How often to book a grooming session for your dog?

Who doesn’t like to see their furry one looking fresh and clean? Aside from aesthetics, regular grooming has a lot of benefits. The most important benefits of regular grooming include: checking for fleas and parasites (since our dogs are regularly exposed to a lot of nasty critters!), keeping their coats healthy and shedding less, checking for ear infections, healthy and maintained nails, and finally – a happier dog!

How often should you groom your dog?

Experts recommend anywhere between every 6-8 weeks, but this ultimately depends on your dog’s breed, size and age. The most important questions to ask yourself are the following:

1. How fast does your dog’s hair grow?

This depends on their breed – poodles, for example, have a coat that grows really fast whereas a Maltese’s coat grows slower. Some dogs only need specific areas groomed – such as their feet, ears and face. Therefore, your groomer will recommend what’s the best routine for your dog by assessing their individual needs.

2. What’s your favorite length?

This is a bit more on the subjective side – some owners like to see their dog’s hair short, while others prefer a longer, wavier look. So, this ultimately depends on you!

3. How often do you brush your dog?

Dogs with longer coats are more likely to have matting and knots developing in their coats. Regular brushing is essential to maintaining their coats’ health. Also, if you allow matting to form, it will be a very time-consuming process to get it removed (and it will also be an uncomfortable experience for your dog).

4. What is your dog’s lifestyle?

If you spend a lot of time with your dog at the beach or at the dog park, then maintain coat health is crucial. If your dog is naturally a couch potato then less grooming is required.

5. Age

The younger your pup is when first introduced to grooming, the better it is for the both of you. Puppies who get used to grooming visits at a younger age will build more confidence and feel more relaxed at the groomers – making this a better, less stressful experience for everyone.