Pet grooming’s not just for looks says Jo-Anne Honiball
Grooming your dog is not just about maintaining your dog’s level of cleanliness, and it is not just about keeping your dog good-looking, most importantly it’s about maintaining your dog’s physical health.
POLOKWANE – Woofels Doggy Shop Owner, Jo-Anne Honiball, said it is important for dog owners to make their dogs used to a grooming routine from as early as possible, preferably while they are still a puppy.
“If you wait too long before making your dog used to grooming you might struggle later on, especially when it comes to cleaning their ears and trimming their nails. Taking them to a grooming salon will also be traumatic for them as they will not know the people or know what is happening so they might act aggressively,” she explained.
Grooming is especially important for long-haired dogs, she added, as they require more intense grooming session than when compared to dogs with short hair.
“Because their hair is longer it takes a longer time to brush their hair so they have to be taught to sit still for long periods from an early age to make this process easier on both the owner and the dog. Even though dogs with shorter hair require less grooming, it is still equally as important for them to be groomed regularly.”
Jo-Anne added trimming your dog’s fur in warmer months helps them to avoid overheating or dehydration, especially for dogs that enjoy lying in the sun for long periods or if there is inadequate shade available for them.
“If you do not regularly brush your dog’s fur, especially long-haired dogs, their fur will get tangled which will lead to the necessity of the dog’s fur having to be cut off completely which is not good for them. In terms of washing your dog keep in mind that you cannot simply use any shampoo to wash them. You have to use special dog shampoo to wash them. This shampoo can be obtained from veterinarians or dog shops and parlours.”
Other dog health tips include:
It is also important, she added, to ensure your dog has enough space to play in accordance with their breed and size.
“For example, a Jack Russel terrier will need a lot of space as they are highly energetic dogs.”
Regularly de-worming and inoculating your dog is also important for their health, and yours, she concluded.
Want to go it alone, here are the pet grooming tools for a Do-it-yourself groomer. These items can be bought from any dog shop or parlour.
