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Dog Grooming For Summer…

By: Debbie36 Comments

 Dog Grooming For Summer

We have five dogs in all and each one has it’s own grooming needs. The three bigger dogs just need a good brushing, especially during the major moulting season, which happens as the weather starts to warm up in the spring.

On the other hand, our two little Yorkshire terriers need regular brushing during the winter and regular clipping in the summer. Which can be time-consuming, to say the least.

A Little Advice…

Anyone getting a dog as a pet, bear in mind the grooming needs of the dog and also whether or not you are prepared to groom the dog yourself. You don’t want to end up with a dog that needs regular grooming if you don’t have the time to do it or the money to send it to a dog grooming parlour.

A Little More Advice…

Get your dog used to being groomed from a young age (if you can).

One of our little dogs loves being groomed and the other one attacks the trimmer when she can. When we got her as a puppy, it didn’t occur to us to get her used to the trimmer from a young age and now we have to prep her in advance by placing treats on the trimmer and letting her take them (whilst it is off), progressing to her taking the treat whilst they are running….But she will still attack them if the mood takes her.

And A Little More…

I used a clicker and grated cheese to train Alphie to behave whilst being groomed and he is happy being pampered and groomed. Now I just use the cheese as a bribe. Find what works for you and your dog and be consistent.

Keep sessions short to start with (patience is the key!), but do spend a little time daily getting your dog used to being groomed. You can concentrate on doing a paw one day and the tail the next. In time, as the dog gets older or used to being groomed, you’ll be able to do everything (or most of it) in one session…Rascal (the Yorkie that doesn’t like the trimmers) loves being combed, she just hates the trimming blades.

Grooming Alphie…

Is a pleasure. He seems to enjoy it (although it is probably the grated cheese I use as a treat that he enjoys more!) and for the most part, does as he is told (until he gets bored that is!).

Last Week…

It was time for the first trim of the summer. Alphie has thick, woolly fur, which I let grow in the winter. But it’s far too thick to leave long in the summer. He would melt…If he were a bar of chocolate, that is!

Dog Grooming

He isn’t keen on being bathed, which is why he is looking decidedly unhappy in this picture. He knows what is coming once his collar has been removed and I’ve combed him through.

Dog grooming tips
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Before I Start…

I get together all the grooming stuff:

  • Trimmer and blades.
  • Nail clippers.
  • Hair dryer.
  • Metal comb.
  • Brush.
  • Scissors – I have shaped scissors designed with a curved blade, to help prevent accidental nicks. One small pair for around the face and paws and a larger pair. I also use thinning scissors (more so in the winter when his fur is longer).
  • A de-matting comb – for breaking stubborn knots.
  • A grooming spray for easier combing
  • Cotton pads.
  • Grated cheese – to be used as a bribe.

First Off…

I wash and dry him. Using the cotton pads to dry just inside his ears.

Then I comb through his fur and cut off most of the length using scissors; I start with the trimmers and trim his body fur. I tend to use the shortest blade as they trim the fur to about half a centimetre.

I then use the scissors to trim his head, face and around his paws… Giving him a tiny bit of grated cheese when I feel he deserves it.

One thing I have never managed to do is to get him to lie on his back while I shave his belly, but he doesn’t mind having his front paws lifted so I can reach under.

Alphie #2

As you can see he loses half his body weight in fur when he’s shaved!

The Whole Grooming Process…

Takes well over two hours to get right. Last week I did him over two sessions, as it seemed to be taking forever. So I stopped after I’d trimmed his body and finished his head and paws the following day.

dog grooming

As Soon As…

I put him on the floor, he goes absolutely bonkers. Rolling around and rubbing himself up against the furniture. Which isn’t too bad when his fur is short but is a nightmare when it’s long as he just tangles it all up again and looks like a right tramp.

He certainly feels better for having short fur in the summer. As the weather warms up I do notice that he’s not so energetic, until he’s had his fur cut.

Does your pooch like being pampered or is dog grooming a chore?

