Dog grooming is an essential task that many pet owners typically take for granted. It creates improvements in the dog’s overall state of health, comfort and aesthetic appeal. Many dog owners usually equate grooming with bathing, hair brushing and nail clipping, and stop there. But, in reality, dog grooming in involves other activities that make sure the dog is functioning well. When you need help, you can approach experts in dog grooming in Stafford VA. Here are the top 3 things you are likely missing:
1. Expelling anal scent sacs – This is single-handedly the most ignored grooming task, because this is usually the nastiest one to do. By nature, any dog will want to mark his or her territory by releasing individual scents. One of these scent glands release scents together with the feces every time your dog defecates. Now, these scent sacs can get blocked and irritate your dog. You will probably notice this when your dog desperately rubs its anus on the floor or lawn as if it was its own toilet paper. Another sign is when your dog obsesses in licking or biting his anal area.
Ultimately, you can learn how to expel your dog’s anal sacs when it gets clogged. But, you would probably want to delegate the nasty anal sac expelling to someone who is skilled and accustomed to the job like experts in dog grooming in Stafford VA.
2. Brushing teeth – Just like humans, dogs need to have their own pearly whites cleaned regularly to prevent diseases. If you thought dental chew toys were enough to keep your dog’s teeth and gums healthy, then you are quite mistaken. In fact, there is no replacement to daily tooth brushing even for dogs.
For starters, dogs are quite apprehensive to toothbrushes and toothpaste. But, with patience, your dog will eventually learn the habit. Just buy pet-specific brushes and toothpaste at pet stores. These are meant to be safe for animals and taste-specific as well.
Start by conditioning your dog to the toothpaste. Put a tiny portion on your finger for him to lick it. Afterwards, brush his teeth using toothpaste on your finger. After sometime, your dog will get used to brushing toothpaste with your hands. Then, that’s the time you should condition him to the toothbrush. In the same way, put a portion of paste on the brush and let your dog lick it. Afterwards, move on to the actual brushing. Nevertheless, have a vet check your dog’s teeth periodically or annually to know if you’re doing everything right. Alternatively, you can bring your dog to a clinic for dog grooming once in a while.
3. Ear cleaning – Lastly, your dog’s ears also needs periodic cleaning at least once a month. This involves using a cotton swab and some mineral oil to clean the outer part of the ears. Be careful when cleaning so that you don’t damage the ear canal and ear drums.
It’s time your dog had more than bathing and hair brushing. Your dog will benefit from dog care experts who can do the different tasks of dog grooming in Stafford VA on a regular basis. Visit Website Domain