- Use a clipper that has long battery life.
- Keep the blades cool to avoid malfunction and burns. Use lubricants on the blade. You can also put a baking sheet on top. The sheets absorb heat fast.
- Always keep an extra electric clipper nearby.
Final Words On How To Groom Your Dog
Well, there you go. You now have the basics lined up. Hopefully, you can now start grooming your dogs at home. One last piece of advice, “Don’t wait for your dog to grow up before you start grooming him.” It is best to start when he’s just a puppy. That way, your canine friend, and companion will be at ease with the process a lot quicker.
Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J73ifVsGUak
Author Bio: John Howes is the founder of Petcareup. 29-year-old, entrepreneur, Pet lover and passionate blogger. He loves to write about pet and helps pet owners to choose the best products for their pet.
