One easy way to keep a dog’s coat looking its best is to brush and comb them ever 2 to 3 days. Take a few minutes out of your busy week to brush your dog’s fur, ensuring you are thorough but gentle– you don’t want to irritate them, but it’s best you don’t miss many areas. Focus on areas with longer or more condensed fur, like their sides or around their butt. This easy maintenance can prevent matting, and your furry friend probably won’t mind the attention! Some dogs come running when they see their owner grabbing a brush, because they know a thorough rubbing is about to happen.

How often does your dog need a bath? While it is recommended that pets are bathed every one to three weeks, it can vary depending on several factors. Activity levels, self-cleaning habits, weather, and surroundings can all play pivotal roles in determining when it is the right time to bathe your dog again. During periods of harsher, wet weather, high activity levels, messier outdoor surroundings, or even if your dog just does poorly at looking after its own grooming, you may need to bathe them more frequently. Ideally, when you begin to notice your dog’s coat and feet are picking up more dirt, it is best to take care of it by treating them to a warm bath sooner than later.

One important aspect of grooming that should be done frequently at home is brushing your dog’s teeth. Teeth brushing would be best once a day, but even a weekly practice of it will do wonders in helping your dog’s oral hygiene. Since they can’t do this themselves, they rely on you to upkeep their teeth to prevent gum disease or tartar buildup, the latter of which requiring expensive sedation and veterinary services. To accommodate your dog to having their teeth touched, it’s recommended that you use your fingers to gently massage their gums or lips to accustom them to the feeling. When it’s time for a real teeth-brushing, you’ll need a small, soft toothbrush (hopefully one specifically for dogs) as well as pet toothpaste (do not use human toothpaste!). If your pet seems apprehensive right away, you can also put a little bit of the toothpaste on their lips to let them try the taste before going in. When your dog is settled and seems most comfortable, apply some of the toothpaste to your dog’s teeth and gently use the toothbrush to scrub it in and around their mouth. Take care like you would for your children, being sure to gently clean around their gum line as well as the sides and back of their teeth, if possible. Proper oral hygiene like this will help not only your pet’s health, but also their comfort levels. Everyone loves having clean, strong teeth!