Pet grooming guide

There are a wide variety of tools available for use when pet grooming your dog, all of which can be bought from local pet stores. The most useful are a curry comb for overall brushing and removal of loose dead hair and skin, a shedding blade to remove coat shed and a de-matting comb to help remove tangles.

Curry comb
Curry combs stimulate your dog’s skin to produce natural oils, which help to keep the fur clean and healthy. Frequent use of a curry comb during pet grooming will ensure a shiny, glossy coat and will also keep the skin clean and healthy too. As well as stimulating the skin, the comb will encourage blood flow and remove flakes of dead skin. If your dog has long hair then the comb can be used to remove tangles and matts, which can be uncomfortable and unhealthy.
The gentlest curry brush is made from rubber or a rubberised material. The rubber is bendable, allowing the comb to flex with the animal’s body.

Shedding blade
A shedding blade is a looped piece of metal with the ends held together by a handle. One side of the blade has small, rounded teeth which catch hold of and remove coat shed and help to minimise the occurrence of matting. Many pet grooming experts recommend getting a shedding blade since it is especially good for keeping dogs with short coats from shedding all over your house. Shedding blades are primarily used in the pet grooming of shorter haired dogs as they are less effective on long haired coats. Always use a light touch when using the blade as it is possible to cause harm to the coat or skin if you press too hard.The first few times you use a shedding blade on your pet, keep a good watch on the dog’s skin. If they seem to show signs of irritation or begin to scratch, you may need a softer brush or a gentler technique with the blade.

De-matting comb
Even regularly brushed dogs develop matts and it’s very important to remove them before they become out of control. There are many styles of de-matting comb or rake and the one you choose will depend entirely on the type of coat that your dog has so, for example, a dog with a thick, curly coat will need a much wider toothed comb than a dog with a long, fine coat. The best method of removing the matts while pet grooming is to put your fingers between the dog’s skin and the matt and to then ease the de-matting comb gently through.

When pet grooming, first secure your horse up and then pick out its hooves. After this you can begin your horse grooming at the poll region on the left side and slowly work back over the whole body. Repeat on the other side. Initially, use a rubber or plastic curry comb (depending on your horse’s coat type) to remove mud and scurf . Then use the body brush and curry comb. Always use a body brush on your horses mane and tail if it is fine or pulled.

A curry comb or grooming mitt.
The purpose of a curry comb is to break up clumps of mud and remove loose hair. It is made from rubber or plastic with short teeth on one side. It is the first of several brushes used when pet grooming a horse’s coat. Use a rubber curry comb on finer, clipped or summer coats, for removing mud, sweat or scurf. They are also good for massaging and removing hairs when losing winter coats. Use the massager sets in a similar way, the one with the spikes for very coarse long winter coats and the finer one for finer, clipped or summer coats. Use plastic curry combs on coarser and winter coats. Plastic curry combs are excellent for brushing off mud and can also be used on thick manes. Don’t use curry combs or massagers on legs or sensitive areas. Metal curry combs are for cleaning the body brush.

A body brush with fairly stiff bristles.
A body brush is wide and flat with a strap across the back and short vegetable fibres. Use this after the curry comb to shine and polish your horse’s coat. The body brush is the main pet grooming brush. It is generally used for cleaning the coat, removing scurf and dust, and for brushing out the mane and tail. The close-set hairs of the brush are designed to reach right through the coat to the skin beneath, lifting and removing dirt and creating a shine. Use brief, circular strokes over the body, finishing each stroke in the direction of the lay of the hair. Use this in conjunction with a metal curry comb – after several strokes of the body brush draw the brush across the teeth of the curry comb to remove the dirt. You could also use a rubber or plastic curry comb to keep your body brush clean.

A mane and tail comb.
Use a wide-toothed plastic or metal comb on horses with short, pulled manes. You can also use the mane comb to pull the mane. Use a dandy brush for long manes and tails. Particularly long manes and tails on show horses are often picked out by hand to avoid breakage of the hairs. Plastic combs cause less breakage than metal ones.

Grooming rag or towel, also called a Stable Rubber.
To give a final polish to a horse’s coat use linen, towelling or comparable type of cloth. You could also use it after a ride to help get rid of sweat.

A hoof pick.
Hoof picks are used by moving downwards from heel to the toe, dislodging anything that has caught on the point of the pick. Next clear the cleft of the frog. Check shoes for any wear or risen clenches. It saves time if you teach your horse to pick up his feet.

A clean sponge or soft cloth.
When brushing your horses head, put his headcollar around his neck but make sure that he is in a place that he can’t move around in very much. Use one hand to keep his head steady and gently brush the face with the other, avoiding eyes and going gently on sensitive areas. Pay plenty of attention to the ears, gullet and lower jaw. Finally gently sponge clean the eyes, and then the muzzle and nostrils. Keep a second sponge for the final phase of pet grooming, to clean round and under the horses dock.