Oscar has never been to a doggy salon. I don’t know who would experience more anxiety-him or myself! But that doesn’t mean he is not groomed at home. Oscar gets attended to on a daily basis, whether it’s a simple brush of his coat, teeth cleaning or ear cleaning. I wouldn’t say Oscar loves his scheduled bath days, but he does love the feeling of being clean and of course he gets extra kisses and cuddles when he is soft and smelling like vanilla and sweet pea. I take huge pride in the fact that Oscar is so well home groomed.

How often should your furry love get bathed? I believe it is a personal choice. Sure, it is not good for your pup to get bathed daily. They have natural skin oils just like we do and if you bath them too often you strip away those oils. I bath Oscar once a week-depending on his weekend activities. If he decides to go rolling in sand and is filthy from head to toe, he definitely gets bathed. Other times he goes two or three weeks without needing a bath.

So here are some DIY grooming tips for you and your furry love…

 Brushing: I believe it’s a good idea to brush your pup daily. This allows you to check for ticks and fleas or lumps and bumps that should not be there and it’s also a little bonding session for the two of you. If you have a long haired dog, daily brushing or combing will help get knots and tangles out. Daily brushing also helps with hair shedding.

 Getting Wet: Always use the best quality dog shampoo and conditioner you can afford and buy ones that suit your pooches fur (curly, long, short, dry etc). Please do not use human shampoo’s on your pup! Always rinse the product off your pups fur thoroughly. Be careful not to scold your pup either. A lukewarm bath or shower is best for your pooch.

This was Oscar’s first bath!

 Drying:

Oscar hates the hair dryer, and for him getting towel dried is a bit of a game. If your pup doesn’t mind the hair dryer be careful not to burn him. Always set it on the coolest setting. Plan your pups bath times. Don’t bath him at night if he does not enjoy being blow dried. You do not want him sleeping with wet fur all night. Instead plan a mid-day bath where you can run around and have fun while he gets dry.

 Teeth: Oscar doesn’t enjoy getting his teeth brushed, even after 12 years! But I insist of course. Use a properly designed toothbrush for your pooch and use special pet toothpaste. NEVER use human toothpaste! Brushing your pups teeth helps you to check for any changes in his gums too.

 Ears: I never let water get into Oscar’s ears while bathing him. I am very careful around his face. I do use a cotton bud to clean the visible gunk that accumulates in his ears. I never go deep into his ear! Oscar has long Basset Hound ears which are usually prone to ear infections. I believe that as a result of my careful ear cleaning he has never had an ear infection in his life. He has had his ears syringed a few times at his vet which clean the entire ear our properly. Speak to your vet about getting your pups ears cleaned.

 Nails: Oscar is pretty patient and lets me do just about anything to him-except cut his nails! This is his vets job! For some reason Oscar absolutely hates this part of his grooming schedule and it’s a rather traumatic experience for both of us. Luckily he only needs his nails cut ever three months. If you are lucky enough to cut your pooches nails, please be careful not to cut them too short and cut into the quick. Not only will you get blood everywhere, it will be painful for your pup. If you are unsure, I recommend going to your vet or doggy salon for this one.

 In-between: When Oscar is in-between his baths, I usually rub him down with doggy wet wipes and spray him with doggy perfume. This keeps him smelling and looking fresh without having to bath him. Always remember to apply a good quality tick and flea repellent to your furry love! They are on the market for a reason so please use them.

Grooming your pooch is bonding time for the two of you so have fun with it.

Thank you for reading.

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