Caring for and grooming your dog or cat grooming can be daunting. This is especially true if you have a Poodle that needs specialized grooming, a Persian that easily matts, or a pet who objects to hair care attention.

Every dog and cat has different grooming needs. My dog Shadow has short but very thick fur that sheds a lot–how can so much hair come off one small-ish size pooch? Both Karma-Kat and Trinity-Kitten have short fur, but Karma’s shedding leads to chronic hairballs and (yuck!) vomiting if I don’t attend to his furry needs.

Almost all dogs will need to be bathed, brushed, and have their nails trimmed. Cats self-groom a lot and may not require dunking (here’s help for bathing cats), but routine coming and nail care keeps them in the best health. So here are my top tips for keeping your fur-kid happy, healthy, and well-groomed!

1. Treats, treats and more treats! 

 Grooming should be a fun, feel-good time for you and your pet. It’s a pawsome time to get a full-body massage and scratches in all the best places. By infusing a little fun and using treats before, during, and after grooming, you will help your pet see that being spiffed up can be enjoyable!

2. Short & Sweet Sessions

 When you’re starting out, focus on one task at a time to keep grooming sessions short. Stay calm, give lots of positive reinforcement, and keep your dog or cat as unrestrained as safely as possible. With Shadow-Pup, I call it a win to comb just his back and one side at a time–we can always continue later, after we play a fun game with treat rewards. That keeps him coming back for more and not objecting to the experience.

3. Know your pet’s coat type and the right grooming approach to use. 

Not all dogs need their hair or fur cut. Shepherd breeds like Collies or northern dog breeds like Huskies and Malamute have coats that don’t need to be cut as regular dog grooming maintenance. Cats never need routine trimming for standard grooming but may benefit from clipping long fur away from (ahem) nether regions to aid in hygiene. Dogs with curly coats that grow for long periods of time (like Poodles) require actual trims to stay spiffy.

Double-coated dogs need more brushing to prevent mats and control normal loss from shedding. No matter the breed of dog or cat, you’ll want to stay on top of brushing, especially during the shedding season. Otherwise, you’ll end up with drifts of fur everywhere or worse–painful matts that need professional attention, or hairballs and URK-vomit from your cat (or dog…). Yes, some dogs get hairballs!

4. Ask for expert advice

There are more than 400 dog breeds (each with specific grooming needs). Some terriers require “plucking” while longer silky fur on other dogs benefit from bows to keep vision unfettered. If you have questions about your dog’s coat, consult with a groomer or vet — or your animal’s professional breeder–for how to best take care of your pet’s fur.

5. Get the right tools for your pet’s needs.

Think of everything you personally use for basic hygiene and grooming. I use a comb, brush, shampoo, conditioner, nail trimmers and files, toothbrush and paste–your pet may need some or all of these. Just be sure that what you choose suits the pet’s delicate skin and fur needs. Human products often prove too harsh for our cats and dogs, or they hate the smell or taste.

For example, the foaming action of human toothpaste offends most pets–and the fluoride isn’t good for them because pets don’t spit. Instead, choose a chicken-flavor pet toothpaste so they’ll open wide willingly for dental care. Shadow-Pup and the cats beg for this paste like a treat! Learn more about teeth cleaning here.

Remember, keep it simple and fun! No need to stress yourself and Fido out. You may want to leave things like nail clipping and more advanced stuff like shearing and cutting to the pros. But you can spiff up your dogs and cats between grooming sessions. That can help build your bond, when done correctly.  

6. Brush and/or comb regularly. 

Even if you aren’t bathing Fido or Sheba, it’s important to keep their fur or hair maintained. It’s easy to overlook this basic care, especially with double-coated pets that look great on the surface. It only takes a couple of weeks of skipped grooming for painful mats to develop, often in the “armpits” or backs of the rear legs. Once matted, it may require veterinary sedation to shave out the problem area.  

Brushing regularly has many benefits such as removing dirt or debris, detangling, and preventing nasty mats. It also helps you monitor pet skin under all that glorious fur, to catch the problem tick or hidden sore to get your pet help. I’m a fan of the Furminator, available for both dogs and Furminator for cats.

Whatever fur you remove during grooming also means less vaccuming work for you. If you’re like me, you share a pillow with the furry wonders, and that can mean gritty sheets and furry blankets and less laundry. During shedding season, when the weather’s good, I groom Shadow outside to help keep the fuzz-level inside at a minimum.   

7. Your pet’s nails need to be trimmed regularly. 

 The stroll around the neighborhood on cement is almost always not enough to keep your dog’s nails at a good length. Dogs whose nails are too long can have a lot of problems like splitting or tearing nails, slipping on slick floors, or even excess paw licking. You may think Sheba clawing the scratch post takes care of her nails, but they also can overgrow–and claw you accidentally.

 So if it sounds like your dog tap-dances on the wooden floor, or your kitty’s paw-tapping attention snags your clothes or (YIKES!) skin, it’s time for nail attention. It’s possible to cut claws too short, and cause pain or bleeding. That’ll make your pet RUN the next time those trimmers appear. To learn more about claw trimming, read this detailed post.

If you know your pet objects to paw attention, schedule nail care with your vet or groomer.

8. When to hire a professional… 

Not every cat or dog is great with at-home grooming and not every pet parent is great (or has the time) to groom their pet. That’s fine. That’s why groomers are available to help you keep your fur-kids healthy and happy. Here are some reasons you’ll want to seek out professional grooming services:

• Cleaning anal glands
• Shampooing mud or a skunked dog
• Removing fleas or ticks
• When your pup or kitty gets matted and needs professional help
• If your pet becomes super-stressed getting their nails trimmed, ears cleaned, etc.
• Your dog has hair that needs special upkeep
• You don’t have time, energy, physical ability, or the space at home to properly groom
• You don’t have or can’t find the proper tools and equipment
• You want the help of an expert to guide you the first few times on what to do.