Grooming is important for both the health of your pet and the bond you share. It’s also a nice way to spend quality time together with your puppy while also monitoring their health by checking for cuts, bumps, and tenderness.

When your new puppy is about 8 weeks old, has left their mother, is introduced to its new home and established a relationship with you as the owner – you can begin to think about getting the puppy groomed.

The very first grooming appointment is an introduction to the puppy and the owner to the world of grooming. The puppy with be introduced to a bath, dental care, nail care, ear care and slight trimming.

Bath time:
The bathing products available for dogs today are almost as numerous as those for us humans, and they’re much better suited to a dog’s skin type than human shampoos. Choose a special dog shampoo that’s best suited to your puppy’s hair type and take extra care not to get any shampoo in his eyes when washing him.

Investing in a non-slip rubber mat and placing it on the bottom of the bathtub is always a good idea as it will help in giving your puppy extra confidence during bath time.

Dental care:
Good oral health is essential to your puppy’s overall health. To help keep your puppy’s teeth and gums healthy, brush your puppy’s teeth regularly. Ask your veterinarian to show you how. Never use human toothpaste on your puppy – dental kits for dogs are available for daily use.

Nail care:
Regular nail trims will blunt the sharp tips of your puppy’s nails and minimize accidental scratches during play. Ask your veterinarian to show you how to trim your puppy’s nails, as it is important to know how to avoid the nail’s blood vessels and nerves in the pink base close to the toe. Make sure to only use nail trimmers designed for dogs and introduce nail trimming gradually, trimming just a few nails once a week at first. The more you do it, the more familiar it will become to your pup. A nail trim every four weeks is usually enough.

Ear care:
Although a dog’s ears normally do not require cleaning, it is important to check them regularly for any dirt, debris or redness, especially if you’ve noticed your puppy scratching or shaking his head. Contact your veterinarian if you notice these signs or anything unusual.

Trimming:
As a young puppy it is a lot to ask to force them to stand for long periods of time while being groomed. This is why it’s important to do only the basics for their first groom. Don’t forget to trim the fur from around their eyes carefully and around the sanitary area. Depending on how the puppy reacts to the first grooming we may recommend doing this type of trimming one more time before the full haircut. The more comfortable the puppy becomes with being handled by the groomer and being on a table, and in the tub, the better the puppy will become as they grow up.