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Spring is finally here - and it’s the ideal time to spring-clean your dog’s grooming routine!
If you’re a new dog owner looking for a dog shedding solution this spring or to upgrade the grooming tools you have at home, you’ve come to the right place!
This guide presents our top five spring grooming tips and the best products to help your dog transition into spring feeling at its best!
Table of contents:
How do I clean my dog in spring?
How do I keep my dog clean in the spring?
Successful spring dog grooming requires an established routine.
From brushing right through to regularly checking your dog’s paws, nails, teeth and ears, spring is the perfect time to build an at-home grooming routine for your dog that can be adapted and carried through all seasons.
Spring grooming is especially important, as it’s the time of the year when fleas and ticks begin to thrive, so you should regularly check your dog.
In this next section, we highlight the key stages of your dog’s at-home grooming routine alongside our product recommendations to help you establish a lasting routine!
1. Brushing
Regularly brushing your dog’s coat is especially important if they have long hair, as leaving it uncared for could cause mats to form, which can be irritating and difficult to remove.
The frequency you’ll need to brush your dog’s coat will depend on their coat type and breed:
How frequently should I brush my dog’s coat?
| Coat Type | Frequency |
| Short, dense fur | Brush twice a week |
| Short hair | Once a week |
| Long, silky or long coarse fur | Needs more attention; brush daily |
| Double-coated | Your dog will cast its thick undercoat during the springtime. During this time, it will need regular grooming to help remove the undercoat and prevent matting. |
Recommended dog grooming tools:
- Slicker brushes are ideal for taming tangles and preventing mats, particularly in long, silky or long coarse coats. They’re also perfect for removing excess hair and dirt from the coat, leaving it soft and smooth. A slicker brush’s bristles help to clean the coat, penetrating it deeply to do so and helping to keep your dog’s skin feeling fresh.
- Bristle brushes are ideal for short coats and smoothing down double coats after they’ve been groomed with a slicker brush. They also help to remove loose hair and stimulate the skin.
- Pin brushes are best for dogs with long or medium-length hair, providing all the above benefits. Their rounded tips are gentle enough to be used on sensitive skin, and they’re also a great tool for finishing off a coat, leaving it looking smooth and shiny.
Brushing routine
- For best results, choose a time of day to groom your dog when they’ve already eaten and have been walked, as they’ll be much more patient and relaxed.
- If they’re new to grooming, gently handle their ears and paws to build trust and help them become accustomed to being touched, long before you introduce a brush.
- Choose an appropriate brush for your dog’s coat. Spend time gently going over the coat and focusing on any mats or tangles that may have begun to form (difficult mats may need to be removed with a mat breaker. If in doubt, consult a professional groomer).
- If your dog becomes restless, give them a break from grooming to avoid any negative connotations from forming. Always reward your dog for their good behaviour at the end of each session.
Regularly brushing your dog also allows you to check your dog for parasites.
2. Bathing
Regularly bathing your dog is important year-round, but especially in springtime when winter can leave its coat feeling dry and unconditioned.
Bathing can help with the shedding process, decreases the chances of mats forming and helps spread the coat’s natural oils to keep the coat and skin healthy.
Dogs undergo a skin rejuvenation cycle every 21 days, so it’s important not to bathe yours too often; otherwise, you risk drying out and irritating its skin.
Preparing for bathtime
- Before bathing, brush your dog’s coat to prevent mats from forming when wet.
- Fill the bath with no more than four inches of lukewarm water, allowing your dog to become comfortable with the environment.
- If your dog doesn’t enjoy being washed, reward their good behaviour with treats to make the experience more positive.
Recommended shampoos:
- A moisturising shampoo is perfect if you’re looking for an option to rejuvenate your dog’s coat. Look for ingredients such as oatmeal, which can help dry skin and lock in moisture. Our dry and irritated skin shampoos are also a good option for rejuvenating the coat and skin.
- If your dog suffers from seasonal or skin-related allergies, a medicated shampoo can be a great choice to help calm their skin.
Shampoo routine:
- Massage shampoo into the coat in circular motions, working from the head to the tail. Avoid the eyes and inside the ears. Rinse thoroughly.
- Repeat the process if your dog is dirty or has a long, thick coat.
- Finish with a gentle conditioner to keep the coat soft. Rinse again to remove the conditioner.
