Everyone is looking to a save a little money when they can, and grooming your pet home is a great way to shave a few hundred dollars off your budget every year. It's a little intimidating at first, especially if your pet has anxiety about grooming, but the best dog grooming blogs are here to help. You can find information, pictures and videos on these blogs that will help you groom your pet safely and effectively.
Of course, some dogs are easier to groom than others. A short coat of fur is much easier to groom than a long coat of hair. Dogs with skin and coat conditions may be more difficult to groom than other pets. Don't just jump into grooming your dog blindly. There are hundreds of top quality resources available to help you learn the proper techniques.
When in doubt, it's best to bring your dog to a professional groomer. You may not even have to bring him in. If you have a specific question, call your local groomer and see if she can help. It's best to take your dog to a professional groomer the first time anyway and discuss your dog's individual needs before you try grooming him on your own.
Remember that all online resources are not reliable. Make sure you check the credibility of the author of the information that you're reading. Is the author a professional groomer? Are they certified? What is their experience level? The best dog grooming blogs are written by well-qualified professionals.
7 Best Dog Grooming Blogs
1. Memoirs of A Pet Groomer
This blog is written by a groomer who has been in the business for more than 20 years. Not only is this blog full of great information, it's also very entertaining. From disagreements with clients to owners who believe their pet is terrified of latex, this is one of the best dog grooming blogs due to it's informational content and ability to make you laugh!
- This gem came from one of the sainted receptionists: A person called, didn't give their name or the dogs name, just said “my dog needs to get in to be detailed” Uh.. say what? You see, I work at a vet clinic, so immediately she thought the owner wanted the dog's tail removed (De-Tailed). She asked the person to repeat what was needed for the dog. “I need him DETAILED”. O. K… She then switched gears and asked for the name, which didn't ring a bell. One more time she asked. The response was “You know, nail trim, bath, the whole detail package”. OHHHHH. You want your dog groomed? “Yeah.. ha ha ha..”
2. Grooming Smarter
Written by experienced groomer and author Debi Hilley, this is one of the best dog grooming blogs on the internet. You'll find amazing posts about everything from dematting to flea infestations. The posts include informative videos and photos as well, making it much easier to understand the techniques she's discussing.
- I decided a blog post on flea containment in the shop was a great idea and he was the perfect candidate for this topic. If you know me or have read my blog you know that I am ANTI PESTICIDES in the shop. Yesterday? I made a couple of exceptions. I will explain further down in the blog about what I used and why I chose what I did.
3. BBird's GroomBlog
It has an interesting name, but this blog isn't about grooming birds. It discusses everything you'll need to know about dog grooming and SO much more. This blog answered questions that I had and questions that I didn't even know I wanted the answers to. You can learn about eye irritation from pet shampoos and how much oatmeal is in your oatmeal dog shampoo.
There are breed specific posts as well as lots of pictures. I really enjoy following this blog, and it's very user friendly. One thing I can't stand is an unorganized blog, but this one allows you to toggle between different formats to choose the one that you like best. Personally, I prefer the flipcard format.
- Do pet shampoos with oatmeal offer the same relief to our pets? Some groomers have recently questioned the efficacy of the commercial oatmeal pet shampoos. One way to look at this is to determine how much oatmeal is actually delivered in our grooming products.
4. Groomer to Groomer
Another of the best dog grooming blogs, Groomer to Groomer, is a very extensive site with a lot of great breed-specific information. Chances are, if you have questions about grooming your dog's breed, you'll find the answer here.
You'll also be able to read about grooming techniques from some professionals in the industry. You can learn about everyday tasks like brushing and clipping, and you'll also find information about dying your pet's fur and shaving designs into his coat. Although must of us won't need the info on extreme grooming, the rest of the blog posts are great resources!
- Proper clipper technique is taken for granted. Even advanced groomers have learned bad habits that cost them time and, therefore, money. There are many different ways to use a clipper. My suggestions in this column will relate to keeping the blade on the skin and applying your strokes in the direction that the coat lies.
5. Brookline Dog Grooming
If you're a multi-pet owner, this is the blog for you. Brookline Dog Grooming makes my list of the best dog grooming blogs for its great dog grooming resources (of course), and also for all the wonderful information it includes about other pets. You can find information on keeping your aquarium clean and caring for your cat or other small pet.
There are some great grooming related posts on this blog, but you'll also find answers to some other important questions like how to help your dog cope with visitors in your home and winter clothes that your dog may need. This blog isn't focused on your dog's skin and coat needs either, which you'll find on many other similar bogs. The Brookline Dog Grooming blog discusses dental care, flea and tick prevention and other grooming tasks as well.
- Dr. Aspros acknowledges that only 1% of pet owners brush their pet’s teeth. Not only do more owners need to begin brushing, they also should use chew toys, treats and rawhides to help keep their pet’s teeth clean. Your veterinarian can recommend many of the products available to help maintain your pet’s oral health between checkups.
6. Persnickety Pet Grooming
If you're looking for advice from the experts, this is a great blog to start with. With posts written by certified groomers, you'll find a lot of helpful information on this blog, including tips for home grooming and when it's time to seek the advice of a professional.
I really enjoyed this post about shaving dogs in the summer months. Many dog owners don't realize that shaving isn't the best option for every dog – it depends on your pet's coat type. It's easy to think that shaving your dog would help to make him cooler, but it may actually harm his coat, causing issues for your Fido in the future.
- Single-coated breeds can be clipped down to the skin, and the coat will grow back pretty much as it was before. The same is not true for double-coated breeds. For this reason, shaving these dogs down is not a solution to summer heat. Think of a healthy double coat as an old-growth forest. There is a balance with different parts providing different benefits. If you clear-cut an old growth forest, there will be immediate regrowth of a lot of young trees very soon.
7. The Good, The Bad, & The Furry
As suggested by a great community of aspiring and working groomers at Pet Groomer Forums, this dog grooming blog appears to be quite popular among the beginners. Although it hasn't been updated since 2015, The Good, The Bad & The Furry contains a vast amount of information: anything from the very basics to the more intricate techniques of grooming show dogs.
If you're just getting into grooming pets yourself, you'll find most of the questions answered on the site by a professional pet groomer. The content is very enjoyable to read due to friendly and conversational voice of the author, with a ton of photos and humor sprinkled on top of that. Dog owners who aren't sure where to start should do themselves a favor and scan all the articles on the site, starting with the earliest ones published in 2010. It's all worth a read, including author's stories such as this one:
- Yesterday I had a new customer come in with her Schnauzer. The first red flag for me was not when the dog growled at me when I first approached him. I have had some of the sweetest dogs growl when you approach them with their owner. The red flag was that the owner very quickly stopped filling out her new customer form and put her hand between me and the dog telling him to be good. I could feel the owners worry and tension. The owner was watching very closely as I greeted the dog and went to pick him up. I have seen owners do this before when they are expecting the dog to bite me… [read the rest on the blog]
Update: This article was updated on June 15, 2016 to add a 7th dog grooming blog to the list.
