If you have a short hair dog breed, then combing and bathing him is relatively easy.
However, if you have a long coated dog breed, like we do, then it becomes a little more time consuming.
No matter what length of coat your dog has, the grooming of your pet is the same.
Always comb and brush him out before you give him a bath.
Cut out any mats behind the ears and behind the elbows with a mat cutter or scissors.
Doing this will prevent the mats from tightening up when your dog is bathed.
Start brushing at the rear with either a pin brush or undercoat rake.
Lift up the hair and comb the undercoat first and go all the way up to the head and chest.
Then brush the top coat, starting at the back working your way to the head.
A double coated dog, such as a Collie or Shetland sheepdog, will have lots of undercoat to remove, so your grooming will take longer.
You may find when you are finished brushing him out, you have another dog just from the undercoat alone.
Happens to me all the time.
After brushing and combing, this is the time to trim your dog's toenails.
Depending on the size of the dog, you may want to use guillotine trimmers for small dogs and the scissor type for big dogs with larger, harder nails.
Make sure you do not trim too short, cutting the sensitive "quick" that holds blood flow to the toenails.
If you do "bleed" your dog, styptic pencil or powder applied to the nail will stop the bleeding.
If you don't have this, then I've found that either cornstarch or baking soda does the trick.
You can also brush your dog's teeth as well.
If your pet isn't use to having his teeth brushed, training is in order.
Use your finger to start rubbing around his teeth and gums, gradually adding a finger brush and dog toothpaste.
Most dogs, after they get use to this, look forward to having their teeth and gums brushed.
Now you are ready to bathe your dog.
Use only dog shampoo and conditioner.
There are many brands on the market so look for the ones that match your dog's needs.
If he has dry skin, look for medicated shampoo; fleas, a flea shampoo, etc.
Put cotton in your dog's ears so water won't get into them and cause problems.
Wash his face with a wash cloth.
Do not spray water in his eyes, as this can cause irritation.
Warm water is best for bathing.
Start by wetting your dog all over, including soaking the undercoat, since this does repel water.
Then start shampooing from head to tail, getting down to the skin.
Rinse him thoroughly, getting all the soap off, especially on the skin.
Then use conditioner, just like shampooing.
Stand back, because your dog is going to shake and you will get wet.
Put towels over him and towel dry most of the moisture.
Place towels on the floor and blow dry him.
This could take awhile depending on his size and coat length.
As he dries, use a brush to fluff him and continue drying.
Make sure your pet is completely dry before letting him outside.
He will roll in the dirt and grass and all your hard work will be lost.
Now you have a nice clean dog.
It is not necessary to bathe your dog every week.
Every two to three months is sufficient.
However, if he tends to get very dirty, then more frequent baths are in order.
If he needs freshening up between baths, there are dog bath wipes on the market that will clean him up and take off some of the dirt without water.
I use them on my dogs.
Do you have a dog breed that needs professional trimming and grooming? Poodles, in particular, need a professional groomer unless you know how to trim your own pet.
If you don't have the expertise to clip your dog, leave it to the professionals.
You keep your dog healthy on the inside, so don't forget he needs to stay healthy on the outside as well.