Chapter 1

What Good Grooming Is All About

IN THIS CHAPTER

Understanding why grooming is important to your dog's health

Tallying up the costs of grooming

Determining which dogs (and coat types) need the most and least grooming

Figuring out when to do it yourself and when to hire a pro

I know that when I think of grooming, the vision of the froufrou doggie beauty parlor springs to mind, complete with bows, silly hairstyles, and nail polish. I've got news for you: I've never put a bow in my dogs' hair, and my dogs would protest mightily if I even suggested painting their nails.

But grooming is important. No one likes a bad hair day. Your dog certainly doesn't and feels even more uncomfortable than you do with hair all ratty and snarled. But grooming is more than just having your dog look and feel good; it's vital for his health. And it's more than just a bath - it includes brushing, combing, keeping teeth and ears clean, clipping nails, and keeping your dog in top shape.

In this chapter, you get an overview of dog grooming and why it's so important for your dog's health and well-being. You also find out how much time and money it takes to keep your dog well-groomed and when a little help from the pros is more than just greatly appreciated - it's a necessity.

Big Hairy Deal: Discovering Why Grooming Is Important

A dog who doesn't look good outside is a dog who isn't healthy. A lackluster coat or one that's plagued with external parasites and sores is just the tip of the iceberg. If your dog looks icky outside, she probably feels icky inside, too. That's because a dog's coat mirrors a dog's health. The outward appearance can be a signal of internal problems that no amount of brushing can fix. Look at the following sections for some of the reasons grooming is important to your dog's overall health.

Sociability

When your dog is clean, you want your dog around more so you can bond and enjoy each other's company. Sure, your dog likes to play in the dirt and roll in stinky stuff, but he also likes how it feels to be clean, just like you do. And although your dog doesn't care about smell (except perhaps when encountering a skunk - check out Chapter 17 for more about deskunking a skunked pooch), you do! You're less likely to enjoy having a dirty, smelly dog around, but a clean, refreshing one is definitely a more enjoyable companion.

Presenting a positive public image

Keeping your dog clean says something about you; it says that you're a responsible dog owner and that you care for your dog. You may be able to take your dog places where dogs aren't usually allowed. When practical, I've actually taken dogs to book signings and shopping malls - where dogs aren't usually permitted. One look at my dogs told the people in charge that I take care of my dogs and that they're well-mannered.

Your dog no doubt will join you on walks outside your home, but you may have occasion to do other things with your dog, such as go to special events or even compete in various dog sports and activities. Maybe you'd like to do some social work like visiting the sick or elderly. Your dog can become a therapy dog, but being clean and friendly is vitally important for your dog under those circumstances (see Chapter 5 for more about brushing and bathing your dog). No one wants to pet a dirty dog, no matter how lovable.

Dogs aren't always allowed everywhere you'd like to take them, no matter how well-behaved and well-groomed they are. The reason some places are off limits has to do with health department regulations, so make sure you always get permission before taking a dog to a place that doesn't normally accept them.

Eliminating the spread of dirt and disease

Dirty dogs track dirt into your home and get dirt on your clothing, furniture, and carpet.

Ungroomed dogs are more likely to be infected by internal and external parasites, and external parasites - fleas and ticks - can harbor dangerous diseases, such as bubonic plague, typhus, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which can make you and your family sick. If your dog is ungroomed, she may be carrying funguses such as ringworm that can be transmitted to people. Keeping your dog clean and free from these problems through good grooming eliminates many potential health problems.

Determining whether something's really wrong with your dog internally

You have plenty of good reasons for keeping your dog well-groomed. One reason is that grooming eliminates various problems associated with an ill-kept dog, such as external parasites or open sores caused by a matted and dirty coat that traps bacteria. Another reason is that you'll be able to tell the difference between a coat that looks bad because it's dirty and one that looks bad because something is wrong with your dog.

A lackluster coat can be a sign that one or more things are seriously wrong with your dog, including

• Poor nutrition
• Allergies
• Internal parasites
• Hormonal imbalances or diseases
• External parasites
• Cancer
• Other diseases

Any one of these problems can severely shorten your dog's life, or in extreme conditions, even kill your dog. Knowing how to groom your dog can help you you separate potential health problems from problems caused by not properly caring for your dog.

Considering the Necessary Investment

Now that you know that good grooming is necessary for your dog's health and well-being, you may wonder just how much it costs to have a good-looking dog. You may have visited the local groomer and asked how much bathing and/or clipping your dog costs. If you've done the math, you know it can be a bit pricey, especially when money's in short supply.

The truth is that when you start grooming your dog, you can do some things just to get by, all the while keeping an eye out for the many opportunities to buy really good equipment and supplies for not a lot of money. (Be sure to check out Chapter 3 and the Appendix for some good sources for grooming supplies.)

Your investment, however, isn't gauged entirely in terms of money. Your time is worth something, and grooming requires some of that, too.

You may find that grooming is expensive in time and money, or you may find it relatively inexpensive. Much of the cost of grooming depends on what kind of dog you have, what type of hair your dog has, and whether you're grooming your dog as a pet or for a dog show. Regardless of cost, grooming is a part of dog ownership, and as a pet owner, you must take care of your dog's health and well-being - not to mention how really spiffy your dog will look.

Anyway, the sections that follow can help you figure out how much time and money you need to keep your pup well-groomed.

The cost in money

Most people think and talk about costs in terms of money. You know: How much in dollars is this or that going to cost? Well, the bad news is that getting stocked up with grooming equipment and supplies is fairly expensive (see Chapter 3 for more about the costs of supplies). The good news is that after you dole out the initial investment for your equipment, you probably won't encounter that expense again unless something breaks or wears out. And when you compare it to regular trips to a groomer, the cost of buying your own supplies is relatively cheap.

How much does at-home grooming cost compared to a year's worth of grooming sessions from a pro? Well, if you're paying from $60 to $120 a month for grooming, you're paying $720 to $1,200 a year. You can buy some pretty nice grooming equipment for that amount of money, and doing it yourself pays off in the first year or two.

Some dogs need more grooming equipment and supplies than others. For example, a dog who needs daily brushing and regular clipping is going to need more equipment than a dog with a wash-and-wear coat. (See "Familiarizing Yourself with Your Dog's Coat" in this chapter for more on fur types.)

The cost in time

Although the old adage that time is money is true where dog grooming is concerned, you nevertheless need to think about the work and the fun you can have when you bathe or brush your dog. As you know, grooming your dog is as much a necessity as housetraining your dog or going to the vet for an annual exam.

When taking time into account, be aware that

• The shorter the natural coat of the dog, the less grooming the dog is going to need.
• The smaller the dog, the less grooming the dog is going to need.
• Dogs who need stripping (see Chapter 12) or clipping (see Chapter 11) usually take more time than dogs who don't.
• A dog with long hair (see Chapter 13) or a double coat (see Chapter 9) takes more time to groom than one with a medium- or short coat (see Chapter 8).
• Different procedures take different amounts of time. A quick brushing with a well-maintained coat takes less time than a bath (see Chapter 5).
• The condition of your dog's coat dictates the amount of time grooming takes. Brushing out a clean dog with a...