Grooming your dog regularly will keep his coat and skin in tip top condition so it makes good sense to groom your dog as part of his preventative health program. Brushing removes loose & dead hair and distributes skin oils throughout your dog’s coat. A universal slicker brush followed by a steel comb is good for most coat types but if your unsure ask a professional to recommend the right brush for your dogs coat.

How often should I brush my dog!

Short haired dogs such as boxers, Labradors etc will probably need brushing only once or twice a week whilst long haired dogs such as an Afghan will probably need brushing more often, if however you own a curly coated breed such as a Poodle or a Bichon then you will need to brush him daily to prevent mats from forming.

Mats are areas of tangled hair, to remove a mat first try to untangle the hair with your fingers if you can’t untangle it use a mat splitter to cut through the mat then brush again with a slicker brush, never be tempted to cut out the mat with scissors because they usually sit close to the skin making it very easy for you to cut your pet, if you have no success removing the mat yourself then consult your groomer, it may need to be removed with clippers. Remember prevention is always better than the cure and if you brush your dog regularly you will prevent painful mats from forming.

Get into a routine! This will ensure you never miss bits, some people like to brush their dog from head to tail whilst others do the reverse, try brushing the rear legs followed by the body, tail, front legs then head.It doesn’t really matter which body part you start with but a routine will help you to be thorough.

Starting your grooming session after vigorous exercise should help your dog remain calm, dogs don’t always enjoy being brushed but he will learn to enjoy his grooming sessions if you make it fun.

Remember always stay calm yourself, never get cross with your dog, he will learn through positive reinforcement, give him lots of praise and always end with a treat or a game with his favorite toy.