Abstract
Pet grooming is an important process, and it requires absolute devotion. Dogs are bound to get dirty; for this reason, frequent grooming is necessary for their health and general well-being. The process of grooming a dog might vary from one person to another, but the general process consists of four main stages. The first stage of grooming a dog is brushing. Brushing the dog prepares it for bathing and trimming of the hair, which are the third, and the fourth stages of the grooming process respectively. The second stage of the process involves cleaning the eyes, ears, teeth, and nails. Idea grooming keeps the dog healthy and lovely.
Introduction
Regular grooming of a pet is an important process. Grooming a pet makes it healthier and easier to manage. The grooming process strengthens the bond between the pet and the owner. Consequently, it is important for people to groom their pets rather than take them to the veterinarian.
The grooming process
The process of grooming a dog includes four main stages that make the grooming process enjoyable. The process begins with the assembling of the necessary tools followed by a four-step process. The steps include brushing, clipping, bathing, and trimming (Inman, 2013). The effectiveness of each step has a significant impact on the Dog’s general health.
Brushing
The necessary items for grooming a dog include shampoo, a blow dryer, a slicker, a curry brush, dog nail clippers, a dental scraper, rubbing alcohol, a towel, and a piece of cotton wool. Brushing is the first step in the grooming process. One should use a curry brush or a slicker to mat the Dog depending on the size of its fur. One should brush the dog starting from the neck then proceed to the rest of the body. The process ensures that all the hairs lie flat to ease the bathing process (Nolan, 2012).
Clipping
The second step in grooming a dog includes nail clipping, teeth, eyes, and ear cleaning. A dog nail clipper is an ideal tool to use while cutting the dog’s nails. A clipper helps to prevent unnecessary injuries on the foot during the nail cutting process. The ear of a Dog can bread an enormous amount of bacteria if not well managed. To clean the ears effectively, one should use a piece of cotton wool with some rubbing alcohol (Kerns, 2012). The alcohol helps to dry the water inside the ear, leaving it dry. The process is repeated using dry cotton wool to ensure that the ear is completely dry. By using tear mark removers and a piece of cotton wool, one should gently wipe around the eyes without touching the inner parts of the eye. Lastly, to clean the teeth effectively, one should use a dental scraper because it is gentler than a toothbrush, and it cleans all areas of the teeth leaving the dog healthy.
Bathing
The third step of the grooming process is the bathing of the dog. One should Wet the dog thoroughly before applying the shampoo. Additionally, One should apply the shampoo from the neck down to the rest of the body while using hands to spread the shampoo to the fur. The head is usually the last to clean. Using a sprinkler helps remove all the residues of shampoo. One can use either a towel or a blow dryer to dry the dog up to seventy-five percent to avoid burning the skin (Kerns, 2012).
Hair Trimming
The fourth stage is hair trimming, and it is the simplest of all. A person can use scissors or clippers to trim the fur to the ideal size. The entire process can take place within a period of one hour.
References
Inman, M. (2013). My dog: the paradox, a lovable discourse about man’s best friend. Kansas City, Missouri: Andrews McMeel Publishing.
Kerns, N. (2012). How to properly care for your dog’s teeth. The whole dog journal, 1(2), 6-11.
Nolan, A. (2012). I’d rather be a cat: the official “better than dogs” cat book. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers.