Grooming for Dogs and Cats

Any time you own a pet it is your responsibility to keep him happy and healthy.  Part of your pet’s care must include some type of grooming.  Dogs’ and cats’ hair can get dirty and matted and needs to be combed out.  Leaving mats in your dog’s fur can cause skin irritations.  And of course cats, especially the long-haired varieties, when left totally on their own to groom themselves, can develop hair balls.

Grooming your dog can be an essential part of your dog’s care, especially if your dog suffers from the heat in the summer.  Getting his fur cut or shaved can help keep your dog more comfortable in the hot weather, and possibly even help to prevent heat stroke.  And, as mentioned, untended mats in your dog’s fur can cause skin irritations and infections.

Be aware that cats also may need to have their claws trimmed.  Cats kept indoors do not always have the opportunity for scratching down their claws that outside cats have.  A trip to the groomer will ensure your cat’s claw health.

You can choose to do the grooming yourself if you have the time and the patience for it, or you can hire professionals to do this task for you.   Professional groomers will bath your pet, cut, shave and comb out its fur/hair, clip its nails, clean its ears and provide all the grooming services you need. 

Another plus about taking your pet to a professional groomer is their knowledge of dogs and cats in general.  They can sometimes point out if your dog or cat has a health problem that may need a vet’s attention. 

Dog groomers will most often trim your dog’s coat relative to the type of breed it is.  Some specialty dog groomers will cut and style your dog’s fur in fun and exotic ways.  Some will even add color to your dog’s fur to give him a ‘designer’ dog look and also take care of its paws with special paw creams.

With some breeds of cats (the ones with longer coats) you can also get unique and designer looks provided by a professional groomer.  Surely you have seen cats with a ‘lion’ cut!

You can take your pet to a local groomer near you, or some groomers even have mobile units that will come to your home. 

When looking for pet groomers, look for one that is professional, keeps clean work areas.  Ensure the groomer is certified and an active member of a dog or cat grooming association.

Some groomers also have spas geared for pets attached to them (although you can take your pet to a separate pet spa as well).  The spas do for your pets exactly what a spa for people would do—they cater to making your pet more relaxed and less stressed with massage therapies, heated towels, special shampoos and colognes, ear and teeth cleaning, and general pampering.