Grooming your pet is a great way to save money since an average visit to the groomers could cost you between $50 and $75 — depending on bath, ear cleaning and nail trimming. While do-it-yourself pet grooming can be time consuming, it’s actually easier than you think.
There are plenty of great home grooming kits available on the market today that can keep your pet looking in its best. Plus, cleaning your own pet will allow you to develop a close bond. Your dog or cat will learn to respect and trust you at the same time.
Are you considering the DIY approach to pet grooming?
Here are five tips that can help:
1. Practice makes perfect
Not everyone is cut out to be a groomer, despite his or her love for animals. However, with a little practice you can save time and money. Try taking a class in order to get comfortable grooming your pet. Look online for classes in your area.
2. Focus on the nails
Keep your animal’s nails trimmed regularly. This applies more to dogs than cats, although both pets should have their nails cut. One way to keep your dogs nails down is to walk him regularly on cement. This will help to wear down their nails naturally. Make sure to use sharp nail clippers.
3. Keep the ears clean
It is very important to keep your pet’s ears clean. You can do this by applying alcohol on a cotton ball to your dog or cat’s ears. Be careful not don’t hurt their eardrum; avoid using a cotton swab or going too deep into your pet’s ears.
4. Give a monthly bath
When possible, give your pet a bath once a month (particularly dogs). And try to schedule the bath at the same time you apply your flea protectant. Talk with your vet about the right shampoo for your pet. During the bath, place cotton balls in your pet’s ears to absorb water. And never use human shampoo on your pet; the chemicals are too harsh for their sensitive skin.
5. Brush their teeth
According to various pet groomers, a lot of owners ignore their pet’s dental needs. Teeth cleanings are essential for your pet. Your pet’s teeth are one of the most important parts of their body — especially when it comes to chewing, eating and playing with toys. Therefore, I recommend brushing your dog’s teeth once a week with a special toothpaste and toothbrush.
There you have the basics of grooming your own pet. A well groomed pet is a happy pet (and owner).
4 Comments
Great read! I like that you outlined how important the dental care is but there is something I would like to add when it comes to it.
You should change the toothbrush that you use for your dog on every month or so because of the bacterial contamination. Every time you wash the toothbrush a small amount of bacteria will pile up on the brush because you can never wash it perfectly.
Thank you for that reminder, Mary!
Great tips Mary, you can also try dental sticks! My dog loves them and it gets rid of the tartar that builds up on the gums 🙂
Great tips. I will definitely follow them. Thanks for sharing.