How to groom a dog at home

Home grooming is brushing, checking the coat, and cleaning gear after you finish. Work in short sessions so the dog can step away.

What you need

  • A brush matched to coat length. For medium and long hair, a deshedder with a 9-blade side and a 17-blade side can detangle first, then lift loose hair.
  • A towel and a waste bag for collected hair.
  • A lint tool for the floor and furniture after you finish. The Cleaner Pro is 6.6 x 5 x 0.37 inches.

Steps

  1. Brush in the direction of growth. Start at the ends of any mats, then work toward the skin.
  2. On a two-sided deshedder, use the 9-blade side to detangle and demat. Switch to the 17-blade side to lift the loose coat. That tool is made for long coats, double coats, and wiry coats on dogs, cats, bunnies, and horses.
  3. Check paws, ears, and the skin around the eyes. Wipe dirt with a damp cloth or a pet wipe. Do not push anything into the ear canal.
  4. Sweep or lift hair from the floor, crate pad, and nearby fabric so it does not spread through the room.

If you use a grooming kit that brushes, detangles, de-sheds, trims, cleans, dries, and vacuums, empty the canister when it fills and keep cords away from paws.