Dog Grooming Tips for the Summer

Above photo courtesy of Beautiful Bologonese

Summertime will be upon us before we know it. Time passes so quick. Be prepared for summer grooming as it usually means spending more time outdoors with your dog. The goal here is to make your dog feel cool and comfortable. A bonus with grooming your dog at home is it enhances the relationship you have with your dog. Dogs appreciate beauty salon treatments from their owners and will repay you with a closer bond to you. Grooming shows your dog you love him or her. Even if you have professional grooming intervals, grooming at home is an excellent way to tell your dog, "you are special to me," and "I love you."

Brushing your dog regularly provides many benefits that range from reduced shedding to a cleaner coat all the time. Brushing your dog daily is also an excellent way of keeping your dog cool in the summertime as it also helps you spot anything going wrong with your dog's skin such as infections, allergies or even fleas and ticks that are extra summertime problems for you and your dog. Brush regular to get out the mats that may develop in your dog's coat. Mats are extra bothersome in the summer months as they trap moisture from humidity and irritate your dog's skin. Brush regular to remove the dead hair. Brush regular to help circulation on the outer layer of skin.

Don't bath your dog too often. This is often a mistake people make in summer months thinking it helps the dog be more comfortable. If you brush every day, this will keep the coat clean. Every few weeks or once a month is usually enough depending on your dog breed. In between baths, you can use leave on sprays that condition and clean. You can also use a damp towel to wipe off dirt and help keep the dog clean in between baths.

Consider a summer haircut or shave down in summer months to help keep your dog cooler and more comfortable. Dogs don't sweat like people do. Their body heat needs some external help from you to get out. A summer time hair cut is especially necessary for dogs with longer or thicker hair.

Consider summer time pools especially for your pooch to splash around in, to jump into and cool off. 

Grooming safety is always a priority for grooming at home and professional grooming.