How to Groom Long Haired Dogs

If you don’t groom long haired dogs a few times every week, these pets will suffer from multiple skin problems. Dust, dirt and other contaminants settle on your pets' coat and give rise to skin infections. Signs of skin problems include hair loss in patches, reddening of the skin, and itchy skin. To prevent these problems from developing you must stick to a grooming regime for your long haired dog. Long hair is prone to tangles and matting that can be difficult to get rid of at a later stage. A few preventive grooming techniques can go a long way in keeping your pets coat in optimal condition.

 
How to Groom Long Haired Dogs

• Although you don’t have to bathe your dog every day, you must take the time to brush his coat at least once every alternate day (if not every day) to get rid of dead hair and other contaminants. Use a wide toothed comb to get all the knots out before you use a slicker brush on the coat. If you find knots in the fur, take the time to carefully loosen them out so that you don’t hurt your pet.

• If the hair is severely matted in some areas, use a pet conditioner on the matted area to soften the hair. If you can’t deal with the matted fur, use a pair of scissors to cut out the tangle. Always cut vertically so that you don’t poke your pet with the scissors. You could also purchase a de-matting comb from any pet store to groom long haired dogs.

Additional Tips to Groom Long Haired Dogs

• Apart from brushing your dog’s coat, you must run a flea comb through his hair to check for flea and tick debris. If you find any debris on the flea comb, your pet may be suffering from a flea infection. Flea infections should be treated at the earliest opportunity as fleas can transmit a host of other illnesses to your dog. A topical flea medication and the elimination of fleas in the house will prevent the development of flea infections in canines.

• When you groom long haired dogs you should use hypoallergenic products as these products won’t trigger allergic reactions in your pet and the dog won’t end up shedding excess fur. Even though dogs don’t have skin that’s as sensitive as cats, they may suffer from skin infections now and then. Make it a point to examine your dog’s skin when you groom him to identify possible infections. It’s also beneficial to give your pet nutrient supplements that boost the immune system and promote skin and coat health.