A Guide to Home Pet Grooming
Most pets do not like removal of excess hair in ears. Excess hair can build moisture resulting in ear infections or be a breeding ground for ear mites. These types of afflictions can give your pet a great deal of discomfort. Infections force the animals to scratch and shake their head. Mites can actually cause the animal to do damage to their inner canal as they stick their nails inside trying to scratch. Large eared dogs already are known to have a predisposition for ear problems and the moving of their ears back in forth can rupture blood vessels.
Pet groomers who are trained properly, have specialized equipment to remove ear hair. The noise of the clippers may scare the pet, so stroke him with the other hand and offer soothing words to calm them. Another faulty way is to shave the animal completely. Pet grooming experts will do this at the request of the owner, but it is better to avoid it if the animal is an outside pet. The coat protects the animal from the cold and also from the sun. Both elements can give serious skin damage to your pet which will only increase veterinarian bills. The absence of hair on the body can cause rashes. The hair in some breeds secrete essential oils that protect and lubricate the skin. Some breeds like Labradors have double coats that serve different functions for the animals safety. Try to shave mats in such a way that you are able to work them out with a brush.
If you use a clipper, move the hair backwards with a brush against the grain and then move your clippers with the grain. Pet grooming experts may use different clipper combs as per the length and thickness of hair. The novice pet groomer may use home hair clipper systems. You should experiment first in one unnoticeable area before continuing the entire job. When shaving the underbelly, beware the nipples.