Hygiene is as vital for your dog as it is for you. Bathing, teeth brushing, and grooming are important for a dog, and many people tend to forget.
Teeth
When it comes to brushing your pet’s teeth, there is no set age. Although you don’t have to wait until he loses his puppy teeth and gains his permanent adult teeth, which usually happens between 4 and 6 months, the sooner you start, the better. Brushing his teeth regularly as a puppy will get him used to it and make it much simpler for you when he’s older.
Just like you, your puppy will require a toothbrush and toothpaste before you begin. Purchase a specialty dog toothpaste, which comes in flavors that your puppy will like. These ingredients should be spat out rather than swallowed, and your dog will swallow them in large quantities to better avoid them. Do not use human toothpaste as it contains xylitol and is very poisonous for dogs.
When cleaning your puppy’s teeth for the first time, go slowly. If you terrify him, he may become scared of having his teeth brushed for a long time. Simply place your fingers in his mouth and run them against his teeth to begin. Then let him sniff and investigate the toothbrush and get a taste of the toothpaste before you try to put it in his mouth. When you’re done, give him a treat and make a big deal about it, so he remembers it as a positive experience.
If you want to keep your puppy’s teeth healthy for years to come, you’ll need to establish a regular regimen. Brush your dog’s teeth once a day at the absolute least. Choose a time that is convenient for you — perhaps right before bedtime, after you’ve washed your teeth — and stick to it. After you’ve finished brushing your puppy, be sure to generously praise him. He’ll soon look forward to his daily brushing.
Bathing
Some owners bathe their dogs daily, thinking that this is what they must do, but it can be very harmful to the pet. It is important to bathe your dog, but you should know how to properly avoid irritating their skin.
According to an expert, you don’t have to bathe a dog daily or even weekly. A dog should be bathed once a month or once every two weeks if they have a strong odor. If you wash them too often, their hair may become brittle, dry, and may even fall.
If you are bathing your dog two times a month, you better use a moisturizing lotion to avoid irritation. There are different ways to reduce your dog’s odor; you can proceed by brushing it and changing their diet (you may talk to your vet).
In between baths, you may want to brush them with a sprinkle of baking soda to absorb excess sweat. You do not need fancy soap and conditioner to bathe your dog; some natural alternatives may be more skin-friendly. You want to avoid human shampoo at all costs as there is a difference in the pet’s skin pH, and human shampoo is more drying than the one formulated for dogs.
Nails
Most of the time, dog owners tend to neglect their paws, pads, and nails. You should be doing a paw inspection at least once a month; I recommend doing it when you are bathing your dog (keep one day for the total grooming).
It is recurrent that objects are lodged between the pads, and thus you should take tweezers to get rid of them. Trim the fur carefully with scissors and clip the nails after the bathe (it will be easier as it is softer).
It is important to keep your dog clean but remember that our dogs are not as we are. It is important to consult a vet and ask them every question you may have doubts about. They will help you figure out everything to the advantage of your dog. Let us know in the comments what important part of the grooming we may have missed and what you are concerned about…