Do Not Neglect These Areas When Grooming Your Dog
When grooming a dog, one of the most common mistakes that pet owners make is to neglect different areas of the body that need to be groomed. Neglecting these areas can make it more difficult to keep your dog clean and can also reduce the beauty of your dog's appearance.
The Ears
Not only do you need to groom the outside of your dog's ears, but you should clean the inside as well. Do not clean your dog's ears too often because this will negatively impact your dog's internal cleaning system. However, it is important to make sure your dog's ears do not smell very bad. Cleaning your dog's ears regularly is also a great way to spot an infection or another medical problem early before the problem gets out of hand.
The Hair Between Your Dog's Toes
Clean the hair between the pads of your dog's feet. This area is often neglected and will cause your dog to collect small stones and other materials that will cause it to become uncomfortable when your dog walks. Also, your dog's tones might accumulate ice during the winter while outside. Make sure that the hair is trimmed in order to prevent these problems and in order to keep your dog's feet clean.
The Nails
Inspect your dog's feet and trim his or her nails in order to keep them short. Your dog's nails should not click when they touch the floor. Not only is it more difficult for your dog to walk with long nails, but it is more likely that his or her nails will snag on something and break off, which can be painful.
When trimming the nail, make sure to not trim the quick. This is the part of the nail that supplies blood and will be painful to trim. Also, this portion of the nail will cause bleeding if clipped. When inspecting the nail, there is a portion that has a different color from the rest of the nail.
The Difficult Areas To Brush
Do not neglect the tail, butt, belly or face. These areas need to be approached cautiously, but it is just as important to groom them as everywhere else.
If you are not confident in your ability to groom every part of your dog, a great option is to take him or her into a groomer. Pet grooming professionals are experienced with all aspects of caring for a dog and will not only make sure that your dog is clean, but will also be able to give great advice.