How to groom your dog this summer
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About Debbie

Hello, I’m Debbie (also known as ChirpyDebs) and thank you for stopping by my little corner of the internet. Now the children are all grown up I’m happiest when I’m out with the dogs or hiking a trail with my camera in hand. My blog is where I like to share photographs showing the wild beauty of Zakynthos that most people don’t get to see, recipes and other seemingly random things that come to mind.

Comments

  2. 37

    molli key says

    Dogs are wonderful companions.All they ask for is a bowl of food & water plus a dry place to sleep and in return they never turn against you,they give conditional love,loyalty and will protect you unconditionally. i try to do the best for my dog....grooming ones in a while makes us feel so good :)
    Reply
    • 38

      Debbie says

      Hi Molli, that's very true... Although I'm not sure Alphie would put his life on the line for me if there was food involved! Thank you for stopping by. xx
      Reply
    • 40

      Debbie says

      Hi Sara, the treat o the trimmer works for sure if you have a food motivated pooch. It does save plenty when we do things ourselves. Thank you for stopping by. xx
      Reply
  4. 41

    Alica says

    I always afraid to groom my dog, I take help to my beautiful neighbor Jenny, she is expert and well know about dog grooming, I enjoy your article with natural images, thank you for sharing!
    Reply
    • 42

      Debbie says

      Hi Alicia, I got Alphie used to being groomed from a young age and have plenty of grated cheese at hand (his favourite grooming treat). Our other Yorkie type dog is not at all keen and it can take a few days to get her done for the summer. It was our fault though for not introducing her to the sheers when she was young and she is a bit highly strung it is. You are lucky to have a neighbour who can help you keep your dog looking good. Than you for stopping by. xx
      Reply
  5. 43

    Lucky Paws says

    My wife and I have one dog and she absolutely loves to be groomed. She always gets really excited when she sees me pick up the brush and I totally agree when you say it promotes quality time. I have been thinking about some more heavy duty dog grooming here in Clayton, NC and maybe getting some tips on what else I can do. Thanks for the tips!
    Reply
    • 44

      Debbie says

      Hi Brendan, we have five dogs and a couple of them love to be groomed and the others can take it or leave it. Alphie has always been good and will happily let me tug and cut. I'm not sure I'd want to be grooming dogs I didn't know though, some may not be so compliant! Thanks for stopping by. xx
      Reply
  6. 45

    Westly Smith says

    I think it's interesting how each dog has its own grooming needs. I like how you say that each dog owner needs to have in mind the time it will take to groom. I haven't done the best at grooming my dog, but I am working on being better. I'm going to set aside time every month from now on.
    Reply
    • 47

      Debbie says

      Hi Sara, he's definitely happier, but still flakes out during the day. I'll give him another trim in a couple of weeks, once the first one of the summer's been done, the others are much quicker to do. Thank you for stopping by. xx Debbie recently posted...Scrubbed…My Profile
      Reply
    • 49

      Debbie says

      Hi Morgan, I hear you! We had a dog before we had children, then slowly over the years we seemed to accumulate more dogs than children! Not even sure how it happened really. Love them all though (and the children too). Saying that though time spent alone walking Alphie and Beanie up the fields or on the beach is my recharge time and priceless. Each family member has a dog they are 'responsible' for (walking, grooming), although I am the main dog carer. Thanks for stopping by. xx Debbie recently posted...Scrubbed…My Profile
      Reply
    • 51

      Debbie says

      Hi Natalie, he knows it too! He's like a little dust collector, he looks clean, but when he's washed the soap suds look rather grey! Probably because he's a softie and is constantly being dragged along the floor by one of the other dogs trying to play with him. Do you actually wash your cat or just give it a good combing? Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment. xx Debbie recently posted...Scrubbed…My Profile
      Reply
  10. 52

