This following post is a guest article from Frisky Dog Daycare’s resident groomer, Wendy Neal.
There are several reasons why getting your dog groomed on a regular basis is beneficial to your dogs health, in addition to the aesthetic benefits.
If you own a breed that requires routine coat trimming such as a Shih Tzu, Poodle, Cocker Spaniel, or Maltese, keeping a regular grooming schedule will result in a healthier coat. As a groomer, it pains to have to resort to shaving a dog completely is the hair has become matted and clumped — very similar to dread-locks in human hair. Not only does your dog suffer from the pain and pulling from messing with the mats, but your canine companion can also develop skin conditions and sores from bacteria that develop under the mats. Longer and/or softer coats require a COMPLETE brush out BEFORE bathing to prevent water catching in the mats. If water remains in the clumps in can mold and cause rot. This type of matting is the most difficult to brush out and will result in having to clip underneath the matting.
Short to medium coated breeds such Labrador, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd, or Beagle that shed frequently also benefit from keeping a routine grooming schedule. This routine keeps the coat thin, healthy and tremendously reduces the amount of loose hair in your home (not to mention all the lint that collects on your clothes).
Dogs cool off their bodies by panting and via air circulation as it passes through the pads on their paws. By keeping the hair between their pads clipped, it significantly benefits your dog’s built-in air conditioning unit. It also increases the traction they need to maneuver without slipping on smooth surfaces.
There are other benefits to routine grooming: older dogs with weaker skeletal systems benefit tremendously from keeping their pads trimmed. Often dogs with longer facial hair develop crust in the corner of their eyes from the due to irritation. Sores can develop under the crust which can lead to discomfort, infection, and greater medical issues. Routine grooming will alleviate the development of bacteria around the eyes resulting in a healthier dog.
In addition to grooming, keeping your dogs nails trimmed will result in an agile and more mobile dog. Overgrown nails result in the “splaying” of the pads, which means that your dog has to adjust his stance to compensate for the nail length. This unnatural posture eventually leads to arthritis in their legs and hips, and also increases the risk of your dog snagging and tearing nails on floors, carpeting and furniture. Well-manicured nails will also prevent injury to you from their “pawing” affection.
Grooming at Frisky Dog Daycare is so much more than a mani-pedi. We also will clean out ears as all dogs benefit from having their ears cleaned on a regular basis. It reduces the buildup of wax that bacteria adheres to, thus preventing further health issues. Longer-haired breeds actually GROW hair in their ears that requires plucking. Keeping the ear canal free of this hair prevents ear infections and further complications.
Regular grooming of your dog can help identify skin issues as well as health issues such as “lumps” and “bumps” and infections. If these symptoms are identified in the early stages it will save you expensive trips to the vet and is guaranteed to keep your dog healthy and happy. But what is the number one advantage to grooming fur, trimming nails, and keeping your dog’s ears clean? Clean, well-groomed dogs are a pleasure to cuddle and curl up next to! All that extra TLC means that your dog is always ready for a little one-on-one!