How Often Should You Groom Your Dog?

Ziggy
November 8, 2022

Regular grooming is an important step in keeping your dog healthy and happy. Each coat type requires different grooming routines, so it's important to know how often you should groom your dog depending on their coat. From Huskies to Poodles, your doggo will need a different level of brushing, combing, and bathing.

In general, however, your adorable fluff ball should be groomed every four weeks to build a healthy wellness routine and stay looking their best. If you have a double-coated pup, you'll also need to de-shed during their regular grooming session. It's important to note that a professional groom is not the same as a haircut. While a professional groom often includes a haircut — whether it’s a partial cut or full haircut — it also includes the following to maintain proper dog hygiene:

  • Bath and blow dry
  • Nail trimming
  • Teeth brushing
  • Ear cleaning

Health Benefits of Professional Mobile Grooming

Routine professional grooming offers many important health benefits to all dogs. Grooming can be a stressful and difficult to schedule task for many pet parents and dogs. Mobile grooming services offer a low-stress way to ensure your dog’s optimal well-being. Here are some of the biggest benefits of mobile grooming services: 

  • Spotting health concerns early. The first and most critical benefit of professional grooming is that it provides a trained and experienced eye to detect any potential health issues in your dog's coat, skin, nails, or other areas. Groomers are trained to look for signs of infection, parasites, or other health problems, allowing them to diagnose and treat issues early on, before they become serious. 
  • Maintaining dog hygiene with no stress. Professional groomers are responsible for teeth brushing and ear cleaning, so pet parents don’t have to worry about doing it themselves at home. Groomers will also trim and buff your dog's nails, which prevents overgrown nails, gait problems, and other painful nail-related issues.
  • Prevent infections. Regular grooming from a trained professional will help keep your dog's skin and coat healthy and free from infections. By maintaining the right fur length and texture, groomers help prevent matting and remove any loose fur, which can cause bacterial and fungal infections. A professional groomer will take the time to remove any excess dirt or debris that might be trapped in your dog's fur, keeping their skin healthy and free from irritants. 
  • Convenience for you and your pup. With mobile grooming, your trusted groomer comes to you and grooms your pup in a familiar environment right outside your home. Gone are the days of scheduling time out of your day to bring your dog to a salon! Not only does mobile grooming deliver high-quality service, but also peace of mind and convenience.

How Often Should You Groom Your Dog by Coat Type

We've put together a useful guide to help you determine grooming frequency based on your dog's coat type to keep your pup's coat healthy and their tail wagging.

Dog smiling in bath tub


Short Coat

Some of the most popular short-haired dog breeds include Boston Terriers, Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, French Bulldogs, and Pugs. Grooming a short-haired dog will look different from grooming a long-haired dog. Since their short coat requires less grooming, you can generally get away with a professional groom every six weeks, but if you’re a pet parent who likes to prioritize the health and wellness of your pup, every four weeks or less is best. If your pup has long nails, consider appointments on a three-week basis to help work the veins in those nails back!

Long Coat

Everyone loves a luscious, flowing coat, and there's nothing quite as breathtaking as a Bearded Collie, Afghan Hound, or fluffy Shih Tzu. If you're the proud parent of a long-haired dog, you know that long hair dog grooming can sometimes be a marathon undertaking.

Long-haired breeds will need daily brushing to prevent painful matting, and you should also groom them every four weeks. This is especially important in the summertime when your pup gets a bit hotter than usual and can develop nasty skin conditions if you aren't careful. Their long coat can also attract all sorts of debris, so keep an eye out for parasites and ticks when you're grooming your pup.

As a result, it’s advisable to schedule regular grooming appointments more frequently during the warmer months, when your long-haired pup spends more time outside.

Double Coat

Double-coated breeds like Huskies, Samoyeds, and German Shepherds are stunning, but their heavy coat requires a little extra TLC. Because of their double layer, these dogs are especially prone to matting and shedding, so you'll need to brush them every other day to make sure they don't develop painful matts.

You should groom them every six weeks — at a minimum — with a more regular frequency during springtime and fall. During these periods, your dog will shed their undercoat to make room for their new winter and summer fur. This means they need more frequent grooms to help remove the loose fur and keep their coat healthy.

