How to Brush a Dog's Face
Need regular grooming services?
Introduction
Dog's Perspective
Your dog probably does not care if he has a grubby, messy face, but you do. Because the facial area can be delicate, pulling hair around the mouth, eyes, and ears will cause your dog discomfort, so brushing these areas will have to be done gently and carefully, to avoid discomfort for your dog. Holding your dog's face securely and supporting hair by holding it between your grooming tool and the skin will help reduce friction, making face brushing much more pleasant for your dog. Be sure to stop and take a break if face brushing gets to be too much for your pup. Give it a rest and come back later to finish the job.
The Long Hair Method
The Short Hair Method
Caution & Considerations
- Clean tear stains or stained beards with a damp cloth or dog wipes after brushing if necessary.
- Avoid pulling hair on the delicate face area. Support hair with your fingers while combing through knots and tangles, or use your fingers to loosen knots.
- Be careful of eyes that grooming tools do not interfere with the delicate eye area or worse, poke your dog in the eye. Also, be careful not to brush debris into the eye area.
- Check for knots under and behind the ears and take the opportunity to check ears for signs of yeast infections, which are common in dogs' ears.
Conclusion
Success Stories and Grooming Questions
Grooming Questions & Answers
Pip
I have a long haired puppy and she keeps getting plants/dirt caught in her under eye fur. She wont let me touch it and keeps biting tge brush or avoiding it trying to run away from me. She also wont let me touch her legs. Shes long haired so brushing is a huge must obviously but i cant find a way to make it easy for her. Ive tried treats, breaks and letting her sniff the brush etc. Is there something i can do to help her?
0 Dog owners recommended
Hello, I would start off with mini-grooming sessions. Just do one leg, the next day do another. Don't worry about the whole process on the same day. Make sure that she is well exercised before you start any brushing or cleaning attempts. A tired dog is sometimes a more willing one! Have you tried Pip in the bath? Using a detangler may be a good way to loosen up the knots to make brushing the legs easier. You can also check at the pet supply store for a leave-in conditioner, which could make daily brushing less stressful since the brush will glide through. As for around the eyes, this can be a tricky one - you have to be extra careful if she is squirmy and uncooperative. Try a wet cloth or pet wipe - she may take to that better than the brush near the eyes. You can try taking her to the groomer occasionally to get the tough to manage areas taken care of so they are easier to manage at home. (A grooming session should be after a long walk, too.) I think she is uncooperative as opposed to anxious but there are great tips here: https://wagwalking.com/grooming/groom-a-dog-with-anxiety. Good luck!
