Dog Grooming Tips for Beginners at Home

Ordinarily, there are several steps for grooming a dog at home. Luckily, this article addresses how to cut your dog’s hair and all the steps involved.

Preparing the tools for grooming

Dog grooming tools include all the necessary items you have or require. Adequate preparation before grooming day makes it easy to achieve successful outcomes. Furthermore, you will have everything ready on that particular day.

So, here is how to organize your dog grooming supplies at home.

Plan: Get all the necessary tools ready before the grooming day.

Clean:  Clean and disinfect all the tools to remove any dirt, hair, dust, and bacteria left from previous grooming session.

Safeguard: Use recommended covers to safeguard your dog grooming supplies from dirt. You can cover the tools in plastic pouches.

Cleaning items: Keep your cleaning items close. Always ensure you have a coolant spray, rubbing alcohol, and anti-bacterial soap.

Essential tools for grooming your dog at home

Dog brushes and attachment combs

Dogs have different coats. Hence, there are several brushes and attachment combs to pick. A few include rakes & mat breakers, slicker brushes, bristle brushes, shredding tools, and wire pin brushes.

Dog hair clippers or scissors

If you do not fancy long haired dogs, use My Pet Command Cordless Clippers

Dog Shampoo

Using the recommended shampoo is good for your dog. It is recommended to use non-scented and colourless shampoos.

Try natural shampoos, medicated shampoos, tear free shampoo, oatmeal shampoo, or conditioners

Nail trimmers

Ensure you have one or a combination of nail trimmers.

The best nail trimmers include scissors-like trimmers, claw or plier style trimmers, styptic powder, guillotine trimmers, and filing tools

Dog ear care

Remove any dirt, wax, sebum to reduce cases of ear infection.

Use cotton pads or balls, ear powder, ear cleanser, ear medication, and hemostats.

Tips for grooming your own dog at home

Grooming should not necessarily be a one day job. It should be done regularly as recommended.

Here are a few tips to make your experience stress-free.

1. Regularly brush your dog’s coat
2. Do not bathe your dog frequently
3. Carefully trim the dog’s hair and nails
4. Always check your dog’s ears
5. Check your dog’s skin when grooming
6. Make every grooming session fun
7. Pick a routine during the sessions

Consider the below Do’s and Don’ts.

Cutting with clippers

You can now correctly trim the dog’s coat with the precise clippers and the correct hair grooming for dogs guide.

How to choose the correct pair of clippers

First, pick the precise clipper Kit that is made specifically for dogs.

Secondly, pick an electric clipper that is fairly quiet. A quieter clipper gives your dog comfortable grooming sessions. However, choose a longer lasting battery powered clipper if you prefer a portable design or a Corded powered clipper. Brushless Motor Clippers offer best power to noise ratio.

Lastly, choose a clipper that is light and has a comfortable grip.

My Pet Command Cordless Battery Clippers

 is the best device to use.

How to Pick the Best Blades for the dog grooming clipper

Always choose a sharp blade to make clean and neat cuts. Also, use a guide comb to ensure even cuts.

luckily My Pet Command MPC15DS clipper , can be used with the following blades.

My Pet Command High Quality precision D Type Blades

This industry Standard Detachable D type Blades works perfect with My pet command professional dog grooming clipper. Before grooming, you can easily detach it and interchange diffrent Blades

Also, you get to choose between Various Blades to choose from to add with the kit with a combination of 4 Blade guides (13, 10, 6, 3mm) for flexible and quick pet shearing.

Tip: Remember to sterilize the blades before use. Additionally, there are many dog breeds with different types of hair style. So, pick the precise blade for short, medium, or long hair dogs.  

Dog Clipper Blade Sizes Chart

Both skip- and fine-tooth blades come in a variety of sizes. A clipper blade size is commonly expressed in numbers from 3 to 50. The difference between smaller and larger sizes is in the length of hair they leave on a dog’s body. Smaller blade sizes leave longer hair and vice versa. For example, blade #3 leaves about 1/2 inches and a blade #50 – just 1/125 inches.

