Regular grooming of your cat and dog is an important part of their routine and can help strengthen your bond. As well as being great quality time, grooming helps keep your pet's fur and skin healthy and looking great.
Getting your pet used to regular grooming takes time and patience, it's best to start when they are young. Using treats as a reward for staying still during a grooming session is a fantastic and effective way of successfully grooming your pet.
Some breeds require more grooming than others, especially those with longer fur or rolls of skin. Obese, elderly, or injured pets rely on us more to assist with their grooming as they can't do it as well as they used to be able to.
Cats spend hours a day self-grooming, licking their fur with their raspy tongue and using their teeth to clean between their toes. Therefore cats do not need regular grooming unless they are a specific breed that requires it, such as a Maine Coon or other long-haired breeds. If you do not groom these types of breeds, their fur gets matted and deteriorates. In severe cases, their matted fur has to be shaved off, which is an unenjoyable experience for your cat and you. Dogs, on the other hand, are less interested in grooming and love rolling in smelly things - they can go days without grooming themselves.
Is your cat shedding a lot? Does your dog enjoy a good brush? Regular brushing using a dog brush, slicker brush, zoom groom, grooming glove or cat comb, designed for your pet’s soft fine fur, brings great benefits to your pet and to you. Regular brushing helps to distribute their skin oils and keep their coats clean, tangle-free, and tidy.
Brushing removes dead fur, grass seeds, and dirt. This prevents tangled fur turning into mats which then become a great place for fleas to hide. Mats can form quickly and cause damage to your pet’s skin as the mats pull on the skin and tighten it. This can limit your pet’s freedom of movement and cause pain.
Brushing off loose fur that your cat and dog naturally shed also prevents it from being ingested during self-grooming, minimising fur balls being vomited onto your carpet or causing them health issues. Brushing also has the benefit of reducing the amount of fur left on your clothes, carpet, and furniture.
Whilst brushing, use the opportunity to check for fleas, ticks, ear mites, wounds, eye discharge, ear cleanliness and smell.
Dog’s nails are generally worn naturally when walking on pavement or hard surfaces. However, if they spend most of their time indoors or on grass, then you may need to trim your dog’s nails regularly. This helps to avoid the nails growing into their pads or snagging on furniture and your clothes when they jump on you.
Cats’ nails are retractable and they naturally keep their claws short by scratching on trees and other surfaces, so there is no need for trimming most cats' nails. Elderly cats may lose the ability to retract or to use scratching posts, so they may need some help keeping nails trimmed, but check with your vet first.
Nail trimming is a skilled job that needs to be done carefully as it is quite easy to hurt your pet if you trim incorrectly. The ‘quick’ of the nail is where the nerves and vessels are located - if the nail is trimmed too short and the quick is cut, it will start to bleed.
Our professional and experienced team can trim your pet’s nails for you if you do not feel comfortable doing it yourself at home.
Maltese, Shih Tzus, Poodles and other breeds of dogs that don’t shed require regular trimming when their fur grows long.
Other long hair dogs also benefit from fur trimming, especially in warmer months or if they start to develop areas of matted fur.
Use grooming scissors with a blunt nose to reduce the risk of injury, or grooming clippers made for fine pet fur.
Pet grooming requires knowledge and skill, as for many animals it can be quite a stressful situation, which requires careful animal handling to ensure it is done in a safe manner for both you and your pet. Accidents can happen when trying to clip matted fur or nails on pets, wriggling around.
Some owners prefer to take their pet to a professional groomer or a mobile dog groomer, as it's more convenient and less stressful.
Talk to our team today. We sell a range of pet grooming equipment and if we are unable to help groom your pet, we can recommend a local professional groomer.
The above information is provided as an educational guide only and is not a substitute for advice from your pet’s healthcare professionals. If your pet’s symptoms continue, you are concerned about them or want further information, please don’t hesitate to contact us!
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