Dog Grooming Tools
When you are ready to start taking more responsibility for your dog’s hygiene, there are many considerations to factor in. Whether you are grooming a low-maintenance short haired dog or a fancy breed with luscious locks, having the right tools for the job is imperative for your grooming success.
There are many pieces of equipment that make the task of grooming much easier. Some are intended to help with tangles and mats; others are to help with immobilizing the dog, allowing you to clip, trim and detangle safely and tidily. All of this equipment is intended to make the grooming process more streamlined and enjoyable for you and the pet you are grooming.
The right dog grooming tools will make your grooming endeavors safe, smooth and professional, allowing you to get the results you want without having to improvise.
Combs and Picks: Heavy Duty Detangling Power
If a dog has a double coat or long hair, you will occasionally deal with tangles and mats. If you’ve groomed dogs much you know that dog hair eats cheap combs for breakfast; your average comb and pick are not going to overcome the challenges presented by canine tangles.
Dog Grooming Combs
Choose a metal comb to smooth your dog’s coat and add volume. A corner less comb’s teeth are tapered in a curving shape perfect for safely combing the face without risk of injury, while straight combs can work rapidly through the coat on the body, volumizing and neatening.
Picks: Mat Breakers
Whether it’s just in spring and fall during the shedding season, or all year round in longer haired breeds, you will sometimes end up dealing with mats. It is very frustrating for a mat to get so bad that you have no choice but to use clippers to remove it, and with large mats tented skin is a real risk that can lead to pinches and cuts.
A sturdy mat breaker with strong teeth can be used to carefully work the mat loose, releasing the hairs from their tables.
Brushes and Slickers
Dog brushes are made to be sturdy enough to hold up to a dog’s thick coat, yet gentle enough to comfortably follow the changing contours of the dog’s body. They are used to remove slight tangles and to add volume and fluff the coat.
Slickers are flat rectangular brushes, designed to help work out mats and to de-shed the dog’s coat, helping control the inevitable drifts of hair that otherwise end up all over your home.
Restraint: Equipment to Help A Dog Hold Still For Grooming
If you’ve ever tried to perform an extended grooming session on a dog, you know that they don’t always have an easy time understanding the assignment. Even if they enjoy the process they might spend the whole time being distracted, following your brush hand with their nose, or trying to roll on their back (the belly needs some grooming... but so does the back!)
If this has been a problem for you, consider a few extra pieces of equipment to help you gently direct the dog on how to stand for grooming.
Tie-Off Points
Alpha AXT suction points can be firmly attached to any flat surface and gives you a great anchor point to attach leashes and other restraints.
Grooming Loops
A grooming loop is a special short lead that can be easily affixed to an anchor point, helping to gently encourage the dog to keep its head in one place.
Belly Band
If you’ve ever been frustrated trying to groom a dog that keeps trying to sit down or roll over, the AXL Belly Band System could be your perfect solution. It is designed to gently support the belly, keeping the hips raised into a good position for you to be able to do your grooming tasks quickly and easily.