Choose the blade size depending on the dog breed, the part of the body, and the haircut you want to get. In average, you’ll need 2-4 blades to groom one dog. In our dog clipper blade sizes chart, you’ll find recommendations for some popular dog breeds.

Dog Clipper Blade Numbers and Lengths of Cut

Below is a list of the clipper blade numbers and the length of coat that is left on the dog after the clip.

Tips for how to use dog clippers

• Always let the blades cool to prevent overheating or burning the dog’s skin. Especially when grooming small dogs. Use appropriate cooling Sprays as required
• Check the number on the blade. The higher the number, the shorter the hair and vice versa
• Use different blades for different spots.
• Ensure you do not use water as a coolant. Instead, use the recommended blade coolant.
• Wipe the excess coolant before getting back to trimming your dog’s coat.
• It is also important to replace blunt blades occasionally to guarantee cleaner outcomes.
• Always use a comb to guide your cuts
• Make sure Blades are oiled before Clipping to ensure smooth clipping

Steps for trimming dogs hair using clippers

Usually, there are four steps involved.

1. Wash your dog
2. Brush the coat to remove hair knots
3. Pick appropriate fur/coat length blades
4. Use clippers and guide comb to trim the dog’s coat

How often should you trim your dog’s coat?

This depends on your dog breed. Not all dogs require regular trimming.

The Afghan hound, for instance, requires regular trimming compared to short haired dogs like the Dalmatian.

Nonetheless, it is recommended to trim your dog’s coat every 4-8 weeks.

Cutting with Scissors

Another great alternative to trimming your dog’s hair using clippers is to use a pair of scissors instead.

Steps to trimming your dog’s hair using scissors

1. Get the full set of grooming scissors. You need a straight grooming sheers, round safety tip scissors, thinning sheers, curved scissors, and a comb.
2. Sharpen and oil the scissors
3. Wash your dog’s coat
4. Comb the dog’s fur
5. Decide on the appropriate fur height
6. Start cutting from front to the back carefully

Grooming sensitive areas

Most injuries during grooming dog at home occur at sensitive spots like the belly, paws, behind the ears, or even close to the genitals & muzzle.

Thus, you should be extra cautious while grooming these areas.

Tips for grooming sensitive areas at home

• Pick the recommended grooming supplies for sensitive spots
• Gently remove fur tangles from all sensitive spot
• Always use a flexible bristle during the entire process
• Sterilize blades used on sensitive areas
• Use the #10- 1.6mm blade for all sensitive spots
• Always ensure your dog is comfortable
• Groom the sensitive areas last
• Take caution around the sensitive area

How to groom sensitive areas

Tools needed

• Slicker brush
• Stainless comb
• Clippers or scissors

Step-by-Step dog grooming at home Process

1. Comb the sensitive area gently to detangle then lift the dog’s rear leg or stand behind him
2. Pick an appropriate length
3. Carefully trim the sensitive areas

Brushing your dog

Brushing your dog’s coat is significantly important to keep him looking good. It should, however, be done correctly.

How often should you brush dog’s hair?

Again, brush the dog’s coat depending on its breed, size, and type of coat.

But, it is highly recommended to brush your dog 3-4 times a week.

Steps-by-step procedure

1. Detangle the mats
2. Wash your dog with shampoo and conditioner (not always necessary)
3. Choose the appropriate brush
4. Dry the dog’s fur with a towel or hairdryer
5. Gently brush the coat (following the coat’s natural direction)

Recommended brushes and combs

Rakes and mat breakers – Used on severe tangles and mats.

Slicker brushes – Breaks mats and detangles long and medium haired dogs.

Bristle brushes – These are short soft bristle brushes for short and long/thick haired dog breeds.

Shredding tools – Used to remove excess dog fur and giving dog hair cuts.

Wire pin brushes – Used on dogs with long or medium coats.

Conclusion

You do not need to be an expert to groom your pet. Also, you do not need to call a dog groomer regularly. Grooming can be done comfortably at home with the appropriate tools and a guide.

Luckily, this dog grooming for beginners guide has looked at how to groom a dog, how to cut dog hair, and how to groom a dog with clippers.

Follow the guide for effective results.