Dog Grooming and Dog Care

Dog grooming is relatively simple for most dogs. I have a greyhound and spend about 5 minutes per day on dog grooming. For dogs that have short hair, they need to be brushed, maybe once per week. For dogs with long hair, the grooming is more time consuming. This is an important consideration when selecting a breed. Beyond regularly brushing your dog's coat and giving him or her periodic baths, you may want to consider a few other things.

Certain dogs' nails grow faster than others and need to be clipped. It's not enough to walk your dog on the street in hopes that the nails will wear down. If the nails get too long, it could be uncomfortable for the dog and might make it difficult to walk. Either clip the dog's nails yourself, but be careful not to clip too much off, or go to your local groomer who will clip the nails for roughly $5.

Lastly, think about cleaning your dog's ears every so often. Dust, dirt and wax can accumulate. Take a tissue and clean the ears, but don't go too deep. This is also a good idea if you see your dog scratching his or her ears or shaking his or her head. Lastly, a few dog breeds are predisposed to having poor teeth, e.g., greyhounds and whippets. Therefore, brushing the dog's teeth every other day is crucial. Otherwise, your dog might be uncomfortable and you may be facing some costly dental bills.

My above comments are focused on basic grooming, but you have to make sure you are providing your dog proper nutrition and medicines as well. With medicines, don't forget to regularly get your dog inoculated - especially for rabies and don't forget to give him or her monthly heartworm pills - if you don't opt for a veterinary shot.

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