Prepare Yourself for Grooming Your Dog at Home

Before getting started with your practical learning on how to groom your dog, obtaining the right dog grooming supplies is essential as well as setting up an area or room at home where the job can be done effectively, and with the most efficiency of cleaning up afterwards, is important. No two ways about it – grooming can be a messy job!  You could have an outdoor area (ideally, enclosed so the dog can’t go running off in the middle of the job) or, if there is no outdoor area, a laundry or bathroom would probably serve just as well to set up all your equipment.  You also need to have all the necessary dog grooming supplies to hand.  Below, is a general list of the different coat types and some, or all, of the appropriate dog grooming tools that you may require – you may not require all of these, e.g. you may not need to purchase dog nail clippers if the dog runs on hard surfaces and they are naturally kept short.   Our dog grooming supplies page details the different types of equipment that may be necessary, or alternatively the links of each individual item will direct you to the appropriate page if you are not sure what the different items are or where to purchase them from.

Firstly, consider whether you will need a table to stand the dog on while you are doing the grooming.  For small dogs, it is much easier to groom them at waist height so you don’t have to bend over.  Special dog grooming tables with adjustable heights and with non-slip surfaces are a good idea, particularly if you have more than one dog to groom.  A range of grooming tables from simple stand tables through to hydraulic professional grooming tables plus accessories are available.  Generally, a hydraulic table would be used by professional dog groomers who groom dogs all day long, however for someone who is not able to pick their dog up, it might be more useful than a normal dog grooming table.  If you are using a normal table you have at home then a non-slip mat would be required to prevent damage to the table and the dog slipping.

If you have a dog that is likely to wriggle then you may wish to look at purchase a grooming arm, although if you purchase a grooming table then the grooming arm may be included.  The arm is to be secured to the table tightly so it does not move and the loop is to be placed around the dog’s neck.  If you have a particularly wriggly dog, then a second grooming arm may be useful to secure the dog from the back end also. Place the dog’s hind lets into the loop and then slide the loop up so it holds the dog around the around the tummy area.  The loops can be adjusted for size – they should not be too loose or too tight.  They should fit comfortably around the dog’s body and should just be enough to hold him/her in place.  It is quite possible, if you have the right type of ordinary table, that these arms could fit onto a normal table as well.  This allows you to use two hands to do the grooming rather than holding with one and trying to groom with the other and rather than having a second person hold the dog.

If you have multiple dogs or not able to lift your dog onto a table then you may wish to consider the tables that you can adjust to height.  Hydraulic tables are a lot more expensive, ranging in price from a few hundred dollars to over one thousand dollars.  The cheaper options may not be of the best quality so it might be worthwhile checking the ratings.

The PetLift Hydraulic Table/Standard Fixed Top Raises 19 – 42 in Masterlift (as shown in this picture) from: CherryBrook is one of the variety of hydraulic tables available.  These are available with either hydraulic or electric height adjustment.  The beauty of these is that a large, heavy dog can be walked onto and off the table with no lifting on the part of the groomer.  They can then be raised to the appropriate height for maximum comfort of grooming.  For a large dog, you have the ability to raise the table a little higher while you are working on the lower part of the dog’s body and the lower the table to groom the upper part of the body so there is no bending or reaching high – it can all be done at a comfortable level.  These are, however, are a lot more expensive .  Check out the great range and specials at CherryBrook!

It is also important to sit or stand comfortably while you are grooming your dog.  It generally takes an hour or more to complete, depending on how fussy and neat you want the dog to look.  Standing for a length of time may not be possible for some people so a comfortable stool or chair is important and depending on whether you are using a table or what height the dog is would depend upon the type of chair or stool required.  The following are a few ideas you may wish to consider.