Winter grooming differs from summer grooming, whether your dog gets professionally groomed or you do it at home. Health, safety, protection from the cold, and a look ahead to spring are winter grooming priorities. Here’s what to remember:
• Long Coats Need Extra Care. Just because your dog has a built-in sweater doesn’t mean you don’t have to keep an eye out for mats, tangles, and other long-hair troubles. If your dog wears a short coat in the summer, you may not be in the habit of brushing two or three times a week to keep a longer coat trouble-free, but the time you put in now will pay off later. Groomers are all too familiar with the spring shear, that necessary shave-down that happens when long-haired breeds with neglected winter coats come in too tangled and matted for anything but the clippers. Regular brushing, three to five times a week, will keep your pet’s coat tangle-free, save you money in the spring, and rescue your pet from the anguish of a long and tedious spring grooming. Keep a brush and comb near the television set or the fireplace and make brushing a winter bonding ritual.
• Short Coats Keep On Shedding. When the air, and your dog’s skin, gets drier, short-coated dogs tend to shed even more. If “dog hair chic” isn’t your decorating style of choice, brush your short-coated breed at least three to five times a week to keep the effects of shedding to a minimum. Frequent brushing in the winter will also keep your dog’s coat shiny, clean, and healthy, and your dog will enjoy the attention and time with you.
• Dry Air, Dry Skin, Dry Coat. The dry indoor air of winter may make your skin dry and itchy, and it can do the same thing to your dog. A dull coat, excessive scratching, and general discomfort can be the unhappy result. Choose a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner for your dog, and add a tablespoonful of flax oil, olive oil, or canola oil to your dog’s kibble during the dry winter months, to keep skin and coat supple and healthy.
• Winter Bathing Ritual. Whether they have been rolling in muddy snow or simply need a coat revitalization, dogs still need baths in the winter. However, a few precautions apply. Don’t ever let a wet dog outside in cold weather. This can magnify the effects of the cold. You may want to blow dry your dog’s coat during the winter, even if you don’t normally, but always use the cool or low setting and keep the blow-dryer at least six inches from your dog’s skin, so you don’t burn him.
• Bundle Up. Dog sweaters, dog coats, and dog clothing aren’t just for fashion impact. They really can keep your dog warm and protected when he goes outside. Great for small dogs and large dogs hailing from warmer climates (such as sighthounds), sweaters and coats will keep the icy wind and snow off your pet, the same way your coat protects you, and doggy boots can keep the ice, snow, and de-icing salt off your pet’s paws. Dog sweaters and coats can encourage underarm matting on long-coated breeds, so keep an eye out for those tangles and comb them out before they become mats.
• For more, read Dog Grooming: Winter Foot Care.
