Your pup’s fur is the epitome of the health-conscious actions you take in order to ensure his presence for as long as humanly possible. That said, for some dog breeds, grooming is a veritable challenge that could necessitate the help of professional tools in order to avoid down-the-road health issues. Are you the owner of a high-maintenance breed like a Carpathian Shepherd or an Afghan Hound? If so, the ease of the pet ownership process, in your case, will be largely determined by the professional tools you have at your disposal.
Grooming is not only a requisite for your pup’s healthy appearance. It can also represent an important factor in his long-term health development. Regular clipping can remove tangled fur, remove dirt and moisture affecting your pup’s skin, reduce irritation caused by excessive scratching and also eliminate parasites, like ticks, without utilising chemicals that in some cases might not be tolerated by your dog’s immune system. Shorter fur makes it significantly easier to spot and treat flea infestations, it helps your pup cool down during the hot summer months, and it’s also hygienic, as longer coats are significantly harder to take care of than shorter ones.
Are you trying to prevent matting, improve the overall comfort of your pup, eliminate shedding and simultaneously improve your companion’s appearance, all for the cost of a grooming session in a professional salon? In that case, purchasing dog clippers from your local pet store will be one of your best ideas. Regular clipping can make it easier to identify irritants inside your dog’s fur, it’s a way to enhance your pet’s mobility, and it’s the only real way to reduce overheating during physical movement.
An Essential Tool to Keep Your Pup Cool
Australia is a great country to live in, but let’s face it, it’s not exactly the place we think of when we say “perfect weather”. Summers in our country can sometimes be brutal, and this poses a problem for dogs with longer coats, as their thermal regulation can become an issue if their coats are not properly groomed. Are you the owner of a Husky or a Newfoundlander? Then, in order to prevent your companion from overheating, one of the first things you should do is invest in some high-quality dog clippers purchased either online or from your local pet store.
Heatstroke, for breeds used to cold temperatures, is a genuine issue, especially during the hot summer months. Do you live near the coast? Then sure, maybe your thermal comfort is somewhat decent. But the more you venture into the Aussie mainland, the hotter it gets. Clipping matter fur is a way to ensure proper airflow to your pup’s skin, reduce the risk of parasite infestations and it’s also a way to eliminate unpleasant odours associated with bacterial growth.
Longer fur is harder to properly wash, can make your dog predisposed to fungal infections and it’s difficult to groom. Some breeds are more sensitive than others, that’s true. But as a general rule, if you live in Australia and you own a dog, going for premium-made dog clippers, either from an online shop or via the catalogue of your nearby pet store, should be one of your first moves as a pet owner.
Why Can’t You Use Your Regular Clippers?
Like most of us, you probably purchased a pair of clippers during the COVID-19 epidemic, which are currently no longer being used. Can you finally take them out of your drawer and use human clippers to cut your pup’s coat? The short answer is no, as the density of your dog’s coat is probably quite different from what’s typical of human hair. Dog clippers are designed to handle long and somewhat thick coats without overheating or clipping the skin of your pup. Human clippers, on the other hand, are typically less powerful and due to friction, they can more often irritate your pup’s skin or snag on its hair, which never ends well.
On top of that, human clippers are quite noisy, which can be a problem, especially if your pup is sensitive to loud noises. There are, of course, differences between models, but as a general rule, dog clippers have more powerful motors than their human-designed counterparts, are a bit quieter, feature overheating protection, and come with different guards designed to prevent skin clipping.
Human clippers have tighter spacing between the blades, and they are also typically designed for shorter grooming sessions. Sure, for small breeds that feature fine, single-layered coats, like Greyhounds or Chihuahuas, human clippers work just fine. But are you the owner of a Poodle, Golden Retriever, Samoyed, Husky, German Shepherd or any type of breed with a thicker coat? Then, investing in specialised clippers should not be optional.
Why Are Pet Store-Available Clippers a Good Deal?
Specialised pet clippers are typically more expensive than their counterparts designed for human use. While normal clippers can typically be purchased for less than $100, canine-designed ones, even for more budget-oriented options, will typically cost you at least $200. But, in the long run, these costs will be worth it. In cities like Sydney or Melbourne, the costs associated with a dog grooming session typically range between $75-$150 for a full groom but can get even higher for dog breeds with double coats.
When considering that most long-haired breeds need grooming at least once every six weeks, the costs per year will add up. In a single year, you could pay more than $800 on your dog’s grooming needs, which, in most cases, will be almost double the costs of a pet clipper purchasable from your local pet store. Sure, the results will not be as great. You are not a professional dog groomer after all. But, cutting your pup’s coat at home is more convenient, cheaper, less stressful for him, and also represents a good way to monitor his skin health. Clippers are a long-term investment that, in the long run, should pretty much pay for themselves.
