DOG GROOMING

Dog of any breed should be groomed daily with a suitable grooming equipment to have a good coat on the body of the dog. A shinning body coat is the beauty of a dog.
   Large breeds require more grooming attention than soft-coated small breeds and Care must be taken when grooming long haired dogs.
  
   Grooming is a must for dogs because it helps in the following areas or ascept;
1.  It helps in removing old dead hairs and prevent formation of matting or dreadlocks in long-coated dogs.
 2. It helps in keeping away ectoparasites (ticks, lice, fleas. e.t.c).
3. It helps in cleanliness and prevention of various skin problems.
4. It stimulates blood supply to the skin and improve the coat condition.

A grooming kit should include the brush, comb, rake, thinning shear, electric clipper, stripping comb and a piece of velvet.
There are different varieties of brushes and combs. The best ones are fairly robust and substantial. Do not use brushes with sharp points or anything that can damage skin and hair. Combs need to be strong, it would help to remove dead hairs and prevent matting or locking of hairs.
Dogs of large breeds with coarse coats are best groomed with strong bristle or nylon brushes while a nylon baby brush is effective in grooming small breeds.

      GROOMING PROCEDURE

Have the dog stand in a comfortable position and relaxed, then start brushing from one of the hind legs, use the brush to go through all the under-coat of the thigh and down the lower leg, then groom the top coat. Repeat this procedure for the other hind leg, then thoroughly groom the back down to the entire length of the tail.
Brush out the front legs and the body hair from the shoulder, back over the ribs to the hips, neck and chest.

After grooming, clean the dog's ear by using dry cotton bud to wipe accumulated dust and wax from the folds inside the ear flap.
Note: Never use these bud to clean the ear canal.