A spa day is essential to freshen your pet’s coat, trim and file their nails, and express and deodorize their anal glands. Although professionals often perform these grooming tasks, with practice, you can take care of your pet’s grooming needs while bonding with your four-legged friend. By following our Pets & Friends Animal Hospital team’s tips, you’ll be grooming your furry pal like a professional in no time.

#1: Gather the correct pet grooming supplies

An extensive pet grooming supplies selection is available. These items have been designed to best tackle a variety of grooming tasks, from brushing long fur to clipping thick nails. 

Before purchasing pet-grooming products, research which items work best for your pet’s individual grooming needs. For example, your husky’s thick double coat likely requires an undercoat rake to pull out dead fur that can become matted. Shampoos and conditioners should also match your pet’s skin and hair coat type. Specific products can dry oily skin, soothe flaky skin, and strengthen the skin barrier to help manage allergies.

#2: Learn how to perform pet grooming tasks properly

If you are just learning how to groom your pet, a botched haircut may not be the only consequence of your inexperience. Your furry pal may also suffer physical harm if you cut a nail’s quick or lacerate their skin while trimming their hair. Ensure you know how to perform the following grooming tasks correctly:

  • Nail trim — To avoid the quick (i.e., a nail’s blood vessel) when cutting your dog’s nails, cut just past the nail’s natural curve. The quick typically ends right before the curve starts. This blood vessel is visible in white nails, but can be difficult to spot in black nails. When cutting black nails, stop when you see a fleshy black spot ringed in a white circle. If you trim any further, you’ll be cutting the quick. 

Cats’ nails are typically clear and have a prominent hook. Gently press on each toe to extrude the nail and clip just past the pink quick or where the nail begins to curve. To help hold your cat still as you trim their nails, wrap them in a towel.

  • Brushing — Before bathing your pet, you should brush them from head to tail to remove any tangles and mats. Brushing alone doesn’t usually eliminate matted hair, and you may need to use electric clippers to trim away mats. Avoid using scissors, as you can easily cut your pet’s skin. By regularly brushing your pet, you can help prevent their hair from becoming matted. Determine which brush is appropriate for your pet’s coat type and set to work!

  • Bathing — Use lukewarm water when bathing your pet, because they cannot tolerate water temperatures as high as people can. Soak your pet’s entire body before working shampoo into a lather, taking care to avoid their eyes. If the shampoo is medicated, let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. Your pet’s fur should feel squeaky clean when all the shampoo is washed out, not slick and soapy.

Once you’ve rinsed your pet clean, gently towel them dry. Avoid rubbing hard with the towel, as this can damage the hair follicles. If your pet tolerates the noise, you can use a blow dryer on the cool setting to help speed the water evaporation.

  • Anal gland expression — Not all pets require help expressing their anal glands, but some need regular expression to prevent impaction. To express your pet’s anal glands, don disposable gloves and squeeze a dollop of water-based lubricant onto your dominant hand’s index finger. Moving slowly and gently, insert your finger about an inch into your pet’s rectum. You should feel anal glands situated at the 4- and 8-o’clock positions. These glands can range in size from peas to small grapes. Milk the glands out toward the opening into a paper towel until you have expressed all the fluid. You should not be able to feel the gland when it is empty.

#3: Stick to a pet grooming schedule

Professional grooming often follows a schedule designed to keep your pet’s skin and hair coat in optimal health. Set the same schedule at home to prevent overgrown nails, matted fur, skin issues, ear infections, and anal gland impactions. Depending on your pet’s needs, they may need monthly grooming sessions. However, certain grooming tasks, such as anal gland expression, may only need to be performed quarterly.

A thorough grooming session gives you the perfect opportunity to examine your furry pal from nose to tail. If you discover an abnormality in your pet’s skin, ears, nails, or fur, schedule an appointment with our Pets & Friends Animal Hospital team.