Pet Grooming

Good grooming is essential for your pet’s overall health. For dogs, cats, and horses, it helps them maintain a healthy, shiny, tangle-free coat and prevents skin issues and parasite infestations. Pet groomers, though, can cost a lot and you may not be able to access them. Therefore, it’s best to develop a good grooming routine at home so your pets can stay clean and healthy in between grooming appointments. Regular grooming is also an excellent way to intimately bond with your pets and get closer to them.

To help you jumpstart your pet’s grooming routine, here are seven tips that will help you get your pet’s hygiene to the next level.

Tips for Grooming Your Pet at Home

Be Calm and Patient

Your pet can sense if you feel nervous, and this will not help them calm down either. So before you start, breathe and relax. Make sure to maintain your calm demeanour throughout the grooming routine. Even when you’re relaxed, observe your pet and look out for signs of stress like trembling, resistance, and excessive panting. When you notice these signs, take a break and help your pet to calm down.

Use the Right Tools & Have Them Ready

Don’t use your old hairbrush to brush your pet’s coa or a human toothbrush for their dental hygiene. These tools are not designed for pet use, and as a result, you may have a more difficult time using them on your pets and not get the best results. Using the right tools and supplies will make grooming a lot easier and make it more comfortable for your pets. Talk to your vet or groomer for recommendations or do some research to find out what tools are the best for your pets.

Make sure that all your grooming tools are laid out, clean, and ready to use before you start. Going back and forth to fetch different tools can disrupt the routine and make it take longer, which can stress out your pet. Instead, if you have everything prepared ahead of time, grooming can instead be like a mini spa for your pet!

Avoid Scented Products

Pets' skin is different from ours. That’s why human skincare products can leave them dry and itchy. As an additional precaution, it’s best to get scent-free products specifically formulated for your pet. If they have been previously diagnosed with a skin condition, it’s better to speak to your vet before choosing a shampoo. They would know what grooming products are best for your pet’s skin and to keep them feeling pampered.

Use Positive Reinforcement

Using positive reinforcement will make grooming an enjoyable experience for your pets and will make it more manageable and quicker. You can start by getting them comfortable with the tools so they won’t feel intimidated or threatened. Instead of restraining your pet, try encouraging them to stay in one spot and behave well with their favourite training treats. Doing this will help them develop positive associations with grooming, thus making them look forward to their routine instead of resisting it.

How to Groom Your Pet

Regularly Brush Your Pet’s Coat

Brushing your pet helps distribute the natural oils throughout their coat. In addition, brushing removes dirt, tangles, and excess hair. It also enables you to look out for skin issues like lumps, redness, and wounds. It also helps you detect parasites like fleas and ticks.

The tools you’ll need will depend on your pet. For instance, you’ll need a stiff brush as part of your horse grooming supplies to remove mud and dirt from their coat, and a soft brush for sensitive areas like the face, ears, and legs. For your horse’s mane, a wide-tooth comb or brush will do the trick.

There are also dog and cat grooming brushes that are designed to reduce shedding and prevent their fur from getting matted.

Trim Their Hair With Caution

When giving your pet a haircut, be sure to wait until your pet is calmed down and preferably laid down before you start. Then, use hair scissors to trim their hair slowly and calmly, especially when the blades go near the skin or the ears. Use your free hand to hold their ear and trim with precision. We advise you not to use a razor as your pet’s skin is extremely sensitive.

It’s crucial with furry dogs for you to carefully trim the hair around their eyes to prevent it from blocking your dog’s vision and rubbing against their eyes. You can also cut the fur around their feet and tail, as it’s the most likely to get dirty and matted.

Cats don’t need a haircut, even with long coats, unless they have matted coats. An excellent daily grooming routine is enough to prevent hair matting. If you decide they’re in need of a trim, it is best to let your pet groomer do it.

Safely Clip Your Pet’s Nails Regularly

When you hear your dog’s nails click on the ground as they walk, then it’s time to trim your dog’s nails. Similarly, it’s recommended to trim your cat’s nails every ten to fourteen days.

Before you start, find a position that’s comfortable for you and your pet. Make sure that they are relaxed and calm down. Try giving them a treat after each nail is trimmed. If they get restless, let them leave and  finish the job when they’re relaxed again. Make sure to use the right tools to clip your dog’s or cat’s nails; it makes the job safer and easier. There are specific nail trimmers designed to suit your pet.

Check Their Eyes

As part of your grooming routine, regularly check your pet’s eyes, look out for any abnormalities like tearing, crust, cloudiness or inflammation that may indicate a health problem. Get in front of your pet in a brightly lit space and look into their eyes. Their eyes should be clear and bright, and the area around the eyeball should be white. Their pupils should be equal size, and there should be no discharge, tearing, or any crust around the eyes.

Using your thumb, carefully tug down their lower eyelid and check the lining. The lining should be pink, not red or white. If you see anything unusual, have your vet check to ensure your pet is okay. You can add gentle eye wipes to your cat and dog grooming supplies to wipe their eyes free of any gunk.

Check Their Ears

Along with checking your pet’s eyes, make sure to check their ears. If your dog or cat’s inner ears look dirty, clean them with a cotton ball or gauze with a liquid ear cleaner specifically formulated for this purpose. Gently fold your pet’s ear down and carefully wipe away any debris or earwax on the underside of the ear. Aim to lift away the dirt and wax instead of rubbing it against their ear. Inner ear skin is delicate, so it’s advisable to talk to your vet for help on how best to clean your pet’s ears.

When it comes to a healthy cat's ears, there should be a layer of hair on the outer surface of the ear flap with no bald spots. The ear’s inner surface should be clean and light pink. When you see any redness, swelling, or even an abnormal-looking discharge, you should have a vet check your cat.

Before you check your cat’s inner ear, bring them into a quiet room with no other pets. Then, you can proceed to gently fold back each ear and look down into the canal. Healthy inner ears should be pale pink, carry no debris or odour, and have minimal earwax. If you see your cat’s ears are caked with wax, or they have a peculiar scent, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your vet for an exam.

Check Their Skin

Finally, your pet’s grooming routine should include checking the overall condition of their skin. This can give an indication of their overall health. When a skin problem occurs, your pet may respond with excessive scratching, chewing or licking. A wide range of causes — including external parasites to allergies to seasonal changes and stress, or a combination of these factors — may be to blame. Skin problems are a common reason why pet parents seek veterinary care.

You should always be mindful of your pet’s skin and monitor them if they are experiencing any symptoms.

Groom Your Pets Regularly

Grooming your pet is essential for their overall welfare. It keeps your pets healthy, comfortable and helps them live life to the fullest. Neglecting their hygiene can expose them to severe diseases that significantly affect how they live their lives. Our line of pet grooming kits and supplies will help you stay on top of your pet’s grooming needs.