How to Groom a Dog's Sanitary Area

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How to Groom a Dog's Sanitary Area

Easy

10 - 20 Minutes

4 Weeks

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Introduction

We’ve all seen it. That area we’d like to avoid but cannot be avoided. Your dog’s sanitary area needs to be cleaned and trimmed as well as the rest of his body. If this fur is left long, it could harbor bacteria and have goops of stuff left behind that you don’t want to look at.

There are two areas you need to be sure you are keeping cleaned and maintained. Your dog’s underbelly is one area. Unlike his belly fur, the fur on the sanitary area should not be brushed. This is an extremely sensitive area and is often tangled. Clip this area with clippers. Don’t forget the backside as well. You can expect this area to be messy if left long. Keeping a healthy and trim potty cut is easy to do and will keep your dog nice and tidy.

Dog's Perspective

Remember the skin on your dog’s potty area is thin and sensitive. You may need to move your dog into a relaxed lying position for his tummy area and have him in a standing position to groom his rear end. Though he might feel anxious of these sensitive areas, keeping him in a safe position might help any anxieties

The End with the End Method

Most Recommended

2 Votes

Slicker Brush

Scissors

Comb

Clipper

Step

Post grooming

Once your dog’s body and face are groomed, brush him out one last time. Be careful of the potty areas as there might be tangles that could pull on sensitive skin.

Step

Rear

With scissors pointed downward, cut any long fur on your dog’s backside. Be sure to cut out any long tangles. You can use scissors on this entire area or, after you have trimmed tangles and clumps, you can use clippers next.

Step

Clippers

Starting at the top, clip the fur around your dog’s backside. You can move the clippers down toward his leg pants to smooth this fur. Try not to touch the clippers to the skin but make the fur as short as possible to avoid clumping.

Step

Belly side

Lie your dog down on his side and rub his belly to make him comfortable. With clippers, trim the belly fur around your dog’s potty area. Using the clippers, move down and away from the potty area, keeping the clippers off the skin but trimming the hair short.

Step

Male dogs

With scissors parallel to your dog’s skin, trim the tip of the fur that will always get wet after going potty. Be careful not to get too close to the skin.

The Standing Up Method

Effective

1 Vote

Scissors

Clipper

Step

Harness

Use a harness or leash to tether your dog so he stays in place.

Step

Tail

Lift his tail and use clippers to trim the underside of the tail.

Step

Backside

With the clippers, trim down toward the legs. Be careful not to touch the clippers to the skin and make your movements slow to avoid any pulling.

Step

Back belly

From behind your dog, place your clippers under your dog and pull them toward you clipping the long fur around from his belly to his back side. Again, do not place the clippers directly on the skin. Clip the fur short, working from the tip of the fur until it reaches the length you’d like.

Step

Lift legs

To reach the underside and second sensitive potty area, lift your dog’s hind leg and use the clippers to trim the fur from underneath. Pull the clippers toward you, cutting the fur from the center out. Lifting the leg will help to tighten the skin to avoid any nicks.

Step

Other leg

Repeat this cut on the other side, lifting the leg and trimming the opposite side from the center outward.

Step

Snip

If you have a male dog, you can snip the long hair on the tip of his potty area. Be careful using clippers and avoid touching the skin.

Caution & Considerations

Your dog's sanitary and potty areas have sensitive skin. No matter how you are grooming these areas, be slow, methodical, and gentle.
Never point scissors directly at your dog's skin. Try to keep them parallel to the skin whenever possible to avoid poking and puncturing your dog's skin.
When using clippers, try to avoid touching the clippers to the skin.
Small knots along your dog’s potty area are best removed with clippers unless they are up against the skin and, in that case, scissors may be required.
This is an area you are going to want to keep incredibly short and well-groomed because you want to try to keep this area as sanitary as possible.
Long fur in your dog's sanitary areas can become encrusted with fecal matter and bacteria.

Conclusion

Make this a paws-itive experience for your dog and be gentle, especially if you are new to giving your dog a potty cut. Mastering this incredible potty cut and keeping your dog's potty areas sanitary and tidy will give your dog a paw-some feeling of clean. In turn, he will feel doggone good and help keep your house clean as well.

Success Stories and Grooming Questions

Grooming Questions & Answers

Question

Stella

Carin terrie

10 Years

0 found helpful

Question

0 found helpful

Stella

Carin terrie

10 Years

This is what groomer did to my sweet dogs private area..it wasnt even red when I got her home but 8 hours later this is how bad it looks!!! What can I do??

4 years, 9 months ago

Stella's Owner

Darlene Stott

Dog Trainer and Groomer

0 Dog owners recommended

Hi Kelly, thank you for sending in your inquiry. It is hard to see the pictures clearly - even so, I would take Stella to the vet because if she is in pain or the skin is irritated, the vet can prescribe what is needed to soothe the redness. You don't want Stella to feel sore every time she moves. At the same time, you can get a recommendation for a new groomer. All the best to Stella.

4 years, 9 months ago