How to Brush a Dog

When you bring a dog into your family you want to give them proper care and love. Weekly brushing, whether your dog has long hair or short hair, is an important step in caring for your dog. Brushing removes tangles and loose hair, increases sheen and keeps the coat clean between baths. Your dog will also enjoy the extra attention from you.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Towel
• Dog treats
• Thinning shears
• Slicker brush
• Bristle brush

1. Have your dog lie on a towel near you while you talk to and pet him. Check for matting and tangles in the fur.

2. Use a slicker brush to gently work through the tangles and mats. Begin brushing from the ends of the hair and work towards the skin. Cut big tangles that cannot be combed out with thinning shears.

3. Start with his stomach and brush away loose hair with a bristle brush working in the direction of hair growth. Make sure to get the underarm areas also. Pull loose hair off brush and throw away.

4. Brush your dog's back with the bristle brush starting at the neck. Brush with the direction of hair growth as you move down the back and legs. Make sure to get the fur on the back of the legs also.

5. Brush her tail starting from the base and moving towards the tip. Remove loose hair from brush before starting on the face.

6. Hold one ear firmly with one hand as you brush behind the ear with the other hand being careful not to tug on the ear. Switch ears when finished. Carefully brush around the eyes and muzzle, moving with the direction of hair growth.

7. Give your dog a treat and plenty of praise for staying on the towel during brushing.

Tips & Warnings

• Talk to your dog in a gentle, coaxing voice to help relax her while you are brushing.
• See your vet if you notice any skin irritation, foul oder, or flea and tick infestation.
• Use a conditioning spray before brushing to keep from breaking long hair.
• If your dog seems agitated by the brushing, begin with short sessions of just a few minutes in length and work your way up to longer sessions.
• Do not use regular scissors to trim tangles out of fur. You risk cutting your dog and having to make an emergency trip to the vet.

Resources

• Find more information on pet care at the Humane Society of the United States Web site.