    ERFmama says

    I have an English Springer Spaniel so yeh...grooming! lol I cut him down completely with the strimmer all season, but more so during summer, when he's done for the summer he looks like I got a new dog haha as I cut him all the way down to lab length. :) Thanks for the useful tips! Sadly cutting Orion's nails is bordering on dangerous so he has to be muzzled or taken to the vet to be put half way under. We've tried everything , but after he came back from quarantine when I moved to England he's just...dunno. It's hard. Nothing works and we've tried it all. ERFmama recently posted...PeacefulMy Profile
    Reply
    • 53

      Debbie says

      The transformation is quite something when a long haired dog gets trimmed. I've actually increased Alphie's food a little as he's not as fat as I suspected. I hate cutting the dogs claws more than they mind having it done as they all (bar one) have black nails and I can't see the quick, for that reason I don't do them too often and tend to leave them a little on the long side. Would they have tried trimming your dogs nails whilst he was in quarantine? We were lucky that when we bought our old dog from South Africa to Greece there was no quarantine, just loads of jabs. Thank you for stopping by. xx Debbie recently posted...A Much Needed Phone Upgrade!My Profile
      Reply
  11. 54

    Louisa says

    Hi Debbie, This is great advice. We have a ladradoodle and everyone who says they are non shedding is lying! We used to have a fantastic mobile groomer but he retired. We have tried a few others since but they didn't take the same care and she no longer enjoys being groomed. I have taken to doing a bit a day for her and have trimmed 3 of her legs this week. Every day she is a little happier with it. Bribery all the way! x Louisa recently posted...Nesting and the new normal #LittleLovesMy Profile
    Reply
    • 55

      Debbie says

      Hi Louisa, it's a shame that the new groomer put your dog off being groomed. We used to have a Bichon Frise that hated being groomed or combed and we used to do her slowly, one hack at a time. We got Alphie at nine weeks old and I started training him and getting him used grooming from then and it's made so much of a difference. He's also the first dog I used a clicker to train and I would highly recommend it. Saying that though he can do a whole load of pointless stuff, but if he doesn't want to come nothing can make him! Hope you manage t finish trimming your Labradoodle before the short bits have grown again. Thank you for popping over and leaving a comment. xx Debbie recently posted...Dog Grooming For Summer…My Profile
      Reply
  12. 56

    Rosie @Eco-Gites of Lenault says

    Awwww - I bet Alfie feels so much cooler after a hair dressing session! Saari is currently going through her moult and bearing in mind she is half husky that is a lot of hair and fluff to shed ... and she detests being groomed! Many thanks for adding Alfie's tale to #AnimalTales Rosie @Eco-Gites of Lenault recently posted...Plants a go go ...My Profile
    Reply
    • 57

      Debbie says

      Hi Rosie, you can tell he feels better for a trim as he's more active (than normal). Our German Shepherd is a heavy moulter this time of year, she looses so much fur that we tend to comb her when we're out for a walk up the fields. I'm sure there are plenty of nests padded with her fur! Luckily she doesn't mind being combed. Thank you for hosting #AnimalTales and when I have an animal post to share yours is the first place I head! xx Debbie recently posted...A Much Needed Phone Upgrade!My Profile
      Reply
  13. 58

    Merlinda Little (@pixiedusk) says

    Aww he looks so light after! My son has been asking, requesting for a dog but we cant afford to get one. But this post is so helpful! I will remember this if and when we can get our own pet already =) #pocolo Merlinda Little (@pixiedusk) recently posted...Another [Day] Visit To TauntonMy Profile
    Reply
    • 59

      Debbie says

      Hi Merlinda, we are lucky that the vets bills are always reasonable and seem to be a lot less than we would pay in the UK. I buy their dry dog food on line and always buy it when it's on special, so that is a big saver too. I hope that one day, when the tie is right, you get your dog. Thank you for stopping by. xx Debbie recently posted...A Much Needed Phone Upgrade!My Profile
      Reply
  14. 60

