Feeding your dog, giving her fresh water and taking her for walks are a given, but are you grooming her enough? Pet grooming is something that you can easily make part of your regular pet care routine, and it’s important to do so. Grooming your dog on a regular basis will help keep her clean, healthy and happy.

Brushing
Whether your dog has a long, silky coat or a short, coarse one, brushing her regularly is important. Brushing doesn’t just make her fur look nice and shiny. It also helps get rid of dirt, prevents mats from forming and removes dead hair. How often you should brush her depends on the type of coat she has. Dogs with shorter coats only need a good brushing about once a week, but dogs with longer coats need a daily brushing. Keep in mind that you should also brush your dog more often when her summer coat and winter coat come in, which helps reduce shedding.

Bathing
Giving your dog a bath helps remove pet odors and keeps her skin and coat in good condition. You shouldn’t bathe her too often if she has sensitive skin, though, since too many baths can dry her skin out. Dogs typically need baths about every three months or so, but your dog will need one more often if she tends to roll around in dirt or if she has oily skin. Use shampoos that are made for dogs in order to avoid irritating her skin, and make sure you rinse her thoroughly.

Trimming Nails
Nail trimming is something that’s easy to overlook, but it’s an important part of pet grooming. When your dog’s nails get too long, it makes walking around more uncomfortable for her and she could snag and tear her nails on carpets or furniture. You should trim your dog’s nails if they reach the floor when she’s standing up. Keep in mind that some dogs don’t like having their nails trimmed, so you might need to have your vet or a pet groomer do it if she won’t let you.

Teeth Cleaning
Cleaning your dog’s teeth can help protect her health. Dental problems in dogs can cause infections and other issues in other parts of the body. Use a toothbrush and toothpaste made for dogs to clean her teeth twice a week, and bring her to the vet for regular checkups.