7. Equipment

Taking care of a dog comes with a large set of specialized equipment that is necessary to keep your dog looking great as well as maintaining effective control over him while causing him minimum discomfort.

Kennel, Leash and Collar

Based on whether your dog spends most of his time indoors or outdoors, a suitable sized kennel is a necessary investment.

A sturdy collar and leash with a comfortable grip are absolute must-haves when you take your dog out on a walk. A variety of leashes and collars in conventional leather, trendy natural fibers or durable nylon are available to choose from. In case of large dogs that tend to chew on leashes, special nylon extra strength leashes is a good bet.

Bathing and Cleansing

• A suitable bathing tub for the size of your dog or a bucket and mug in case your dog is not comfortable being dipped in water
• A non-slip mat to ensure he does not fall despite soapy shampoo lather
• Either a towel or a hair dryer to dry his coat after the bath

Dental Hygiene

Dog toothbrushes do require a certain degree of getting used to. A good way to get your dog acquainted with the feel of the brush is to let him chew and play with one for a while before beginning to use it. Dog finger toothbrushes are a good alternative, although nothing could replace the traditional toothbrush.

The finger brush fits onto the fingertip and lets you brush the dog’s teeth effortlessly. The disadvantage of getting a finger brush to clean your dog’s teeth is that its bristles are quite large for the brush to go under the gum-line’s margin as effectively when compared with a regular toothbrush.

An effective tartar remover tool is a good investment in case you would prefer to carry out the exercise yourself. Many of these are liquids that are easy to use.

Coat and Nail Trimming

In order to obtain the best results it is important that you use the correct equipment when grooming your dog. Listed below are some of the common items that professional groomers use to trim dogs’ coats. In case you desire professional results, it is a good idea to invest in these, all of which are easily available at your local pet store.

Before embarking on a coat trimming session, it is important that your dog’s coat is clean and tangle free. A soothing bathing and drying routine is recommended before brushing your dog’s fur to be followed by the trimming exercise.

There are a variety of brushes that can be used to disentangle and groom:

• A slicker brush is used to prevent matting and remove tangles.
• Bristle brushes are coarse brushes that are used to take fine foreign matter off of your dog’s coat.
• Pin brushes are used for long haired dogs as they help remove tangles and twists in spite of the extra hair length.
• Stainless steel brushes are efficient and durable along with being versatile. They come in a variety of sizes and lengths, which can be chosen based on the special requirements of your dog.
• A rubber brush is a soft brush that is good for using against a dogs hide making them particularly good on short haired breeds.

For the actual process of trimming your dog’s coat, there are several options that you can choose from:

• You can buy specialist dog clippers from your local pet store.
• Alternatively, you can use normal hair clippers, similar to those used in barber shops; you may need to buy specially sized snap-on attachments depending on the length of your dog’s fur though.
• Stainless steel scissors are also recommended if you are confident of being able to achieve a uniform length without conventional clippers. It is a good idea to get safety round tip scissors if you are trimming in sensitive places or else your dog tends to fidget when you are grooming him.
• Stripping knives can be used on dogs with wiry coats. Use this type of knife in the direction of your dog’s coat grain. Hand stripping of dogs with wiry coats need to be carried out as frequently as once in three months usually; you may ask your vet or pet store owner for a demonstration of the correct technique if necessary.

Nail Clipping

• Buy a sturdy pair of sharp clippers. Small flimsy ones may break after a few nail clipping sessions. While most people use the single-bladed type of nail clipper, a more functional variety is the kind that looks like a little pliers and has two blades at the top and bottom.
• These are inexpensive, cut faster with less effort. Replace your clippers every year since the sharper they are, the less they pinch the nail during the clipping process.
• Invest in a muzzle, especially for the first few times, as you both get used to the nail clipping process.