Our canine companions are a never-ending source of joy, but they do require work for upkeep and care. Regular brushing and grooming of your dog’s coat is a big part of this, helping keep your pet healthy, looking their best, and helping you enjoy a clean and (relatively) hair-free home. And as with so many seemingly simple tasks, there are right and wrong ways to brush your dog. To help you get started outright, we’re going to offer a brief guide to how to brush your dog aimed at new dog owners.
You’ve probably noticed that different breeds of dogs have different types of coats. As it turns out, different coats need different kinds of care, so we’ll be breaking down our list by coat type for ease of reference:
Tips to Care Different Coats by its Types
- Short, smooth coats are probably the easiest to care for, but contrary to popular myth, they require regular care. Short-haired breeds can shed frequently so regular brushing can spare you a great deal of clean-up. Rubber brushes and deshedding tools can help with this, and short smooth coats should be brushed once or twice a week, with short smooth strokes.
- Short, wiry coats are perhaps more difficult to care for than short, smooth coats as they’re prone to developing difficult tangles. They require more regular brushing–two or three times a week at least. Having both a stiff-bristled brush and a flexible bristled one will make things a lot easier. The former is for regular brushing, while the latter can make it easier to work through tangles.
- Medium coats are most common and can be easy to maintain with regular care. A stiff bristle brush will suffice for most care, with a longer, softer bristled brush available to work through any matting. Dogs with these coats need to be brushed at least every other day, which helps curtail matting and tangling.
- Long coats can be complex and time-consuming to care for and benefit the most from professional care. A brush with flexible wire bristles and a stiff comb are necessary tools for maintaining a long coat, as is regular care. In general, most long-coated dogs will require daily brushing: at least 10 to 15 minutes every day in order to avoid matting, tangling, and other issues. Long coats are especially prone to tangling around the joints, including the base of the tail and behind the ears, so pay special attention to these areas when brushing your long-haired puppy!
- Curly coats have their own special set of issues. Many curly-haired breeds don’t shed well on their own, so shed hair can get caught up in the living coat and cause tangles and accumulate dirt. A brush with flexible wire bristles and a de-shedding tool are your best friends when caring for your best friend’s curly coat. Dogs with these coats will need to be brushed every other day, if not daily.
Regular grooming is an absolute must for keeping your dog healthy, but regular bathing is also needed in order to ensure the best possible results. K9000 Dog Wash stations make bathing your dog easy and convenient, sparing you the trouble and mess of doing it at home and the expense of hiring a professional.
Get in touch today! And we’ll show you how simple keeping your dog’s coat clean can be!
