Oh No, My Hair

Dogs don’t have it as easy as humans. We can take care of ourselves for the most part, and ask for help when we can’t. Well as we all know, our furry friends can’t have conversations with us. As much as we like to think they can, myself included. Having a dog with long, thick, and very easily tangled hair- I had to learn a lot about how to take care of his hair in between trips to the groomer. This is just one of the responsibilities of a dog owner. Don’t stop reading- even if you have a pup with short hair that is easily managed, there are still tips that will help you keep your pup groomed and smelling good! Grooming our pups can be stressful- but here are some tips on how to keep it low key and easy to manage. We take Fletcher to the groomer every month and a half, but in the mean time his fur still has to be kept up with- and here is how we do it.

Since Fletcher was a pup I have been playing with his hair, his ears, his paws, and his face. This may sound odd, but a lot of dogs do not like this. So, if you begin this from the time they are little they will be used to the poking and prodding. Every morning I make sure to get all the nasty “eye boogers” out of his eyes, and now it’s like a ritual. He just stands there because he knows I’m going to do it anyway so he may as well get it over with. So basically, accustom your pet to being bathed, groomed, and taken care of. The more you can do this at home, the easier it will be when he or she goes to see your groomer! Next, make sure you are brushing ALL over your pet, not just the common areas like the back and legs. Their faces, bellies, and backsides also need groomed, so take the time to do it all. Don’t begin to neglect grooming just because the seasons change, keep up with it all year round. Therefore, your pet stays accustomed to it and does not have to relearn the experience all over again. Learn what products work best for your pets fur, Fletcher has bad allergies so we use shampoos and conditioners that are gentle and oatmeal based. However, every pup is different, so do your research or ask your vet.  Last but not least, there are products out there that help your dogs skin and coat stay healthy. I highly recommend finding one that works for your pet. The two that we use daily are fish oil pills and coco therapy for pups! We love Coco Therapy because they have multiple products with Coconut Oil in them. So if you’re not wanting to do the Coconut Oil, check out their other products. We love all of them, and they work as great treats.

So whether or not you and your pup are pros at grooming, or you’re having to drag your pup to the bath- try out these tips. We know grooming can be stressful, messy, and time consuming- but practice makes perfect. Make sure that you are giving lots of praise to your pup, as this can be scary for them. Depending on the day, maybe even a special treat afterwards, this creates good memories for your furry friend and may help them next time around.