Spring may be a season of beauty and renewal, but for pet owners, spring cleaning takes on an extra meaning. Pets need grooming care all year long, but during spring shedding season, they demand a little extra attention. Keep reading for our top tips on spring pet grooming–including brushing techniques, paw care, suggestions for pets that hate bath time, and advice on when to see a professional groomer.
Dealing With Excess Fur
It’s the same every year: hair starts to pile up in the corners of your home, and while you may not notice it at first, you’ll certainly notice when you scratch your pet’s back and the fur goes flying! The shedding cycle may be a hassle, but it’s completely natural (and unavoidable).
Most pets shed during fall and spring. In the fall, they shed before growing in their thicker, warmer, winter coats. In the spring, they shed those winter coats to stay cooler in the spring and summer heat. This process was very important as dogs and cats evolved. Shedding helped dogs and cats survive in the wild long before they became domesticated. Though most dogs and cats now live in temperature-controlled homes, they still carry this adaptation–which means we have to deal with the shedding cycles!
One of the best ways to deal with shedding is to keep a consistent brushing schedule. Not only is it good for your pet’s health overall, it can also help prevent sneezing for any dander-sensitive members of your household. And of course, when you brush your pet, you can take that hair straight to the trash can rather than letting it pile up around the house.
How often you should brush your pet depends on their coat type. Cats and dogs with long, silky, or curly coats should be brushed daily to avoid mats and tangles and keep their fur looking lustrous. In the spring, you can even increase your brushing regimen to twice daily, if necessary. Cats and dogs with short coats, on the other hand, can usually be brushed weekly. But during the spring, you may want to brush them once every few days.
Of course, regardless of your pet’s coat type, it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on their coat health and brush it if you see any problem areas starting to form. If they’re shedding consistently outside of the normal shedding season, or if their coat looks dull and unhealthy, consider adding vitamins and supplements to their diet.
There are a number of brush types to choose from, and again, take your pet’s coat type into account when choosing the best brush. A slicker brush will work for many pets, regardless of coat type. These brushes feature many tightly packed wire pins. Some have rubber tips on the end of each pin. Whether or not they have these tips, they are completely harmless and provide a comfortable brushing experience for your pet.
Pets with extremely thick coats, including double coats, may need an undercoat rake. Like slicker brushes, undercoat rakes have wire pins, but they are thicker and more spaced out to help brush through deeper and thicker fur.
During shedding season, you can add a shedding blade to your brushing routine. Despite their rather scary name, shedding blades are completely painless. They feature a horseshoe-shaped blade with ridged edges that pulls away loose, shedding fur.
Bath Time Tips
Dogs with long, curly or oily coats may need baths every 4-6 weeks, while dogs with short coats may only need a bath once every few months. In general, you can decide whether or not your dog needs a bath based on how they smell. If they’re getting stinky, it’s probably bath time!
To bathe your dog, you’ll need dog shampoo. Using human shampoo is not a good idea, since dogs have a different skin pH than humans. You will also need a towel to dry them off. Gather your supplies beforehand and choose a safe area for bathing. We recommend bathing your dog outdoors. Be sure they are securely tied before you begin.
You can use a hose, or place them in a plastic tub or plastic pool filled with water and use a bucket to rinse them off. Make sure the water is lukewarm or cool to avoid accidentally burning your pup’s skin. Rinse your dog’s fur until it’s wet, then apply shampoo down their back and massage it into their fur. Then, rinse the shampoo off and dry your dog gently but thoroughly with a soft towel.
Cats don’t usually need baths, since they do a pretty good job of cleaning themselves! However, you may need to help your cat out with a bath every once in a while if they get extra messy. Cats are notoriously water-avoidant. If your cat simply won’t put up with a bath, you have a few options. You can bring them to a professional groomer, who will have the tools and training needed to keep them calm. Or, you can use a cat cleaning wipe. That way, you can help them clean up without the stress of getting in the water.
Paw and Nail Care
By the end of winter, dogs and outdoor cats may need extra paw care. Cold, snow, ice, and salt can crack your pet’s paw pads. Cracked paws can be painful and lead to infection if not properly addressed. Be sure to check up on your pet’s paws throughout the year, but especially after a long winter. If your pet’s paws look dry or cracked, apply a moisturizing balm. Check for dirt, debris, burrs, or other irritants in your pet’s paws and paw fur, and remove them before they become a problem.
It’s also important to keep up on your pet’s nail care! If you choose to clip your pet’s nails on your own, it’s important to follow a few proven steps to keep them safe. Be sure to use a pet-specific trimmer–do NOT try to clip a pet’s nails with a human nail clipper! You can also let your pet smell and paw at the clippers to make the object more familiar and less intimidating..
When you feel ready to use the clippers, take your pet’s paw in your hand and apply gentle pressure to their paw pads until their claws emerge. Trim only the tip of their claw to avoid hitting the quick–this is the sensitive, pink area of the claw which contains blood vessels. Make sure you are in a well lit area so you can easily distinguish the quick from the rest of the claw.
You can also use a nail grinder if you aren’t comfortable with trimmers (but don’t use a nail file meant for humans). Get familiar with how your nail trimmer works before you use it on your pet. Of course, this is easier if your pet sits still for their nail trim. Some pets (especially cats) will wriggle away at the first sign of a nail trimmer. You can try wrapping them tightly in a blanket to keep them still, but if this doesn’t work, it may be wise to bring them to a professional to avoid any injuries.
Many pet owners choose to bring their dogs and cats to professional groomers for nail trims. It’s completely normal to be nervous about trimming your pet’s nails–after all, a pet parent’s worst nightmare is accidentally hurting their fur baby! Many groomers, including Mighty Pet in Menominee, Michigan, offer special pricing for nail trims so that you don’t have to pay for a full grooming service.
When to See a Groomer
While you can do some pet grooming at home, there are times when it’s best to bring your pet to a professional groomer. Behavioral issues are the first and most obvious reason to rely on a groomer. If your pet gets very aggressive during grooming, then a groomer may not be able to help (after all, they need to stay safe, too). But pets with anxiety and aversion to grooming can benefit from professional services. Professional pet groomers can help keep your pet calm, and can use professional tools to immobilize them for baths and nail trims.
If your pet is extra dirty, has badly matted or long fur, or has overgrown nails, a groomer can help. They can handle haircuts, deep cleans, and trims for thick or overgrown nails.
Handle Spring Shedding Season With Help From Mighty Pet in Menominee, MI!
Spring shedding doesn’t have to be a hassle! We hope this article gave you some helpful tips for brushing, bathing, and nail care. Use this advice to help you stay on top of basic grooming, and you can make it through the season with even the furriest of pets.
When it’s time to buy the grooming products you need, or to get professional grooming services, come visit us at Mighty Pet in Menominee, Michigan. We are proud to offer a wide variety of pet care products, along with a full suite of grooming services from nail trimming to haircuts.
