02/07/2024
Do you brush your pet's coat on a daily basis?
If not, we recommend getting in the routine of brushing your pup daily to help maintain their skin and coat.
Regular brushing and combing through your pet's coat can help minimize matting, loosen and remove dead hair trapped in their coat, and helps to stimulate their skin. Brushing can also relax your pup and help create a special bonding time between you and your furry friend. Your pup should see brushing and regular grooming as a way of life rather than a punishment. That's why we suggest introducing grooming, whether at home or at a grooming salon, into your routine with your pets.
Here are some of our answers to questions we are asked on a regular basis -
Q. Why should we brush our dog?
A. No matter the breed or size of your dog, brushing is a necessity. Brushing helps to remove dead hair and skin cells, distribute oils from your dog's skin, keeps your pet from becoming matted resulting in having your dog shaved, and it can also limit how much hair is falling onto your floor and furniture by removing their seasonal coat.
Q. What age should we start brushing our dog?
A. The earlier you're introducing brushing into your pet's routine, the better! If you recently got a puppy, you should introduce brushing as soon as possible, but always keep your grooming introductions short and sweet. That goes for professional grooms or at home grooming. Positively introducing grooming allows your new pup to build a positive association with brushes and grooming in general. Always praise and love on your puppy while introducing them to grooming.
Q. How often should I brush my dog?
A. As often as you can. Daily brushing is ideal, but we know everyone has a busy life, so if you can do it every other day or so that is fine too. However, the longer you go without brushing your dog, the more likely it is that mats can form on a longer coated dog or the more time you're giving undercoat to grow back in on double coated pups.
Q. Is a brushing routine the same for all dogs?
A. Depending on the length and coat type of the dog.
* Shorter haired dogs: ie Boxers, Labs, Pitbulls, Weimaraners, Pugs, Frenchies don't need to b e brushed as frequently since their hair cannot tangle or mat. You can still use a curry brush or rubber deshedding brush to help remove some of their shedding hair. It is not useful or necessary to use a slicker brush or comb on this coat type.
* Curly coated dogs: ie Bichon Frise, Doodles, Poodles, Spaniels, Bedlingtons, etc. should be brushed every day! Because of how thick and curly these coats can be, it is best to brush as often as possible to ensure you're removing any tangles and preventing their coat from matting.
*Double coats: ie Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Bernese Mountain, Chow Chow, Collie, German Shepherd, Husky, Old English Sheepdog, Leonberger, Pomeranian, St. Bernard, Spitz, etc should be brushed 2-3 times a week to assist in removing their undercoat and help limit the amount of hair they shed all over your home. This undercoat can become matted if it's not being brushed on a regular basis. We strongly suggest regular grooming whether at home or in a professional salon to help reduce matting and the chance of ever having to shave these double coated breeds.
Q. What is a good brushing technique?
A. We always suggest "Line Brushing" your pup. Line brushing is a grooming technique that can be used on all dogs apart from short haired dogs. Line brushing is different than just running a brush on the top layer of your dog's coat, which does nothing for the layer of the hair closest to the skin, nor does it help the undercoat of double coated dogs. Although it can be time consuming, it is a gentle way of untangling their coat and also a good way of looking over their skin. the proper way of line brushing is to start at the feet and work your way up the legs, then the body, and lastly the neck and head of the dog. You want to start at the ends of the hair and then work your way down to the root of the hair. While you're brushing, you want to hold the top portion of the hair that you're not brushing with the opposite hand you're not brushing with. This ensures you're working in small portions and getting to every part of the dog's body without missing anything.
Q. Is it better to brush my dog wet or dry?
A. You should always brush your dog while their coat is dry. Wet hair can make existing matting worse and harder to remove. Always brush your dog prior to a bath to ensure you're not setting existing mats.
Q. Can brushing hurt my dog?
A. No, unless you're digging the brush into the dog's skin or you're brushing the dog in the same area too many times resulting in brush burn. Signs of brush burn include irritated skin, reddened skin, scrapes, etc.
If you have any other questions that have not been addressed, let us know in the comments below! We're always happy to answer any questions you have :) What are some other grooming related topics you'd like us to address?
