The Best Way to Groom a Dog

Why groom your dog? What's the point? Well, aside from preventing some

there are everyday advantages to it.

-Regularly brushing your dog's hair will keep it neat, healthy, and glossy. If needs be, you'll need to clip the hair around his eyes, ears, tail, and anywhere else it appears to be growing too long. If his or her hair becomes too long and unkempt, your dog will become agitated and stressed, leading to behaviour such as excessive barking or whining.

-It will keep that horrible doggie smell down to a minimum, as the odour actually comes from dead hairs, not the creature itself.

-Combing and brushing your dog once every second day or so will limit the amount of hair it sheds, meaning there will be less strands left on carpets, cushions, sofas, and clothes.

-Cleaner, tidier hair means less chance of unwanted visitors such as fleas or tics settling down in your dog's coat. Running a comb quickly through his or her fur will help keep it flea-free.

-A clean dog is a happy dog. If you brush your pup on a regular basis, he'll be more willing to play, go for walks, obey when given a command, and overall will have more energy.

-It'll also reflect well on you, as it shows people what a responsible owner you are.

To get the best results when grooming your dog, you'll have to invest in a number of basic tools. Don't worry - there's nothing fancy or expensive involved, and if you keep up the practice of brushing him or her regularly, it'll be worth spending a few bob. The products you'll want to purchase are listed below, accompanied by instructions on how to properly use them. I recommend using them in the order in which they appear here.

This odd-looking little appliance is indispensible when it comes to grooming. The function of a Zoom Groom is to remove the already-loose hair that is just sitting on top of your dog's coat. Most of the time it will just rub the hair off of your dog and onto the floor, so don't be disheartened if it is not gathering the hair in its bristles. This brush should be run from your dog's neck to its tail, and not the other way around.

-Don't be surprised if your dog tries to grab the Zoom Groom from your hands, or if he or she thinks it's a toy. It's manufactured by KONG, and is made from the same material as their classic KONG toys are. Once they realise it's a brush, they'll settle down and should let you get on with grooming them.

-It's advisable to have your pooch sit on a towel while using the Zoom Groom on it.

You're looking for a brush with a soft side and a hard side. The hard side should be used to groom your dog's back and sides, and should be run from tail-base to neck. You need to use the softer bristles on his/her legs, tummy and head. With most breeds you don't need to brush their tails - check with your vet if you aren't sure what to do. If you're having trouble getting your hands on a two-sided brush, it's perfectly fine to buy a soft and hard one separate, but a two-in-one will be cheaper.

This is just a regular, plain old steel comb. Simply run it through your dog's coat once every day or second day. The direction in which you need to comb is from head to tail.

This tool looks a little like a rake, and that's pretty much what it is. You rake it through your dog's coat from neck to tail and it gathers up any loose strands of hair. It's a great product if you're looking to reduce shedding.

-Be very careful not to over-use this appliance, as if you do gather all the loose strands on your pooch's coat, it will start to pull out clumps of the still-healthy fur. This will lead to your dog developing bald patches. It is to be used only once a week.

This is actually a window-polishing cloth, but if you wipe your dog down after grooming him or her, it'll remove any strands of hair the brushes failed to pick up, and it will leave your pet with a gorgeously glossy coat.

It's important you take good care of your grooming tools, since they'll set you back a pretty penny or two if they become damaged or lost, or need to be replaced for some other reason. Based on my own experiences, the following pointers are the most important steps to follow in order to keep your combs, brushes, and cloths in top condition.

-Clean your tools after each use. To do this, simply pull the hair from the steel comb, the zoom groom, and the Furminator. Then drag the comb through the hard bristles of the two-sided brush until it removes all the trapped hair. Repeat with the soft-bristled side.

-Do not leave your tools lying around. Either buy a bag or box and keep them in it, or use a spare container you have in your house. This will keep them from becoming damaged or lost.

-If your tools come with covers, do not throw them away. For example, depending on which brand of Furminator you purchase, it may come with a plastic covering for the teeth. Get into the habit of replacing the cover, even if you're only laying them down for a second. This way, if you forget to tidy them away and leave them on the floor, they won't hurt a pet if it stands on them. If a person steps on them, the teeth won't snap or bend.