DIY Dog Grooming Guide for Beginners
How to Groom Your Dog At Home
If you’ve avoided dog grooming because you imagine it to be too difficult to get a handle, you’re not alone. It can certainly feel intimidating if you don't know where to start.
That’s why we recommend you first arm yourself with some expert advice. To help you out, we’ve put together this handy guide of DIY dog grooming tips for bathing, brushing, and trimming your dog.
In addition, we will answer these common questions for pet owners: How often should I groom my dog? What grooming do dogs need? What do I need to get my dog groomed?
DIY dog grooming at home can be something that both you and your furry friend look forward to. This is especially true if you make the experience something that your dog enjoys by including things like dog massage, lick mats, or even your dog's favourite natural chew.
Use these simple training tips to keep grooming sessions positive and stress-free for both you and your canine companion.
Choose the Right Grooming Tools
What tools do I need to groom my dog? This is a common question that pet parents might ask before getting started. Having the right tools will not only make dog grooming much easier, but it will also make it safer.
Here's a quick list of the basics to get you started:
If you are brand new to dog grooming, then this is a good list to help get you started on your at-home dog grooming journey. Start with just a few options to learn how to use them properly and get your dog comfortable with each DIY grooming practice before moving on to the next.
As you learn you may find that your dog's unique grooming needs require different tools, but the above list is just a general starting point for most dogs.
Reward and Praise Often
Keep a variety of your dog's favourite snacks on hand while you are grooming. These include little bits of things she loves, such as bits of chicken, freeze-dried liver bites, or even just their kibble if your dog is a food junkie.
Here are a few of our favourite, super tasty dog snacks that you can try:
When she is behaving particularly well during her grooming session, such as lying down nicely and giving “soft eyes” showing that she is relaxed, then let her know with a “Good Girl!” and give her a treat.
By praising and rewarding during grooming of dog sessions, you are teaching your dog to associate the grooming ritual with a pleasurable experience where she gets some extra good stuff.
This will help her not only look forward to the next dog grooming session but also help your pooch overcome the fear of all these new scary-looking tools and practices.
Avoid Correcting Your Dog While Grooming
Along the same lines of reward and praise, avoiding harsh verbal corrections during your sessions will go a long way toward keeping the tone positive. Correcting your dog while he is already a little bit stressed out only makes things more stressful and scary.
It is unlikely to be effective at stopping any fear responses and may even make them worse. Just ignore behaviour that is not ideal, such as when he yanks his paw away from the nail clipper, and instead focus on rewarding the good and calm behaviour.
Eventually, the undesirable moves will decrease in favour of the behaviour you have rewarded. Take a look at these Force-Free Dog Training Tips to help you find safer and more effective methods of teaching your dog.
Bring Patience and Calmness to the Table
Your dog is tuned into your emotional state of mind. When you start to get frustrated, whether or not you show it, your canine feels it. If you notice that you are starting to feel frustrated, it is better to end the session than to press on.
Ultimately, you want your dog to experience grooming as a positive experience. If you can’t provide that by staying calm and positive, you may contribute to your dog’s anxiety about being brushed, bathed, trimmed, or clipped.
While it may not be a problem now, you can accidentally create a problem down the road if you try to groom your dog when you are not in a positive frame of mind.
Use a Grooming Table
Are you wondering, “What do I need to get my dog groomed?” The answer is a grooming table.
Most of us don’t have a proper area to groom our dogs at home, so we make do with a makeshift area. If you’ve made the switch to dog grooming, it’s well worth buying a well-designed dog grooming table to get the job done properly.
A dog grooming table will help perfectly position your dog so you can give them the support and comfort they need during your grooming session. Using a grooming table is the easiest way to groom your dog accurately and efficiently.
De-shed Your Dog’s Coat
If your dog is prone to shedding, you should make de-shedding a regular part of your dog grooming routine.
“If you’re sick of constantly cleaning up your dog’s excess hair, you should learn to de-shed them with a de-shedding tool,” says Angela Stringfellow from Pet Life Today. “These tools are designed to be easy to use, so you’ll quickly pick it up. Your dog will look smarter with their well-groomed coat, and you also won’t need to waste so much time cleaning up after them.”
Try a de-shedding tool like the Furminator. These brushes are best for shedding dogs because they are designed to safely remove dead fur that is loosely attached and can reduce shedding by up to 90%.
Don’t Forget the Nails!
With all the focus on grooming your dog’s coat and skin, it can be easy to forget about their nails. After all, their nails aren’t as visible as their hair, so it’s no wonder they sometimes grow a little too long.
Clipping your dog’s nails prevents them from suffering any pain or infections too. We’ll go into more detail with tips for clipping your dog’s nails below!
Start Spot Grooming
Leaving all of your dog’s grooming to the last minute will mean that you have a lot to take care of at once. It’s far better to break up regular grooming routines into daily or weekly habits and clean little messes as needed.
For example, full bathes are not only time-consuming, but over-bathing can damage your dog's skin and coat. Spot cleaning your dog with wipes and daily brushing can reduce odours and keep your dog cleaner in between longer grooming sessions.
Quick grooming jobs like tear stain removal or dog ear cleaning are another great way to keep your pooch healthier and cleaner. Regular and frequent spot cleaning can help you and your dog become more comfortable with at-home dog grooming.