The 7 Most Common Grooming Mistakes for Dogs

If you ask a dog groomer about their workday, you’ll hear plenty of stories about matted fur, long nails, wounds, horrendous tartar, and extreme dirtiness. What sounds like abandoned dogs are actually beloved pets – victims of common grooming mistakes. Here, you’ll learn about the everyday neglect that leads to these issues and how to avoid them.

Everyday Neglect in Dogs – A Widespread Issue

Everyday Neglect in Dogs – A Widespread Issue

Matted fur, tartar, gum disease, feces stuck to the anus, nails clicking on the floor with every step, and nails growing in a circle – day after day, groomers witness this sad scene. And the animals that have to endure these conditions.

„Everyday neglect“ is how a well-known dog groomer describes this situation, where she repeatedly tries to save what can still be saved. It’s called „everyday“ because these aren’t extreme isolated cases but widespread problems.

So, how do these grooming mistakes occur, and how can you ensure your dog isn’t affected? The answers are right here.

Grooming Mistake 1: Not Brushing (or Brushing Incorrectly)

„My dog hates brushing!“

This is one of the most common reasons why the sofa wolf’s coat becomes tangled and matted. But with proper training for both you and your dog, and the right equipment, brushing will not only become easier but also bring numerous benefits:

Strengthens the bond between you and your dog.
Saves you money on professional grooming.
Helps you spot injuries, skin diseases, and parasites faster.
Cares for the skin and fur while promoting circulation.
Reduces your cleaning effort.

Prevent matting by:

Getting recommendations for the right brushes and combs from a groomer or breeder.
Brushing for a few minutes daily instead of risking hours of detangling.
Investing in a blower to quickly remove loose fur and dirt after bathing and brushing.

Grooming Mistake 2: Not Bathing Your Dog

„You shouldn’t bathe dogs!“

This superstition still persists in 2024. Some say dogs don’t need baths, others say bathing harms them, and both sides are completely wrong.

Regular, gentle removal of excess oils and dirt:

Prevents matting of the coat.
Keeps the dog’s skin healthy.
Reduces health risks for your dog.

This is true even if your dog seems clean. Residues from exhaust fumes, pollen, dead skin cells, and oils constantly build up on the skin and fur.

This becomes especially visible when you give your dog a thorough rinse. Even with „clean“ dogs, the water can quickly turn black from accumulated dirt.

Grooming Mistake 3: Not Brushing Teeth

„Wolves don’t brush their teeth!“

That’s true. But:

Wolves aren’t dogs.
Wolves eat differently.
Dogs are more prone to tartar.
Ever looked inside a wolf’s mouth?

Many dog owners are aware that they should brush their dog’s teeth but think that dry food or dental chews are sufficient. They hesitate to try, or their dog resists strongly.

The results are often devastating:

Tartar
Gum disease
Cavities
Root infections
Tooth loss

If it comes time for dental surgery at the vet, expect high costs for anesthesia, cleaning, and tooth removal. Not to mention, sedation is always a burden for your dog.

Better approach:

Gradually and gently train your dog to get used to tooth brushing.
NEVER use human toothpaste, as it’s one of the 44 toxic household substances for dogs.
Avoid anything with sugar.
Brush daily to prevent tartar buildup.

Grooming Mistake 4: Not Cutting Nails

„Dog nails wear down on their own.“

Unfortunately, not for every dog. Weight, nail position, and the surface the dog walks on all play a crucial role.

Many dog owners know their dog’s nails are too long but are too afraid to trim them because their dog resists. This leads to nails being ignored, just like brushing and tooth care.

You can prevent this in 3 ways:

Visit the vet regularly. While it’s time-consuming and costs money, it’s the better option for very resistant dogs.
Get advice from a groomer or an experienced vet. This can help you overcome your fears.
Ask for a helper. If your dog struggles, an extra person can provide safety and security.

Long-term, it’s advisable to learn how to cut or file your dogs nails yourself. You can learn how to do this at PunkRockPudel.

Grooming Mistake 5: Not Cleaning Ears

„My dog won’t listen!“

In some cases, this may be due to actually blocked ears. When earwax accumulates and hardens, inflammation is inevitable.

For some dogs, this never happens, while for others, it’s a constant issue. In some cases, it’s even necessary to remove excess hair from the ear canal.

What’s essential for every dog: a regular (preferably daily) check of the ears. Dirt, foreign objects, and infections can be spotted early before they become painful problems and can be treated promptly.

Find tips on cleaning your dog’s ears properly at PunkRockPudel.

Grooming Mistake 6: Not Visiting the Vet

Many dogs only visit the vet when there’s already a problem, or when it’s time for vaccinations. This seems logical since vet visits are neither cheerful nor free.

Still, it’s wise to take your seemingly healthy dog for a simple check-up every 6 months because:

(Potential) issues are detected earlier and can be treated more easily and affordably.
Your dog can learn that the vet isn’t automatically a „bad“ place, making visits, exams, and treatments less stressful for everyone involved.
Early-stage grooming issues like dirty ears, long nails, or slight tartar buildup are recognized and can be fixed.

Grooming Mistake 7: Lack of Paw Protection

Every summer, dogs get blisters on hot asphalt. Every winter, paw pads crack and suffer from salt, grit, and ice.

Here, too, the comparison with wolves is often brought up. After all, they don’t wear paw protection shoes. However, wolves aren’t dumb enough to walk on asphalt in 30°C heat either – humans often subject their dogs to this, or they can’t always avoid it.

Sharp-edged grit and salt don’t appear in wolves’ natural habitats either. The more we expose our dogs to unnatural conditions, the more we need to ensure they have proper and customized protection.

With paw shoes, you also have the added benefit of keeping dirt from being tracked into the house.

Where Does „Everyday Neglect“ Come From?

A few missed brushing sessions or simply not feeling like it can quickly turn into matting and therefore into a huge task of detangling. Once it becomes unmanageable on your own, many owners hesitate to take their dog to a groomer.

This is how grooming mistakes often start. Small issues quickly escalate into bigger problems that are difficult to fix without help. This is also often compounded by (seemingly) lack of time.

In addition, maybe the grooming effort was underestimated at the beginning, or the wrong equipment was bought.

In short, no one gets a dog and thinks, „I’ll just completely neglect it!“

And yet, it happens far too often. In the article „Dog Grooming Made Easy“, you’ll find practical tips and tricks to ensure that this doesn’t happen to you and your dog, or to help you improve your grooming routine in the future.

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