A Complete Puppy Grooming Guide

Starting early with a grooming routine for your puppy offers many significant benefits, besides the apparent improvement in his appearance –

• Reduces Grooming Anxiety: Introducing puppies to grooming early in their lives helps them adapt better to future grooming sessions, significantly reducing the possibility of stress and anxiety. The puppy learns to build positive associations with grooming and enjoy the process instead of fearing it.
• Improves Health: Regular grooming reduces the possibility of infections and health issues in the future. It also helps in the early detection of health problems, if any.
• Strengthens Trust: Early handling strengthens the bond between you and your pup. It ensures that your puppy is able to trust other humans easily in the future, making veterinary visits and home care easier.
• Builds confidence: Short introductory grooming sessions help your puppy gradually adjust to the process without overwhelming him.

When to start the ‘Puppy Glow-Up’?

Ideally, you should introduce your puppy to the grooming process when he is between 8 and 12 weeks old. This is the time frame when puppies are naturally curious about and receptive to new experiences. Delaying the process beyond this point could make it harder for puppies to adjust later on.

Laying a strong foundation

Before you begin the grooming process, follow these two steps to ensure that you start on a strong footing.

Get your puppy comfortable with being handled

Regularly handle your pup’s sensitive areas at home, including his paws, mouth, ears, face, tail, and belly. Start by gently touching these body parts on a daily basis for short periods of time and increase the duration of handling gradually. Make sure to reward calm behavior with lots of praise and treats.

Gradually introduce grooming tools

Help your puppy get comfortable with a range of grooming tools such as brushes, combs, nail clippers, hair dryers, etc. Place the tools in front of your pup and allow him to sniff them out at his own pace. Turn on electric tools such as hair dryers at a low setting without any direct contact to familiarize your pup with their sounds. Reward your pup generously for keeping calm.

Little Paws, Big shine – Tips for a stress-free grooming experience

Follow these tips to ensure a relaxed and calm grooming experience for your pup.

• Keep Sessions Short: Wrap up the initial grooming sessions within 15–20 minutes to avoid overwhelming your pup.
• Positive Reinforcement: Reward your pup generously with treats, praise, and petting throughout the session.
• Keep Calm: Remain calm and speak softly to your pup throughout the grooming process. Puppies can pick up on human anxiety, so your being relaxed will reassure them that all is well. If your pup seems very anxious during the grooming session, promptly end it and try again later.
• Time it right: Schedule grooming sessions when your puppy is calm or tired, i.e., after his playtime or closer to his naptime. It will prevent him from being wriggly and restless during the process.
• Be patient: Do not rush the process, as it could cause unnecessary stress to your pup.

A simple step-by-step guide

Follow these steps to make the grooming process as smooth and easy as possible.

Organize the grooming tools before you start

Having all the necessary tools handy will not only save you time and make the process efficient, it will also provide a sense of predictability and calm for your pet.

Keep these tools handy –

• Brush
• Puppy-specific shampoo
• A towel and a slip-proof mat for bath
• Puppy toothbrush and puppy- specific toothpaste
• Nail trimmers
• Styptic powder (in case you have to treat a bleeding nail)
• Dog treats
• Hair dryer

Start with gentle brushing

Regular brushing of your puppy’s hair is important to keep his coat shiny and healthy. Brushing prevents matting, removes dirt and debris, and keeps shedding under control. Choose a soft-bristle brush that is suitable for your puppy’s delicate skin and tailored to his coat length.

Take the brush and comb through your puppy’s fur from head to toe in the direction of hair growth. Apply just enough pressure to remove dirt and mats without pushing too hard Offer treats frequently during the session.

Brushing is a good activity to start the grooming session with, as combing your puppy’s hair prepares his coat for bathing. In addition, it can also be a stress-free and enjoyable activity for your pup.

Make bathtime fun

Bathing your pup helps maintain overall cleanliness.

When your pup is ready for his bath, find a good space such as, a sink, and place him there. After brushing, gently scrub him with a shampoo formulated specifically for puppies’ sensitive skin. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. Prevent water from getting into his ears or eyes. Dry him thoroughly using an absorbent towel or a hair dryer.

Depending on your pup’s breed and individual needs, bathing him once per month is enough. Frequent baths can dry out his coat. Take care not to bathe your pup before he is eight weeks old.

Trim his nails

It is safe to trim a puppy’s nails for the first time after he has been weaned from his mother.

Begin by firmly holding a nail between your fingers. Using nail clippers specifically designed for dogs, trim off a small amount from the tip of the nail. Offer lots of treats and praise to keep your puppy happy and calm. Repeat the process with the other nails. Take care not to cut into the quick, i.e., the pink area. If you happen to accidentally cut the quick, apply styptic powder to stop the bleeding.

If your pup seems particularly anxious, try cutting his nails across multiple sessions, or you can take him to a professional groomer.

Take care of those pearly whites

You can begin brushing your puppy’s teeth once he is six months old. Brushing prevents the buildup of tartar and plaque, and helps promote dental health. Brush your pup’s teeth once weekly initially. Increase the frequency gradually as his comfort level improves.

Gradually introduce your pup to tooth brushing using dog-specific toothpaste. Never use human toothpaste as it can harm puppies. Gently rub your fingers around his mouth and let him taste the toothpaste. Once your pup gets comfortable with this step, begin using a dog toothbrush to clean each tooth.

Don’t forget the ears

Cleaning your puppy’s ears regularly prevents infections. Use ear-cleaning formulations approved by your veterinarian.

Gently clean the outer ear surface with cotton balls. Avoid inserting cotton swabs into your puppy’s ears as they can rupture the ear canal. Inspect your pup’s ears weekly for any signs of redness or unusual odor

The right time for a ‘Puppy Spa Date’

If you do not have time to groom your pup at home or are unsure of grooming him all by yourself, take him to a dog groomer once he is fully vaccinated. Professional groomers have the necessary tools and know-how to address the needs of puppies of different breeds.