Dog Grooming Advice, Please!

Grooming can be a nightmare. I cant even whisper the word “bath,” because Pugsley would run to his crate and pretend to be invisible. Really.

When Pugsley was a lot younger, I would often take him to the groomer at a nearby Pet Smart. Grooming for him would cost ~$50$.  I must admit, he was so adorable! These days, I find that I prefer to groom him myself – do a little trimming here and there with some thinning shears so that his trim doesn’t look angular and harsh. I find that maintaining him that way is a real money saver!

And while we both don’t enjoy it (Pugs is way wiggly!), I don’t mind doing it, because I know he’ll come out cute, clean and hygienic.  Yes, I had a lot of YouTubing to do until I felt comfortable and content with the outcome! And guess what! It’s about that time again! That said, do any of you pet parents out there have advice on the following grooming issues:

– Preferred shampoo/conditioner? I’m looking for something mostly all natural, though there’s definitely some wiggle room. I honestly don’t do organics (food, products, etc.) for myself unless I really love something, and I’m kind of oblivious facts that other people out there our there are weary of. For example, some people won’t use certain essential daily products – such as deodorant – unless they’re labelled organic (and find the label to be true), because of fear of carcinogens. I, do though, want something as healthy, natural, and soap free for Pugsley – I noticed once when I used human shampoo how badly he had the case of the itch! As a new dog owner at the time, I had no clue, but I’m definitely never doing that again! Does your pup have any bath favorites?

– I hate trimming Pugsley’s nails.  It is literally a wrestling match every time. I’ve found that laying him on his back and on my lap is the easiest. He’s still super nervous, but whatever works, right? Also, he has black nails, where other dogs have white nails and its easier to find the quick. I usually trim as short as I can, just before what looks like the quick, but even though I’m ever so careful, sometimes I clip him and there’s a little bleeding. It literally breaks my heart. Once, I literally started crying because I felt so terrible, and instead of licking his wounds – no pun intended – Pugsley cozied up with me, letting me know he was over it quickly.

– Toothbrushing! Does your pup brush his or her teeth everyday? If so, I really commend you. Pugsley hates it and so do I, so we won’t always do it. These days, we use these Ark Naturals Breath-less Chewable Brush-less Toothpaste  treat things. I’ll write a review for it soon, but do you pet parents have any other alternatives or advice for making brushing a little easier for the both of us?

I really do hope I get responses to these grooming questions! I’d love advice from more experienced per parents. Please feel free to even message me privately!