Pet Grooming For Dogs - Things You Should Know Before You Snip Your Dog's Hair

There are different types of coat within the double and single coated categories and it is worth looking at these types because it can help to define your dog's coat and thus how you groom it much more effectively.

Here are 2 types of dog coats:

Smooth Coat

Breeds like the Basset Hound, Beagle, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Bulldog, Dalmatian, Great Dane, Greyhound, Labrador Retriever, Miniature Pinscher, Pug, Rottweiler and Weimeraner all have smooth coats.

The fur is sleek, shiny and very short as a general rule and thus do not need as much grooming as most other dogs. The general grooming routine for smooth coated dogs should contain regular brushing and occasional baths.

Brushing is necessary to ensure that the natural oils produced by the coats are spread evenly across the surface of the fur in addition to ensuring that all stray hairs are removed.

Medium Coat

The breeds that fall under this category include the Akita, Australian Shepherd, Border Collie, Brittany, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, German Shepherd Dog, Golden Retriever, Great Pyrenees, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Saint Bernard and Siberian Husky.

These breeds have coats that exceed an inch thick but still appear to be relatively short and are easy to groom. These coats do not typically get tangled or matted and tend to retain little in the way of dirt.

Although you may have to incorporate a trim into your grooming routine, experts recommend a brush once a week and a bath once a month for these dogs.

Although these breeds generally have an undercoat as well as guard hair, they do not tend to shed as much as heavier coated breeds.

However, you should still take care to ensure that they are dry following baths because any lingering dampness can cause illness.

Finally, a dog's health can be measured by it's coat.