Should You Groom Your Dog at Home? A Practical Guide

It’s a good question!  Especially these days, when people throughout the country are still very much feeling the impacts of the Corvid-19 outbreak.  In some areas dog groomers are not being classified as essential.  In others, grooming salons may remain open, but groomers, fearing for their own health and for that of their family members, are urging owners to forgo regular salon grooming, at least temporarily.  What’s an owner to do?  I personally believe that regular grooming is an important part of proper pet care, but I also fully understand groomers not wanting to put themselves, and their families, at risk for the sake of short nails and fancy haircuts.

Human salons are currently being considered nonessential, leading plenty of people to ponder just how comfortable they’d feel wielding a pair of hair cutting scissors.  What about for our furry friends?  Is it worth it to learn how to groom your dog yourself, or is it a better idea to wait things out and get Fluffy into a groomer as soon as it’s safe to do so?

That depends!  What type of grooming does your dog require on a regular basis?  Just a quick brush and a nail trim, or something more complex like a haircut?  How familiar/comfortable are you, and your dog, with grooming tools?  A person who is inexperienced with a specific tool, paired with a dog who may be unfamiliar,  or even fearful, of said tool could be a recipe for disaster.  Is your dog anxious, old, hyperactive, sick, or otherwise compromised in any way?  Some dogs, more so than others, can really benefit by being groomed by someone with a steady, experienced, hand.

I’ve always been a proponent of owners being at least somewhat self sufficient when it comes to their pets’ personal hygiene.  Grooming our dogs on a regular basis can be an awesome way to spend some quality time with our pets.  I joke that I groom my dogs myself because no professional groomer would spend as much time as I do stopping to rub their bellies, nor would they tell them how handsome they are nearly as many times as I do.  Spending time grooming our dogs can double as a home check up.  Especially so with really fluffy dogs, it can be easy to miss medical issues that may lay hidden under all that fur.  Back when my papillon, Kitsune, broke his tail he never showed any signs of being in pain.  I discovered his newly kinked tail tip during one of his regular weekly grooming sessions!  Other things to look out for can include any new lumps and bumps, fleas and other parasites, new skin or fur abnormalities, hidden injuries, etc.

But what does basic grooming consist of and what, if anything, would be better left to the pros?  I’d say that at the very least, brushing your dog’s fur on a regular basis is a great thing to do at home.  A lot of dogs don’t enjoying having their teeth brushed at first, but dental health is really important, so getting some kind of dental care established at home is ideal too.  If you, and/or your dog, aren’t ready to jump right to regular teeth brushing, consider at least offering healthy dental chews and perhaps using a dental spray while you work towards getting your canine pal used to his/her toothbrush.  Depending on how often your dog needs to be bathed, doing that at home can be advantageous too.  I tend to bathe my dogs at least once every other week, and I’d personally hate to have to take them to the groomers that often.

I know more people are on the fence when it comes to cutting nails and hair at home.  I cut my dogs’ nails at home, but I totally understand why some owners choose not too.  I was lucky to have gotten both my current dogs as puppies, so I was able to slowly get them accustomed to having their nails cut.  I’m also pretty confident with a pair of nail clippers (and a nail dremel when it comes to Kitsune). I can’t remember the last time I quicked either of my dogs.  I trim Kitsune’s hair at home too (and once in awhile the fur on the bottoms of Fen’s feet), but I had some experience with cutting dog’s hair even before I got Kitsune.  I really enjoy grooming my dogs myself, but don’t recommend people who have never done it before jump right into giving their dog(s) home haircuts.  At best, your first dog haircut will probably look pretty rough.  At worst, wiggly dogs can be hurt by clipper blades wielded by inexperienced hands.

So, I think, what it really all comes down to is what level of grooming you and your dog are comfortable with doing at home.  That will, of course, vary from person to person, and dog to dog.  Grooming is important, but so is safety!  If you’re not comfortable clipping your dog’s nails or hair at home, that’s ok.  Although groomers may be closed in your area, keep in mind that most veterinarians also offer basic grooming services such as nail trims and emergency haircuts (removing mats, etc).  Veterinarians are considered essential, so you should be able to bring your dog in despite the corona outbreak.  Call your vet and ask how they are handling appointments during the quarantine.  My dogs’ vet, like many others, is still seeing pet patients while their human family members wait out in their cars.

Hopefully, fingers crossed, we can all put Corvid-19 and the troubles it’s caused behind us soon.  Until then, do your best when it comes to grooming your pets.  In most cases, owners who regularly use a groomer’s services can keep their dog(s) comfortable at home with basic grooming, like regular bushing.  Sure, Fido’s fur might get a bit longer than you’d like while you wait out corona virus and the shutdowns it’s caused, but in the scheme of things that really shouldn’t be too big of a deal.  If an emergency arises, grooming related or otherwise, don’t be afraid to call and talk to your vet.  Regular, as well as 24 hour emergency clinic, veterinarians are remaining open.

I hope all my readers are staying healthy!  I know life lately has been really stressful for a lot of people.  Hopefully those of you who are quarantined away from loved ones can at least get some comfort from your furry family members.  Kit and Fen make amazing quarantine buddies, and have really been helping to keep my spirits up.  Comment below – we always love to hear from our readers!  How are you?  Do you groom your dogs/pets at home normally, or take them to someone for grooming?  What have you and your furry friends been doing to pass the time during the quarantine?