Grooming is not just about maintaining your dog’s level of cleanliness and it is not just about keeping your dog good-looking. Grooming is about maintaining both your dog’s physical health as well as their natural appearance.
To do this you must begin training your dog to endure grooming while he or she is still a puppy. If you wait too long to begin the grooming sessions, your puppy may not be agreeable to it later on, especially when it comes to ear cleaning and nail clipping.
“You cannot teach an old dog, new tricks”
This is especially important for long-haired or curly-haired dogs, which require more intense grooming sessions as compared to short-haired dogs. It takes more time to brush their long fur and they need to get used to staying still for this starting at an early age. That is not to say dogs with short, clipped fur do not require grooming.
Brushing is beneficial for all kinds of dogs no matter what breed they are, helping to remove dead hair, dirt, and dandruff. Regular brushing also helps to bring out the natural oils in the dog’s fur. As you brush, the natural oils are spread all over your puppy’s fur giving the coat a healthy shine.
You can begin basic grooming when a puppy is as young as three weeks old. Experienced breeders will even begin acquainting their puppies with basic grooming techniques before they go to their new homes so that by the time they are picked up by their owners, they are already used to it.
Many puppy parents make the mistake of waiting until their pups are six months of age or older before taking them to a professional groomer. But the general rule of thumb is that they should be no more than 16 weeks old, as younger pups are easier to train. Of course, they need to have had all of their vaccinations before being groomed for the first time.
A benefit of using a professional dog groomer is that it allows them to check your pet for any abnormalities. This includes skin problems such as ticks, fleas and dry patches, or issues with their nails, teeth, ears, and eyes such as infection or inflammation. When found at an early stage, these problems can be treated right away, before they have a chance to become more serious.
Simply put, grooming helps keep your dog happy and healthy, helps your dog build confidence and relationships, familiarizes them with meeting new people and it even helps you to save on veterinary bills. So don’t delay, start grooming your puppy early!
