Grooming your pooch this winter
Posted on June 08 2020
Hi team, Jessa & Rollo dog here from the Pet Connect pack.
With the brisky, wet and cold weather of our New Zealand climate creeping up among us, you may be feeling like you need to hold off on your furry companions grooming needs untill Spring. Contrary to popular belief, it’s super important to groom during the winter months as much as the summer ones.
During those chilly winter months, your dog’s undercoat needs just as much attention as the topcoat does in summer. Maintaining a healthy coat throughout the seasons helps your bosom buddy regulate their temperature properly. Especially if you four legged bestie is inside with the fire on queue Nellys ”its getting hot in here”.
Cutting & De matting
With breeds such as Poodle’s or Bichon Frise’s the hair constantly grows which in turn means it needs to be cut regularly. The longer the hair becomes the more it needs to be brushed as thick dense matts or knots can become painful if left astray. I can tell you stories of me as a girl refusing to brush my hair, when I left it too long the knots became even more impossible to brush out - let’s just say it was never a happy ending. A de-matting tool or rounded scissors helps to keep the hair short. Hair will also need to be cut around the eyes and mouth.
Shedding
Dogs naturally loose damaged and old hair and if your anything like me, you don’t 100% feel like dog hair in your lu lu lemon tights is a fashion vibe right now. While you cannot stop a healthy dog from normal shedding, you can reduce the amount of hair in your home by brushing and shedding your dogs hair. A deshedding tool is just what you need to rid excess or dead hair, or by cutting and thinning out the undercoat Rubber grooming gloves or rubber brushes help to pull out dead hair which is still sitting within the coat.
Brushing
Getting 100 strokes in is super important and helps to keep away tangles and knots, because really, who has time for that? During the colder months, mats are the worst enemy for your pups natural insulating abilities. A beautiful, mat-free coat helps to insulate body heat and aids in keeping a protective barrier between the dog and external cold air. Make it a weekly date with your dog, I’m sure they will love the scratchy feel on the spots they cant get to and your bonding session will have you feeling good too!
Is giving your pooch a cuddle and him smelling absolutely wonderful not the best thing since sliced bread?!
It’s personally my favourite thing ever! Keeping your dogs hair washed is good for their health and wellbeing. Your pups washing routine depends on things like hair length, how much time they spend outdoors and whether they have any allergies or skin conditions. Why is it important to wash your dog? Not only is it a great chance for you to check for wounds, fleas or bumps but removing the dirt, debris and oils from the fur/hair.
Clipping your Buddys nails can be a pretty daunting task but it’s important for their overall health and comfort. Heres a nifty guide to clipping your dogs nails here. Trimming the hair in and around the paws is important during the winter months as snow, water, dirt and debris can get stuck and moisture and bacteria begins to thrive, gross I know. A soothing paw balm is fabulous for keeping those soft little puppy pads moisturised while the extremes of winter can be drying and harsh.
This one is more for you than your pooch, because I bet if you doggo had it his way he would much rather roll around in ungodly, smelling articles. Spritzers and Dog Cologne help your dog smell nicer than a warm ocean breeze. If you dog is prone to jumping on the furniture or dar I say sleeping in your bed, a cologne or spritzer just keeps them a little more fresher in between grooms.
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