As a dog owner, you probably already realize it’s important to have your beloved pet groomed every once in a while. But did you know there are plenty of reasons to keep up with regular, frequent dog grooming appointments, too? Dogs need to be bathed and cleaned just like humans do, and it’s important to find a good dog groomer in North Hollywood or learn how to take care of this process yourself.

In this article, we’ll give you a quick rundown of the reasons why your dog needs to be groomed. Keep this information in mind moving forward in your relationship with your favorite furry friend. If you have any questions, call Blue Cross Pet Hospital at (818) 980–1313.

Improved Smell and Appearance

Perhaps the most obvious and most common reason to groom your dog is the improved smell. Many dogs develop a powerful, unpleasant odor just from living their lives. Dogs that are allowed to play outside—even when supervised—often find something dirty or gross to roll around in, and this contributes to the smell. Even dogs that spend a lot of their time inside will eventually start to smell from a lack of grooming.

Dogs may become disheveled, unkempt, or scruffy in appearance when they aren’t groomed regularly, too. Although this aesthetic problem mostly affects you as the owner, it’s still a good reason to pay attention to your dog’s hygiene needs and make sure you have him groomed as often as necessary.

Regular grooming gives your dog a chance to get a bath, have their hair trimmed, get their nails cut, and take care of any issues such as tear stains that may affect their smell or appearance. Groomers may also express the dog’s anal glands, which can help with their smell and keep their bowel habits healthier in the long run, too. For both hygiene and aesthetic reasons, dog grooming is an essential part of being a dog owner.

No More Matts

Matted fur is a problem for dogs with medium or long hair. Most dogs will develop at least a few mats in their lifetimes, but some dogs may quickly become overrun with mats if they don’t receive regular grooming. When your dog’s fur mats, it becomes tangled and uncomfortable. It may catch on objects or in your dog’s nails when they scratch themself, and the mat may be pulled or tugged. When this happens, it becomes painful for your dog and may lead to obsessive chewing or licking of the spot where the mat is present.

Mats can also contribute to skin problems in the long-term. If your dog has a mat in their fur for a long time, it will collect bacteria and may cause a fungus to grow underneath it as well. This, in turn, causes the skin under the mat to become infected and may lead to more serious issues. Mats also often lead to hot spots in dogs.

By having your dog groomed often, you significantly reduce the risk of matting fur. Groomers can also carefully cut out mats without causing pain for your dog and can recommend future grooming treatments to help with the problem, too.

Reduced Risk of Ear Infection

All dogs run the risk of developing ear infections, but dogs with long fur or tufts inside their ears may be much more prone to frequent ear problems. Bacterial ear infections as well as ear mites are common in these dogs, but the problem can be reduced significantly by keeping up with your dog’s regular ear grooming.

Ear grooming involves trimming the hair around your dog’s ears and cutting the tufts inside their ears down to a manageable length. Some dogs become very nervous about this, so it may be wise to have a professional groomer handle this job for you.

Ear grooming should also include the careful cleaning of the dog’s ears. Never put any objects very deep into your dog’s ears, but try to wipe out the parts you can easily reach on a regular basis. Groomers may be able to clean more deeply than you can at home. If your dog has mites, your veterinarian will likely use a thick swab to clean some of them and their dirt out of the dog’s ears when diagnosing the problem.

Healthier Joints from Nail Trimming

When you let your dog’s nails grow too long, he has to walk differently to prevent putting uncomfortable pressure on their nails and toes. Doing this for too long may cause them to develop a strange gait or may lead to joint problems as they get older. Some dogs may even develop bone structure issues from long-term walking on nails that haven’t been trimmed often enough.

If your dog becomes wild or unruly during nail trimming, you can speak to your vet about the issue. Many vets offer nail trimming services at an additional charge.

Keep an Eye on Skin Issues

When you have your dog groomed regularly, you or your groomer will be paying more attention to their skin and fur. This extra attention may make it easier to notice skin problems before they get out of hand.

For example, your dog may develop a concerning spot on his skin in their later years, but with regular grooming, the spot may be noticed sooner than it would have been without. From there, you can schedule a vet appointment and have the problem treated before it grows into something worse or even unmanageable.

This is just one extreme example, but you may also find signs of smaller-scale issues such as hot spots when grooming your dog frequently.

Now that you know some of the reasons why you should get your dog groomed often, it’s important to reach out and make an appointment when possible. This way, you’ll have a regular groomer who gets to know your dog and can make the experience more comfortable, too. Call us today at (818) 980–1313. Of course, you can always learn how to bathe and trim your dog yourself and save some money and stress if you prefer!