Questions
- How frequently should I groom my dog?
- Why should I groom my dog in Winter?
- Is your dog ready for Christmas?
With Christmas coming, you might be thinking it’s time to freshen up your hairstyle, and get a new haircut before the busy period, along with the festive clothes you’ve bought like the sparkly tops and Christmas themed sweaters. There’s no reason your canine companion can’t join in on the fun and get a spruce up to make sure they’re feeling their absolute best for Christmas day! We’re not the only ones who appreciate feeling fresh for big events. Your pooch might not understand the finer details of what Christmas is about, but they can have an extra special day with some extra treats and new toys along with the rest of the family.
How frequently should I groom my dog?
Dogs need to be bathed usually every four to six weeks and long-haired breeds will need a haircut every ten to twelve weeks. There is no cut and dry rule of how often a dog should be groomed, it all depends on the breed and the type of coat. Short-coated dogs will not need as much, but still need some maintenance grooming to keep their coat and skin healthy along with their nails. While a short-coated dog may only need the occasional bath and groom to make sure they remain clean and healthy.
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Long-coated dogs may need a little more help with regular brushing and grooming. Breeds like huskies need daily grooming and more regular bathing to make sure any excess fur is removed from their coat. Along with daily care in the home to maintain their coat, they will need more in-depth grooms either at home or with a professional groomer.
Why should I groom my dog in Winter?
Grooming is such an important part of keeping on top of our dog’s health, especially during Winter. While you might think that grooming your pooch is more important in the Summer, the cold weather and the damp, dirty ground is actually all the more reason to keep up with their grooming during the colder months too. Clean, trimmed coats will pick up and collect less dirt while it’s important to clean them off after walks and try to minimise how much the grime of Winter can impact their fur.
Prevent matting
With the weather getting wetter over the Winter period, your pooch will come into contact with a lot more dirt and debris on their walks. Mud can dry in their coat and create knotting. When knots aren’t regularly brushed out, it makes almost a net-like trap for any dead fur that will usually fall away to become trapped in the coat and create even larger knots. Knotted fur can gradually develop into matted fur which is when dead coat, debris and healthy coat all get tangled around each other and it becomes impossible to brush it out.
Long coated dogs need regular brushing, especially in the winter when things are more likely to become trapped in their fur. A brush like the Ancol Ergo Universal Slicker Brush is great for removing loose fur in long coated breeds. If mats start to develop then they can cause some nasty skin irritations. As the knots form, the fur can pull at the skin until it becomes sore. Every time matted fur gets wet, the tangles grow increasingly tighter so through the Winter they’re more at risk of developing tight, hard to manage and matted coats.
Paw and nail care
During the Winter months, the ground becomes slick with rain and mud and all things that can stick to paws either on the pads or between their toes. Clearing off any excess dirt after a walk will keep their paws nice and healthy. Wipes like Furrish Dog Daily Baby Powder Paw & Body are great for getting any post walk dirt off but they should still have regular grooming to make sure they are getting in depth cleans too. During the Winter, you might come across substances like rock salt on the ground to melt snow and ice which is harmful to the skin so regular maintenance of the paws is even more important.
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Nail care becomes a bit trickier in winter, walks are often shorter so the nails don’t get worn down in quite the same way and they may need more regular trims in the lead up to Christmas.
Prevent dry skin
You might have noticed it yourself but winter sometimes calls for a more robust moisturiser. The cold temperatures can make skin dry out and dogs are no different. Grooming is the perfect chance to check the condition of their coat and skin and help them create a barrier against the cold. Soothing shampoos like Bugalugs Oatmeal Shampoo are a great option to use in the colder weather. You can also use products like Bugalugs Nose & Paw Balm Stick to fight against getting a dry nose and paws and keep them feeling and looking their very best.
If left untreated, dry skin can become flaky and itchy and leave sore areas all over their body. Taking them out for a walk in the cold and then returning to a nice warm house can make the problem worse when they have dry skin so nice calming baths that restore the moisture in the skin are helpful.
Is your dog ready for Christmas?
Nobody wants a strange odour floating around the house on Christmas day and your pooch always feels much better with a fresh groom so why not get them ready for the big day with their very own spa treatment? The Jolly Groomer offers a bespoke service where you can build your own groom from the shampoo up, to make sure they get the best treatment possible. They can have a fresh trim ready for Santa Paws to visit. With pup parents all trying to squeeze in a festive groom, it can be a bit of a wait so make sure you book in advance to get your pup snazzy for Christmas Day.