With the lockdown back in place and Covid-19 cases rising with each passing day, creating a safe at-home grooming routine to keep your pet clean and healthy has become a must. It’s also a special time to bond with your furry friend.
Your pet will begin to consider grooming sessions as a positive experience when you show them extra love and attention.
Be it a cat or a dog, different breeds require different levels of attention and grooming necessities. Good grooming includes looking after your pet’s skin, coat, paws, ears, teeth, nose, and eyes, plus being patient with them during the process. With a regular routine, you can avoid health problems and even an expensive run to your veterinarian.
Here are some tips to help build a foolproof grooming routine for your pet.
Check their coat every day
The best way to ensure your pet’s coat is in the best condition is to check it every day. As you stroke your dog or cat, take a moment to look for any changes in the coat or skin, such as lumps or irritation. These can often be important health signs and should always be checked out by your vet.
Brushing
This simple task needs to be done every day. It not only helps keeps them clean but also, prevents matting and spreads their natural oils throughout their coat for a healthy shine. Before and after bathing your pet, gently brush and detangle their hair with an appropriate grooming tool that’s intended for their coat.
Bath time
Bathe your pets only when they need it. If your dog gets muddy on a long walk, for example, a warm rinse to clean up will do the job rather than shampooing.
Shampooing often removes necessary natural oils from their coat.
During bath time, make sure to have all your items gathered before heading into your bath area.
Also, bring along cotton balls to put in your pet’s ears to prevent water from entering their ear canal, which can often lead to painful ear infections.
Clean out their ears and clip their nails
Remember to check your pet’s ears regularly for signs of excess wax, irritation, and odour. This can be done using wet cotton balls or wet wipes.
Their nails usually need clipping every two to three weeks to avoid discomfort when walking.
Be extremely careful while clipping their nails, don’t cut them too short and only use nail clippers designed for pets.
Don’t ignore dental health
It’s not just your pet’s coat that needs regular care and attention, their teeth do too. Thanks to all the chewing they do, dogs are especially highly susceptible to developing dental diseases, but luckily this can usually be prevented through regular brushing.
While daily brushing is best, if this isn’t possible, you should aim to brush your dog’s teeth once or twice a week.
Paw protection
Check your pet’s paw pads regularly. While most pets have tough paw pads that can take on anything, they do tend to get damaged during extremely hot or cold weather. To moisture use moisturising balms specifically curated for animals, don’t use moisturisers and lotions formulated for humans.
Know your limits
Despite your good intentions and best efforts, your pet might still refuse to remain calm and stand still during grooming.
If this happens, consider asking a reliable friend to help you during grooming, or talk to your veterinarian about natural calming supplements.