When you feel so busy that you barely have time to manage your own hair, it’s hard to put one’s mind to fixing up the dog’s coat. You might think that your dog doesn’t really care either way, so why bother to look for dog brushes online and let the task of brushing eat into your busy day?
Actually, there’s quite a lot more to the act of brushing your dog’s coat than you perhaps think. Below are some of the best reasons that brushing your dog’s coat should be a regular occurrence in your home.
- Reduces Snarls and Matting
Dogs like to get everywhere and anywhere that they can. They run through grass, roll in the mu, swim in rivers and ponds…they are pretty wild when you let them do their thing. All of this external stimuli has an impact on the dog’s fur quality, especially if it’s a breed of dog with longer hair like the ever-popular golden retriever, for instance. Their fur becomes snarled, matted, caked in dried dirt, and even vulnerable to pest infestation.
Brushing your dog’s coat will help to remove this debris and restore the coat back to its original state. Of course, if they have been rolling in the mud and are filthy, you’ll need to preface that brushing with a bath, but the brushing remains a critical part of it all.
- Cuts Down On Hair Getting Everywhere You Don’t Want
If you’re someone who loves your dog but doesn’t love how easily their hair gets all over everything, then you should be the biggest fan of brushing your dog and should be doing it daily, perhaps even twice daily. Brushing the dog will help to remove loose fur, but place it somewhere you can now control — onto the brush head.
Isn’t it better that you brush the dog and get most of the loose fur out so that less of it is rubbing onto your black work trousers, onto your sofa, or into your rugs and carpet? You’ll never regret having brushed the dog and saved all that loose fur from getting everywhere you don’t want it.
- You Can Check Their Skin
Like humans and other animals, dogs are vulnerable to various types of skin conditions. Common examples include (but are not limited to) folliculitis, ringworm, skin allergies, and in more severe cases things like mange. They can pick these up from other dogs they encounter, or from the outdoor spaces they explore (and roll in).
When you’re brushing your dog, it’s the perfect chance to take a look at their skin and see for yourself if there are any noticeable symptoms — rashes, marks, abrasions from where they’ve been scratching too much, etc. — and then take any action needed.
- The Dog Loves It
Not all dogs like being brushed in the beginning. Then again, puppies don’t even like being walked on a leash, but they quickly change their minds about that, getting crazy excited every time you pick up the leash indicating that it’s time for walkies! As you brush them more, the dog will typically start to enjoy the process for 2 main reasons.
First of all, being brushed is a nice sensation to them, and helps to relax them. It’s not so different from a massage for humans, and they come to love the feeling of the brush. Second is that brushing time is bonding time with you, their beloved owner. Dogs love being close to you, and feeling like you are connecting. They are emotional beings. So, make it a regular part of your day with the dog and see the difference!