Grooming your puppy

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Make grooming time fun!
As part of general handling, you’ll need to get your puppy accustomed to being groomed and washed. This is also a great time to inspect the condition of their skin and coat. When brushing and bathing, be gentle and and initially keep the sessions short. Be sure to offer lots of positive reinforcement with treats and praise, so that grooming time is fun and a chance for you both to bond. Check out our tips for brushing, bathing and nail trimming.

 

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Make grooming time fun

As part of general handling, you’ll need to get your puppy accustomed to being groomed and washed.  This is also a great time to inspect the condition of their skin and coat. 

When brushing and bathing, be gentle, move slowly and initially keep the sessions short.  Progress only at a pace your puppy is comfortable with.  Be sure to offer lots of positive reinforcement with treats and praise, so that grooming time is fun and a chance for you both to bond.

Brushing your puppy

Different dog breeds have different grooming requirements, so be sure to look into what grooming tools you might need for your puppy.

To help keep your puppy looking their best, here’s our guide for how often to brush:

Short-haired breeds:     brush 1 to 2 times per week

Medium-length coats:    brush every second day

Long-haired breeds:      brush gently every day

While your puppy is getting used to being brushed, offer lots of positive reinforcement with treats and praise, to keep grooming time enjoyable.

Bathing your puppy

As a rule of thumb, try to limit baths to no more frequently than once a month as bathing removes natural oils from your puppy’s coat.  Use lukewarm water and a specially formulated puppy shampoo.  Once bathed, wipe your puppy down with a towel and keep them warm until they are properly dry.

To help your puppy stay looking great in between baths, keep up regular brushing and combing in conjunction with wiping with a towel or pet wipes.  Regularly check your puppy’s ears, and if you see any discharge or abnormalities be sure to check in with your veterinarian.

How do I trim my puppy's nails?

Proper care of claws (nails) is important, and sometimes puppies need their claws trimmed.  Use a pet claw trimmer and have someone gently restrain your puppy, or better still, ask your puppy to offer their paws.  Trim each claw back a little at a time until you get close to the quick, the pink part where the blood supply is.  You can see where this is on white claws, but you will need to use your judgement on dark coloured claws. 

If your puppy has any dew claws, keep your eye on them as they will need a regular clip.  Be sure to pair this exercise with food treats to ensure a positive association with claw trimming.