Brushing your dog regularly has a host of benefits, such as giving you an opportunity to detect any abnormalities (lumps, for example). However, some homeowners who have just acquired their first dog may not know how to select the right brush for grooming their dog. This article discusses the common types of dog coats and the frequency of brushing needed.
Long-Haired Breeds
Does your dog have long hair? Long-haired breeds, such as Tibetan terriers, need to be brushed on a weekly basis. This is because their coats can easily become tangled. A pin brush is the best type of brush to buy if you own this type of dog. The bent wires of this comb extract all the loose hair from the coat of your dog without making it feel any pain. The bristles get to the undercoat and untangle the hairs. Don't hesitate to brush your dog more often in case you notice that its coat develops tangles quickly.
Short-Coated Dogs
You may not need to brush the coat of your dog frequently if it has short hair. Examples of breeds that fall in this category include Greyhounds and Labrador Retrievers. You can brush such a dog twice a month or once every three weeks. This increased interval is because these dogs take longer to develop tangles or mats in their hair. Buy a rubber brush to remove any loose hair and tangles in your pet's coat. A hound glove is also a very good option because your dog will think that you are petting him or her while you move your gloved hand over his or her coat.
Short, Wiry Dogs
An example of a short, wiry dog is the Dachshund. You need a slicker brush and a metal comb to brush the coat of such a dog. You can also use a stripping knife to remove the dead hair from the coat of this dog. Watch someone using the stripper knife for this purpose before you use it on your own. You can brush your dog at the same frequency as the rate at which the short-coated dogs are brushed (as discussed earlier).
Ask a professional to take you through the brushing routine if you have never done it before. You will then gain the needed skills to keep the coat of your beloved pet healthy and beautiful. You should also ask a dog-grooming expert to brush your dog periodically (once every three months, for example) so that any mistakes that you have been making can be identified and corrected.
