How to Groom Your Dog at Home

Get salon treatment for your pooch in the comfort of your own home.

How to Prepare Your Dog

Prior training will be very helpful if you are trying to groom your pet at home by yourself.  They should be able to do basic commands like sit, lay and stay.  It's also helpful to get your pet used to having someone touch his feet and ears so that he doesn't flinch so much during the grooming process.  Have plenty of treats available to reinforce good behavior, like listening to commands and tolerating having his hands held.

Equipment You Need

Brush: This depends on the type of fur your dog has.  Long, flowing fur needs a steel pin brush.  Short, silky hair needs a rubber brush mitt.  Curly hair needs a fine wire brush.  Medium length, wavy hair needs a steel comb.

Shampoo: So many to choose from!  Try some with oatmeal if your dog has itchy skin.  Or try some specifically made to get rid of fleas if bugs are a problem where you live.

Clippers: If you're just trimming around the feet and doing minor touch ups, you can probably just use inexpensive clippers.  Go ahead and invest in some sturdier clippers though if you'll be doing some serious fur clipping.  Make sure you have lubricating oil to keep the clippers working well.  And use plastic guide combs to determine how short the hair should be.

Pet ear wash and cotton balls.

Nail scissors or electric trimmers: Depending on how antsy your dog is, the electric trimmers are better for squirmy dogs.

Toothbrush and pet toothpaste: Dog toothpaste is flavored like meat instead of mint.

Brushing

You should try to brush your dog's fur every day.  This will keep the knots and mats out of it and produce natural oils that will help prevent dry skin.  You have to brush the fur before bathing because wet hair will just make the knots worse.  Cut out the worst of the knots that you can't brush through.  Then brush starting with the belly and working your way up.

Bathing

Don't overbathe your dog or his skin could dry out - every other week is a good timeline for baths.  When you are ready for a bath, you can teach your dog to prepare just like you teach him tricks.  Give your dog a treat while the water is running into the tub.  Put him in the tub, then give him a treat for standing in the few inches of water.  Use warm water to wash him and be sure to towel dry him when it's all over.

Trimming Hair

Let your dog sniff the razor before you start cutting so he can get used to it.  Start by cutting the hair on the back and sides and then move to the more sensitive areas like feet, chest, head, and then ears.  It's that easy!

Cleaning Ears

Soak a cotton ball in the ear wash and then wipe the outer part of the ears with the cotton ball.  Let your dog shake out the excess liquid.  Then you can use a Q-tip to clean in the nooks and crannies.  Don't go into the ear canal.  Just like in humans, you shouldn't put Q-tips into the ear canal. 

Cutting Nails

You could try placing your dog on a table to trim his nails.  Or if you can't keep him on the table, then lay him on his side on the floor.  Snip just a little at a time.  When you start to see pale pink tissue (the quick) then stop cutting.  You can file the nail to make it smooth.  If the nail does start to bleed, just apply pressure on it until it stops. 

Brushing Teeth

Start by getting your dog used to the taste of the toothpaste.  Then use your finger to rub along his teeth and gums to get him used to having something in his mouth.  Then use the toothbrush and brush like normal for no more than 30 seconds.