10 Days Dog Grooming Lessons-Day1

All dogs need grooming, but some dogs need more grooming than others.

Dog owners did not realize that their dog should be combed frequently and completely to prevent kinks and knots caused by intertwining of hairs or by dirt, grit, or vegetative matter in the coat. Mats can pull tender skin and cause pain and lead to hot spots or wounds to irritated skin and eventual infection, general skin outbreaks, or fungus or insect invasion.

Shaving may be the only solution for felted mats, but it must be done carefully to avoid nicking the dog or further irritating already inflamed skin.

Breeds that need frequent grooming to prevent mats and keep their coats healthy include Cocker Spaniel, Afghan Hound, Otterhound, Bernese Mountain Dog, Great Pyrenees, Newfoundland, Samoyed, long-coated St. Bernard, Maltese, English Toy Spaniel, Pomeranian, Shih Tzu, Yorkshire Terrier, Silky Terrier, Australian Terrier, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Bichon Fris? Chow Chow, Keeshond, Tibetan Spaniel, Tibetan Terrier, Finnish Spitz, American Eskimo, Bearded Collie, Belgian Tervuren, Old English Sheepdog, Collie, Briard, and Shetland Sheepdog.

However, all dogs need some grooming. Although they are unlikely to develop mats or tangles ?except around the ears or on the feathered legs of some breeds ?medium-coated and short-coated dogs do need periodic grooming to keep coats and skin healthy. Grooming during shedding helps move the process along, lessen the hairy tumbleweeds in the family room, and encourage the growth of new coat.