- Dry thoroughly with a soft towel.
- Finish off the coat with a dog fragrance spray to keep it smelling fresh.
If bathing your dog after a long spring walk isn’t an option, wipe them down with a damp cloth or pet-friendly wipes to remove allergens and regularly check them over for fleas and ticks.
Too much bathing can remove parasite treatments, so update their flea and tick treatments during the warmer months.
3. Paw and nail care
Caring for your dog’s nails throughout the year is important, but it’s especially important in spring. Throughout winter, when the ground is soft and moist, your dog’s nails don’t get the natural wear they would usually in the warmer months, so they could be overgrown, trapping dirt and causing discomfort.
If you’re unsure where to start when clipping your dog’s nails, consult your dog’s vet or professional groomer.
Recommended nail and paw products:
- Small and large dog nail clippers provide a smooth and precise cut in one action. Take care when using them to avoid cutting too much off and hitting the quick.
- The Shernbao Cordless Electric Nail Grinder has an extremely quiet motor, perfect for cutting the nails of a dog sensitive to noise. The cutting wheel features a cover to prevent you from cutting the nails too short.
- Trimmex is a great investment if you inevitably cut a nail too short, stopping blood flow quickly.
Top tips when clipping or trimming your dog’s nails:
- You only need to clip your dog’s nails when they are overgrown. This is usually easy to spot; the nails will touch the floor, and you will hear a clicking sound as your dog walks.
- You should take care when clipping your dog’s nails not to catch the quick, the vein that runs through its nails. The quick is notoriously difficult to spot in black nails and grows long when the nails haven’t been regularly trimmed. If you can’t spot the quick, only clip a tiny amount from your dog’s nails, even if this means you’re trimming its nails weekly until they are shorter, to prevent them from bleeding. If your dog is anxious, be patient when clipping its nails and allow time for it to get used to the nail clippers.
- Always reward your dog’s good behaviour.
Regularly check your dog’s paws for anything they may have picked up during their walks, such as seeds or thorns, which could become embedded, causing discomfort. If your dog’s paws become dry or cracked, moisturise and care for them with a paw soother and protector.
Wash and wipe your dog’s paws with warm water on colder days after every walk. This will remove any harmful deicing chemicals, snow, or ice your dog may have picked up from the road, preventing paw pads from becoming sore and your dog from becoming sick.
4. Ear, eye and teeth care
Regularly checking your dog’s eyes, ears and teeth is important, irrespective of season.
Ear care
Clean the outside of the ear regularly:
- Hold back the ear flap and clean the skin with a cotton ball and a properly formulated ear wash.
If you notice that your dog’s ears look particularly dirty or inflamed, consult your vet for guidance or give them a thorough clean, following the advice in our ‘How To Clean Your Dog’s Ears’ guide.
Eye care
Regularly checking your dog’s eyes can help you to spot the first signs of infection. They should look clear, bright and free from discharge.
- After bathing, use a cotton pad to wipe any discharge or residue from your dog’s eyes. Consult your vet if you notice signs of frequent discharge or eye irritation.
Teeth Care
Although chew toys can help keep your dog’s teeth and gums healthy, brushing its teeth a couple of times per week can help prevent problems such as a buildup of bacteria and plaque:
- Prepare your dog for brushing by getting it used to you handling its face once or twice a day.
- Once it is comfortable with that, start to massage its gums, adding some dog toothpaste once it’s used to this feeling.
- Finally, introduce the toothbrush, gently moving it in a circular motion on the outside of its teeth and gums.
5. Spring cleaning your dog’s possessions
If you’re giving your dog a spring bathtime, it’s important to clean their possessions.
Fleas and ticks thrive in carpets and upholstery, so it’s best to treat your furniture, carpets, and bedding if your dog picks up some unwanted critters.
Look for pet-friendly detergent to freshen up dog bedding and towels, as the chemicals in normal detergents can irritate and harm your dog’s skin.
Non-toxic pet deodorant is another good way to freshen up bedding between washes to prevent it from smelling.
For a full and thorough spring clean, throw out and replace tired and torn bedding and toys, clean collars and dog clothes, and wash your dog’s bowls.
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Regularly brushing your dog, frequent bathing, refreshing its belongings, and keeping its coat, nails, eyes and ears in check between grooming sessions will ensure your dog stays healthy and comfortable during the transitioning weather.
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