Good grooming will help your dog look and feel their best. Routine grooming sessions also allow you to examine your dog’s coat, teeth, eyes, ears, and nails for signs of problems. How often you need to groom your dog depends on their size, breed, and type of coat.

Here are our top tips for helping your dog looking (and smelling) their best.

Several brushing sessions a week will keep the average dog neat and clean; daily attention is even better. Brush all the way down to the skin, letting the massaging action stimulate blood circulation and loosen and remove flakes of dandruff.

The kind of equipment you need depends on your dog’s coat texture and length. Longhaired dogs need pin brushes, which have long, round-ended stainless-steel or chrome-plated pins. Short to medium and some long-coated breeds need pin or bristle brushes. There are also slicker brushes for removing mats and dead hair; rubber brushes to polish smooth coats and remove dead hair; clippers, deshedding tools, rakes, hair dryers, and other grooming tools.

When brushing, always check for burrs and other stubborn plant material; mats, which most frequently form behind the ears and under the legs; and any cuts or scrapes on the skin itself. All dogs shed, though some definitely shed more than others. Regular brushing will help keep shedding under control.

Your dog should have regular, but not frequent, baths, depending on the breed and coat of your dog. Too-frequent washing removes natural oils and causes the coat to become dry and harsh.

When necessary, use a shampoo formulated for dogs. Wet the dog with warm water and apply shampoo from the neck back. After lathering and scrubbing, rinse your dog thoroughly with warm water. Rub vigorously with a towel (they'll help you with vigorous shaking!), and then blow-dry if necessary. Why not follow up with some spritzer to give them the full treatment! Comb or brush as required.

Nails must be kept short for the feet to remain healthy. Long nails interfere with the dog’s gait, making walking awkward or painful. They can also break easily. This usually happens at the base of the nail, where blood vessels and nerves are located, and precipitates a trip to the veterinarian. If you can hear the nails clicking on the floor, they’re too long.

To trim your dog’s nails, use a nail clipper. Most have safety guards to prevent you from cutting the nails too short. You want to trim only the ends, before the “quick” which is a blood vessel inside the nail. (You can see where the quick ends on a white nail, but not on a dark nail.) Clip only the hook-like part of the nail that turns down.