Easy DIY All Breed Dog Grooming - 7 Tips

Wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to pay to get your dog groomed? Whether you have a short-haired dog or a long-haired dog, there are some basics you need to follow when doing at-home dog grooming. I'll give you basic all breed dog grooming tips so you can save money and time by learning how to groom your dog at home. Then I'll teach you specifics for short coat and long coat dogs.

So, here we go.

All Breed Dog Grooming Tip #1 - Handling and Preparation

No doubt, it's cheaper to do at home dog grooming than it is to go to a groomer. Here are the fundamentals. First, in order for your dog not to bolt out of the tub, he needs to understand and obey the stand, sit and stay commands.

And hopefully you've been handling your dog since he's been a puppy. If you've been playing with your dog and letting others handle him, there's far less likely chance of him causing trouble when it's time for clipping.

Your Grooming Kit

Ideally, when it comes to clipping hair, nail clipping, teeth and gum cleaning, you should use a no-slip mat and let your dog stand on a table so that you don't strain yourself by having to bend over a lot and so you don't have to overly restrain the dog.

Your kit should contain scissors or clippers, combs and brushes.

All Breed Dog Grooming Tip #2 - Bathing

I cover this topic in more detail in another post, but basically you need a tub that's suitable for your dog's size. Fill it with warm water. If your dog doesn't like being put in water, have a bucket of warm water handy.

Now, get your non-slip mat, a plastic jug, a towel or hair dryer (depending on the coat of the dog) and canine shampoo. There are many types shampoo on the market. For instance, if your dog has fleas and ticks, get a shampoo for that. If your dog has a skin condition, get a shampoo that provides relief for it.

Lathering Up

Now it's time to pour the warm water over your canine until he's thoroughly saturated. Or, if you're putting him in the tub, put the non-slip mat in it. To prevent soapy water from getting in his ears, you can use cotton wool.

Mix 15-20 ml of shampoo in the jug of water. Start lathering him up. Avoid putting the soap on his face for now. Work up a really good lather on the dog's body. Then carefully move to his face.

Be careful to avoid his eyes and mouth. Better yet, use a sponge on your pooch's face. You can also use the sponge to clean under your dog's tail. Because of fecal matter, bacteria often spreads in this area and can cause infections.

Time To Rinse

Now rinse and dry your dog's head first using the towel before you rinse the rest of his body. The total amount of time to rinse should take about 3 minutes of rinsing for short haired dogs and 5 minutes rinsing for long haired dogs.

When drying the rest of your dog, be careful not to irritate your dog's skin by having the dryer on high heat. In fact, you should start out on low to be safe.

Make sure you give your dog lots of praise during the process.