Grooming pets is a bond that cannot be matched and many people love ensuring their companions look as good as possible at all times.

If you’ve been trying to perfect your grooming technique for some time, you may have noticed that it is easier said than done.

Whilst grooming your pet at home is certainly beneficial to your wallet, mistakes can easily occur when you try to follow the instructions on pet shampoo bottles. This is why it’s important to know about common dog grooming mistakes so that you can avoid them in the future. 

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For all you fellow pet owners out there, here’s a quick and essential guide on how to avoid making certain mistakes whilst grooming your four-legged friend.

Let’s get started!

1. Not Brushing Their Coat Before Washing

This step is crucial for dogs with longer hair, especially if they tend to form mats when their hair is wet. Getting rid of the excess dog hair trapped in their coat before washing will prevent discomfort later on.

2. Failing to Train Your Dog

Some K9 dog breeds need to be trained before they can be properly groomed. If you want to groom your dog without causing them anxiety or leading to an injury, you need to start training them as young as possible.

You need to make sure your dog is comfortable being touched on the face, paws, and tail by yourself and other people. You also want to get them used to the sound of dog grooming tools to help keep them calm. This will keep your dog from lashing out in fear.

If you have adopted an older dog, you’ll also need to make sure they’re comfortable with being groomed. It might take more time and trust, but if you’re patient, then you will be able to make grooming a pleasant experience for any dog.

3. Not Grooming in the Winter

You might be thinking that it’s much too cold to bathe your dog or cut their hair. But not grooming during the colder months can lead to severe matting that not only causes your dog discomfort and pain, but if the mats are too severe, the only fix will be to shave them. 

It’s important to keep your dog grooming routine going year-round to keep them happy and healthy.

4. Not Sticking to a Routine

While your dog may not need a bath or a haircut as regularly as humans do, it’s important to keep a routine going so that your dog doesn’t forget what it feels like.

If you go several weeks without brushing your pup, they might start getting stressed by the strange experience.

5. Not Cutting Nails Slowly and Precisely

Nail trimming is a challenge all dog owners must go through. It is also one of the reasons it’s crucial to get your dog used to having their paws handled.

When trimming the nails, you need to go slowly and use sharp clippers. Dull clippers will end up crushing the nails instead of cutting them, which can be uncomfortable.

Avoid These Common Dog Grooming Mistakes

Understanding these common dog grooming mistakes is the first step in making grooming a pleasant experience.

The strange sounds and smells might startle your pup in the beginning, but if you patiently work at it, you’ll be grooming your pup stress-free in no time.

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