At-Home Grooming Tips

Does your ball of fur have a lot of... well... fur? If so, you might find yourself wondering how to minimize all of that hair flying around. Regular grooming can help your pup stay cool during the summer and can help control all the extra fur in your house. 

But as well all know, taking your pup to a groomer regularly can be expensive and stress-inducing, so it's always good to try to space professional grooming appointments out over the year. But in-between those grooming appointments? There's plenty you can do! Here are some at-home grooming tips to use with your pup.

Tip 1: Shop Around For Shampoo

You should already be bathing your pup regularly, which is a number one step to controlling shedding. But finding the right shampoo is a huge factor in how much your pup is going to leave their hair around the house. Rather than getting the standard shampoo for dogs, getting a deshedding shampoo will do wonders for your furry pup. There are also deshedding conditioners you can pair with other shampoo types if you like using a certain shampoo (for example, for your pup's sensitive skin). 

Tip 2: Invest in a Decent Brush

One of the biggest ways you can reduce shedding is to brush your dog regularly. While any brush will help, brushes made specifically for deshedding will help the most. These brushes are made with two layers - you brush your pup with one, and when the bristles are full of fur, you press a button that moves the upper layer down to release the fur from the brush. Brushing your dog prior to baths and brushing your pup outside will help the most. 

Tip 3: Choose the Right Food

While you might not think of food affecting your pup's hair, it certainly can! Depending on the ingredients included, some food might cause a minor allergic reaction in your dog. This might not be visible enough for you to notice they're disturbed, but could cause increased irritation in the skin, which can lead to more hair loss. If you notice your pup scratching at themselves, it might be time to research more skin-friendly food.

Tip 4: Careful Trim

If your dog has long hair and folded or drop ears, it's important to keep up on trimming the long hair hanging off their ears. This hair can get dirty when dragging in the dirt, and can unfortunately contribute to ear infections. Between grooming visits, use small scissors or haircutting scissors to trim them. For all dogs, trimming the hair in between their paw pads will help them be more comfortable as well. 

And our most important tip? Love!