The Grooming Mistake To Avoid After Giving Your Dog A Bath

After giving your dog a bath, it might be tempting to keep the grooming routine going. However, if you find yourself reaching for a brush as soon as your pup is squeaky clean, you are going to want to think twice. For most dogs, brushing their fur while it's still damp won't make their bathing time any easier.

Brushing your dog's fur when it's wet can lead to more issues, especially if their fur was already tangled before the bath, as water can make mats worse. If a dog's hair gets too matted, it can lead to them needing to be shaved. After bathing, a dog's skin lacks the protective oils it normally has, which leads fur to be more prone to breakage and damage. Brushing tangled, wet fur can also be uncomfortable and possibly painful for your pooch. Luckily, there are other ways to keep your dog's fur free of tangles and safe from damage.

Instead of brushing your pup once they're out of the bath, you should actually brush them beforehand. Brushing before their hair gets wet will make things easier for you in the long run, since water will only worsen existing mats. If you don't brush your pooch before they jump in the tub, it will likely be more difficult to brush them afterwards once their fur is dry.

Before a bath, thoroughly brush out your pup with a wire bristle brush. After that, go through with a wide tooth comb over their whole body to make sure you got out all the tangles. If you aren't able to get the comb through certain areas, that means that spot is still tangled or matted, and is probably only going to get worse if it isn't dealt with before a bath.

While most breeds of dogs should stray away from being brushed wet, there is one breed where it's okay and actually recommended: the Afghan Hound. Afghan Hounds have gorgeous, silky coats that require a lot of maintenance. These dogs should only be brushed wet, as brushing their hair dry may damage their long hair.

On the flip side, certain breeds are more prone to matted hair and should only be brushed before a bath when their fur is dry. How prone your pup is to matting depends on their type of coat. Curly haired breeds and long haired breeds are all going to be more prone to matting and tangles than pups with shorter fur. Dog breeds with double coats, such as Labrador retrievers, Bernese mountain dogs, and Saint Bernards are also more prone to matting. If your pup has any of these coat types, your best bet is to get their fur fully detangled before bathing to prevent any more tangles and mats.