Getting your dog groomed may seem like a cosmetic issue. However, dog grooming is much more than that. Regular grooming is essential to your dog’s overall health.
Not only does grooming help keep your dog’s fur clean and neat, but it also helps prevent matting and infections.
Stops Matting
What Is Matted Fur?
If a dog’s fur isn’t brushed often enough, it can become matted. Mats occur when fur gets tangled, knotted, and twisted around itself.
Dogs with fine or curly coats may get mats more frequently than other breeds. The same goes for dogs with double coats, who are at a higher risk for mats.
Why Are Mats Bad For Your Dog?
Mats in fur are bad for a dog for several reasons. Firstly, fleas and other parasites can hide more easily in the mats. Mats can also irritate your dog’s skin.
Additionally, mats can keep the fur too close to the dog’s skin, preventing airflow and temperature regulation. Overall, mats make a dog very uncomfortable and interfere with its day-to-day happiness.
How Does Grooming Help With Mats?
Regular grooming can help prevent mats from forming in the first place. Groomers thoroughly brush your dog and trim its fur to keep it from getting matted.
Even if you brush your dog regularly, grooming is still an important part of the upkeep of your dog’s fur and overall health. If your dog does have mats, the groomer may be obligated to shave your dog to remove the matted fur.
A groomer is the best person to handle mats. Even if you typically brush and trim your dog’s fur yourself, mats should be dealt with by a professional.
Prevents Ear Infections
Dogs breeds with floppy ears are more likely to suffer from ear infections than others. As cute as these ears are, they cover your dog’s ear canal. This prevents air circulation and creates a warm and moist environment where bacteria can thrive.
A groomer can help fight bacteria growth by shaving the hair on the inside part of the ears and removing any hair in the ear canal. However, you will still need to make sure you clean your dog’s ears regularly to prevent infections.
Prevents Eye Problems
Hair can get in a dog’s eyes, irritate the eyes, and scratch the corneas. The groomer can trim the hair so it won’t get into your dog’s eyes and risk infection or damage.
A dog groomer will keep the hair around a dog’s face neatly trimmed and out of its eyes. This is especially important for dog breeds that have longer hair.
Helps Dog’s Bowel Movement
If your dog has long hair, there’s a good chance that feces can get stuck in the fur. This can obstruct the anus and cause bowel problems.
Plus, it’s relatively easy to see parasites that your dog may have in this area if it’s kept neat and tidy, including tapeworms, fleas, ticks, and other possible parasites. A groomer can keep the fur in this area trimmed neatly so that obstructions won’t occur and any parasites will be more easily visible.
Regular Bathing
Most dogs need to be bathed at least every three months. A groomer typically also offers professional bathing services.
You will still need to bathe your dog yourself as well, depending on how frequently your dog is groomed.
Bathing can help remove any dirt and oils as well as old hair. Plus, it’s an excellent opportunity to check your dog for parasites such as fleas and ticks.
Grooming Your Dog at Home
There are some grooming tasks that you can and should do yourself at home. You can brush your dog’s hair, trim its nails, and bathe your dog at home. How frequently you need to perform these tasks will depend on your dog.
A dog that likes to roll in dirt and mud may need to be bathed more frequently than dogs that prefer playing indoors. Performing grooming tasks yourself at home will help keep your dog healthier and cleaner.
However, you may still want to consider a professional grooming service at regular intervals and perform home maintenance on your dog in between appointments.
