Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Professional Or Do it Yourself Dog Grooming

It seems these days the price for everything is on the rise and now that the holiday buying season is over those bills will soon arrive. Wouldn't it be great if you could hold on to more of your hard-earned money even save a little to perhaps spend on something else? Well grooming your dog from home is a wonderful place to start.

Taking your dog to the groomer can cost anywhere from $40 to $140 per visit and if go three to four times a year the cost can add up. Some dog owners take their dogs once a month spending two to three thousand dollars annually. There are some considerations to look at before you embark on do it yourself dog grooming first being your grooming area.

Ask yourself, "where is the best spot for me to groom my dog?" For small breeds, a utility sink might be the best choice; medium size breeds the bathtub is usually fine, but for large breeds, your own bathtub may be difficult. However, a dog wash tub setup near a utility sink would be perfect.

By using a dog wash tub for larger breeds gives you the freedom of walking around your dog while they are safely contained in the tub. This makes the job easier to clean and rinse those otherwise hard to reach spots when using your own bathtub. Nevertheless, let us say you are really going to save some cash and use your own bathroom for now, what will you need?

For most pet owners a dog brush or dog combs is something they already have you will need to add quality dog shampoo and perhaps a conditioner to your dog grooming supplies. With variety of dog shampoos on the market you only need to know what you dog needs; that is, does he/she have sensitive skin, dry skin, etc?
For long haired dogs in their shedding season a deshedding shampoo is a great choice for removing the undercoat and reducing the pesky hair all over your house. Remember to use only shampoo & conditioner designed for dogs. Human products will dry out your dog's skin and cause irritations even baby shampoo.

Have plenty of towels at the ready for when the bath is finished so that you can thoroughly dry your dog. While using your own hairdryer is fine for smaller dogs on medium to large dogs the dryer is likely to overheat. There are several types of professional dog grooming dryers on the market available for you to purchase that will do a great job.

The next step in do it yourself dog grooming is clipping your dog's nails. The best dog nail clippers to own are ones that come with a safety guard which prevents you from clipping into the quick. The process will be simple if your groomer has never clipped into the quick; however, if this has happened to your dog it is something they will not forget and may struggle when it comes time for dog nail clipping.

Lastly and perhaps most important, is taking care of your dog's dental hygiene. Most people forego this part of the do it yourself dog grooming finding that most dog's prefer to eat the toothbrush instead of allowing you to brush their teeth. As dogs are just as susceptible to the same mouth diseases as humans are, it is something that needs to be done not only for over all heath but to save considerable money.

Professional teeth cleaning from your vet can cost up to $300 or more if their teeth are in bad shape.
By brushing your dog's teeth, once a month and using dog dental treats in between brushing you can reduce that cost to more than half and wait until they are several years old before their first professional cleaning.
Even if you decide to buy a dog wash tub, professional dog grooming dryer, the most expensive dog shampoo and dog cologne, the cost for these will be realized in the first few months by saving on professional grooming. Use your own bathtub and towel dry, you will save money after your first do it yourself dog grooming session and your dog will love the extra attention from his/her master.

Michael, a dog owner for over 25 years, has amassed several dog obedience-training techniques as well as an extensive knowledge of dog health problems. Follow this link to read more dog articles from temperament to health and to shop the Discount Pet Supply Store by visiting the collection of Dog Grooming Supplies at Remarkable Dogs where we are dedicated to providing only the very best for your dog.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_J_Hrynewich

1 comment:

  1. Grooming at home builds trust between you and your pet. Using a professional dog groomer is good decision because dog grooming companies are familiar with the correct way to groom dogs and they know what is best for your particular breed

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