    Adventures of a Novice Mum says

    How interesting ... I've never had a dog before I sure didn't know that even more work goes into keeping one than I thought. Everyone who wants to get a dog should definitely read this post. It's so important to understand the responsibilities involved in having one. It seems to require so much thought and care; almost like a child. :-) You're sure doing a good job with your dogs. #aNoviceMumCommentLuv Adventures of a Novice Mum recently posted...How To Display Your Klout Score On Your Website or BlogMy Profile
    Reply
    • 61

      Debbie says

      Hi, having a dog in the house is very much like having a toddler round, except dogs are trainable! The puppy/ young dog stage is where you have to put the work in, but like children if you invest the time teaching them when they are young, it is easier when they are older. Owning a dog is a responsibility, but worth it. Thank you for taking the time to stop by. xx Debbie recently posted...Dog Grooming For Summer…My Profile
      Reply
    • 63

      Debbie says

      Hi Angela, our first dog was a Bichon and she hated being groomed (our fault as we knew not what we were doing). I can't believe we have five dogs either, I love them all, but it can be a little time consuming. When we reached four we said no more, but ended up taking in another homeless one, 'cos she was soooo sweet...No more though! I hope your hubby gives grooming Yoda a go as it saves a fortune and most dogs enjoy the pampering. Thank you for stopping by. xx Debbie recently posted...From Boy To Man…My Profile
      Reply
  16. 64

    chickenruby says

    your dogs are gorgeous, we have a short hair, who lets me brush him daily, however he's not a big fan of bath time and i have to trick him by making him think he's going on a walk, which we do afterwards and as for clipping his nails, even the vet gave up
    Reply
    • 65

      Debbie says

      It is funny how they can sense a bath coming. I am very aware of how I move before I am going to bathe Alphie as he will go and hide if he catches on early. I sneak the towel into the bathroom and don't put the apron on until I have him on the table, Luckily it's just the actual washing he doesn't like. He doesn't mind having his nails clipped, but I dread doing them as his nail bed is black, so it's hard to see how short to cut them. I don't have to do them often though as walking seems to keep them in check (apart from his dew claw). Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment. xx Debbie recently posted...A Much Needed Phone Upgrade!My Profile
      Reply
  18. 68

    Diane says

    Love the "after" picture. So sweet and half the size like you said! My dog has a grooming appointment tomorrow morning and I'm not looking forward to it. It'll take 2 hours and I always stay to observe. My Dagny loves to hike and sniff everywhere in the park and walking on the sidewalk all the time just isn't fun for her. So of course when her hair is long (grows so fast!) she picks up little bits of everything on the ground. Pain in the butt. And when it's long, she gets matted. So yes, this grooming appt is long overdue! Wish us luck. Love that you're able to do it yourself! Diane recently posted...Part 2: What the French find weird about AmericansMy Profile
    Reply
    • 69

      Debbie says

      Hi Diane, Dagny sounds a bit like Alphie. He loves running free up the fields and sticking his nose everywhere and removing burs from his fur when it's long is a pain, especially on his legs and snout. They seem to feel so much better for a good grooming. They look good and they know it! We have to groom the dogs as there are no proper grooming places here. Everyone in the family has a dog to do (with me being supervisor!), at least only the two little dogs need trimming. I hope Dagny enjoys her grooming session and comes out looking more like the Lady than the Tramp! Thank you for stopping by. xx Debbie recently posted...From Boy To Man…My Profile
      Reply
    • 71

      Debbie says

      Hi Jen, and he knows it too! Since trimming both the little dogs I have started giving them a little extra food as they aren't as fat as I thought they were, they've probably been starving all winter! I had a friend who bought cheaper trimmers and they didn't do such a good job. I use (and can recommend) the WAHL Pro dog trimmer. They can be used on and off the mains (it's rechargeable), which I find perfect for getting those bits I've missed when he's playing lap dog. I also like the fact you can buy replacement blades if need be. They weren't too expensive considering how good they are. I got them from Amazon and paid about forty British pounds, you may find them cheaper as it's an American company. Hope that helps. xx Debbie recently posted...A Much Needed Phone Upgrade!My Profile
      Reply

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