If you have a dog that has short hair, you’re lucky, mostly because you only have to brush its fur once or twice in 7 days, and you also have to give their nail trim once a month. But, if you have a pup with longer fur and a tendency to roll around in different things – especially mud – you may have started thinking about grooming them by yourself.
But, grooming a dog isn’t an easy task, which is why you may be wondering – what are the pros and cons of choosing DIY for grooming? Luckily for all individuals that are wondering the same thing, the article below can help. Let’s explore the pros and cons of cleaning your dog by yourself:
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5 Advantages of Choosing DIY
Besides wanting to save some money, taking your pup to an expert nowadays could be impossible because of the global outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, which is an additional reason why you may want to do it at your house. If so, some of the advantages that you could gain include the following things:
1. You’re Pup Will Feel Less Stressed
One of the first – and if you ask me, most crucial – advantages that you could gain is that your furry friend might feel less stress and anxiety if you opt for grooming them from the comfort of your house or backyard, instead of simply dropping it off at the groomers.
Besides this, you could decide how long you’ll groom your pup for, which means that you could ease their tension. A less stressful and more familiar environment will make your pup feel at ease, which means that you could ensure that they’re happy instead of stressed out because of the experience they had.
2. The Equipment is Cheaper
Now, we aren’t talking about the scissors and combs you may require – we’ll talk about that later on – we’re talking about the shampoos and products that you could buy. When you take your pup to a groomer, it’ll probably cost more than 100 dollars for the services, but, if you choose DIY, you’ll be able to save most of the money you would otherwise give to someone else.
Keep in mind, there are various articles that’ll assist you to choose the items suitable for your furry friend. For instance, if you want to purchase dog shampoo groomers use, you can check out We Love Doodles to see what you could get. By doing so, you could find a suitable product for your pup.
3. There Are Various ‘How-to’ Resources
You probably don’t have the skills and experience needed from grooming dogs, but, don’t worry, here is a wide range of online resources that’ll aid you with getting started! What does this mean for you? Well, basically, it means that you could find online how-to guides, videos, as well as blog posts that’ll explain what you have to do.
4. It’ll Allow You to Bond
We all live fast-paced lives, which is why you probably always look for chances to bond with your four-legged friend. If so, you should know that cleaning them at your home is what can provide you with bonding opportunities. Besides connecting with them, you’ll also have a lot of fun while doing so, which can allow you to relax as well.
5. You’re Vet Could Assist!
Now, we aren’t talking about taking your pup to their vet to get cleaned, instead, we’re talking about your vet helping select the products suitable for your dog! This will certainly save you a lot of money since you won’t purchase something that will harm your dog, but more importantly, you could guarantee that the products actually work.
4 Cons of Choosing DIY
Although there are some really nice advantages of cleaning your dog at your home, there are also some disadvantages as well. The cons of DIY dog grooming includes the following things:
1. You Might Not Have The Equipment Required
Although the cleaning products aren’t expensive, you probably don’t have the scissors, toenail clippers, and brushes you need, which means that you’ll have to purchase them. Now, you cannot simply purchase any toenail clippers and scissors, they must be specifically manufactured for dogs.
Keep in mind, if the items you purchase aren’t high-quality, you could end up hurting your canine, which means that you must ensure that you purchase high-quality items that, of course, come with a higher price tag. However, when you consider how much you’ll save by DIY grooming, it’ll pay off in the long run.
2. You Probably Don’t Have The Skills For it
Besides the initial expenses you’ll have, you also might not have the skills, nor experience needed to take care of your dog by yourself. This means that you might end up, for example, cutting more hair on one side and less on the other, which will certainly result in your canine looking funny.
3. It’s Time-Consuming
A professional has been in the industry for a long time, which is why they can quickly and easily take care of your dog. On the other hand, you probably never had to do it before – besides an occasional bath – which is why it’ll probably be extremely time-consuming for you to groom your canine.
4. Some Techniques Are Better Left For The Experts
Yes, there is a wide range of things that you could learn to do, however, there are some things that are best left to the professionals. For instance, when you’re clipping your pup’s nails, you’ll need a lot of experience, as well as skills in order to do it correctly, and if you don’t you could hurt your dog.
Conclusion
If you want to, you could choose to groom your dog by yourself. After all, it is cheaper and your dog will feel more comfortable, however, there are some disadvantages to it as well, including a higher initial cost and you also might not have the skills or experience needed at first.
So, now that you’re aware of all the pros and cons of DIY grooming, you really shouldn’t waste any more of your time. Instead, you should go through both of our lists one more time and then determine whether or not you should maintain your furry friend by yourself or if you should take it to a professional.
