Regular grooming can help your dog stay happy and healthy, and looking its best. However, visiting a groomer or vet isn’t possible right now due to the coronavirus lockdown. Therefore pet grooming may be down to you, and for many, this can be daunting.
We’ve teamed up with Lynne Land a pet groomer and her poodles Mojo, Tutu and Pixie.
They’ve made two short videos on how you can clean your dogs eyes and clip its nails.
How to clean your dog's eyes
Lynne shows us how she cleans Mojo's eyes. Lynne recommends using a tea bag for this, wiping over the eyes, underneath and above. This will remove any debris and gunk.
If your dog has a light coloured coat, you can use cooled boiled water and cotton wool balls. Tea bags, although effective, may stain the coat of a lighter dog.
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How to clip your dog's nails
We meet Mojo again in Lynne’s second video about nail clipping. Some dog's nails can grow very quickly meaning regular groomer or vets visits.
Lynne recommends buying a small plier type nail clipper with a guard. A small nail clipper is good even for bigger dogs as it can be tucked away in your hand out of sight as you clip your dog's nails. This will help to reduce any fear your pet may have.
If your dog is nervous, you may find it helpful if someone holds it steady. You should also ensure that your dog is level with you so that you don't have to lean down to reach its paws.
You should start with your dog's back paws, and only clip a small amount off each nail. If you do this regularly, it should control the length avoiding the need for more severe cutting.
One of the fears dog owners have is they’ll make the nail bleed by cutting too far. By taking small amounts off each time, this will reduce that risk.
If the thought of a nail clipper makes you far too nervous, then you could use a nail grinder. This gently files the nail, with no need for cutting.
There are different size holes to use in the grinder depending on the size of your dog's nails. Again, you should always start with the back paws as this allows your pet to become accustomed to the process.
