Grooming tips for pets lovers

If you notice that your sofa and carpet are getting "furry", it's time to shed out winter coats. But shedding may occur all year-round, hence, a good grooming routine will help keep our house cleaner and make our dog and cat look and feel better too.

A good brush out with a brush designed for our pet's coat will help to remove dead hair and undercoat fur. Afterwards, a shampoo specially designed for dogs is needed but don't forget to rinse the coat well to prevent irritation and dry skin. If our buddy is really dirty we can shampoo him twice to ensure the coat is clean right down to the skin.

To clean muddy paws, when there's no time for a bath, we can use pre-moistened, disposable wipes which come in moisturizing and deodorizing formulas. This is not only an easy way to keep our furry mates clean but also our floors and carpets.

As cats can groom themselves they don't need to be washed as often as dogs. However, we may have to give our cat a flea bath, for example, and if they are longhaired they need to be bathed periodically to prevent their hair from tangling and matting.

But most cats hate water and dislike being bathed so we should be very patient and treat him gently. We may start by dipping a wash cloth in warm water and wiping the area around our cat's eyes, we can also put a few drops of mineral oil into each of his eyes to protect them from soap.

If our cat has long hair, we must brush it thoroughly before giving it a bath and use shampoo with conditioner, to help keep his hair from tangling.

Do not forget to place cotton balls into the cat's ears so water doesn't get into his ear canals, which can cause an infection and a rubber mat in the sink, so our cat won't slip.

After you've washed your cat take him out of the sink and wrap it in a towel. If your cat has short hair and your house is warm, let him dry on its own but if it is longhaired dry him with a hair dryer –on low.

Although you can enjoy getting wet while bathing your pet, from time to time it is advisable to get a professional grooming, what includes cleaning the ears, nail clipping and trimming the hair from the pads of the feet.

Remember, having a pet implies responsibility, care and love, a lot of love!