You can use an undercoat rake to help remove the undercoat during periods of heavy shedding. While double-coated dog grooming can be a bit of an investment, the overall results for your pup are more than worth it.

What is a Double Coat on a Dog?

A double coat is a type of fur that consists of two layers or coats of hair. This type of coat is found in certain dog breeds, such as Huskies and German Shepherds. It’s known for being extremely thick and fluffy. The undercoat is soft and fine, while the topcoat is coarse and hard. These coats help dogs regulate their body temperature, insulating them against both the cold and heat.

That said, double-coated breeds require special care and grooming to keep their coat healthy. As the short inner coat sheds, the hairs can become trapped in the long hairs of the outer coat, causing painful matting. Regular brushing and bathing are essential to keep your double-coated dog a happy and healthy pup!

Husky playing in snow

Typically, it’s recommended not to shave or drastically cut a double-coated pup. Instead, groomers will usually do an undercoat removal or light trim around the eyes to keep the hair healthy and remove any problems with their fur. This is because their double coat serves a very important purpose in regulating their body temperature and protecting them from hot or cold weather.

What’s Included in a Grooming Appointment?

Because “grooming” can mean a lot of things, there are a variety of appointment types available, depending on the needs of each individual dog and the preferences of the dog parent.

At Barkbus, we offer several different mobile grooming services, so you can choose the option that works best for your unique pup. You can choose from a wide range of appointment types depending on your dog’s needs, covering everything from bathing and hair trimming to nail clipping and anal gland expression. Please see our full list of services below. Remember, ear and teeth cleaning are included in all of our appointments!

Signature Service

Our signature service is like a spa service for your fur baby. First, we bathe them in a warm filtered hydro-jet water bath using all-natural shampoos and conditioners. Then, we carefully blow dry them and gently brush out their fur. Once their coat is clean and soft, we'll trim their nails and clean their ears, eyes, paws, and teeth. If needed, we can express their anal glands.

Signature Service + Partial Haircut

This service is for our fluffier pups that need a little extra help with their long fur. Along with all of the services included in our Signature Service package, we will give your dog's fur a paw pad trimming, a sanitary trim, and a partial face trim — enough to keep their fur from interfering with their vision and eating. If your dog is an especially hairy breed, you may want to opt for the Signature Service + Full Haircut option to keep your pup at their most comfortable.

Signature Service + Full Body Haircut and Styling

This service is for all dog breeds that need a full haircut to keep their fur looking great. After we bathe them and take care of their nails, teeth, and everything else, we'll then take the time to carefully trim and shape your dog's fur to ensure it’s neat and manageable.

DeShedding Service

If your dog has a double coat and sheds regularly, you may want to consider our DeShedding Service as routine grooming can help proactively remove the dead hair on your dog.

Dogs smiling after de-shedding

Although you can never stop shedding completely, we'll remove as much loose hair as possible from your dog's fur to help keep their coat looking healthy, prevent matting, and reduce the amount of fur you find on your furniture and clothes. 

DeShedding Service + Haircut

Got a double-coated dog that needs a trim too? Our DeShedding Service paired with a full haircut will get your dog looking their cutest, keep them comfortable, and also help reduce the amount of hair they shed around your house!

What Makes Barkbus Different?

At Barkbus, we understand that your dog is more than just a pet — they're part of your family. You love them dearly and want to provide the best care possible for them with minimal stress. By booking our mobile grooming service, we bring all of our services straight to your doorstep so your dog never has to go in a cage or a crate.

It means less stress for your dog and more time back in your schedule. Whether you need their fur trimmed or their teeth cleaned, we’ll take care of all of their grooming needs right outside your home. You get your day back and your dog gets the care they deserve! What's not to love about that?

Barkbus groomer meeting pet parent and dog at doorstep

Book a Grooming Appointment With Barkbus

Professional grooming is essential to maintaining your dog's overall health and well-being. Whether you have a double-coated or single-coated breed, regular visits from the groomer won't just keep your pup looking cute — it'll also help protect your dog from serious health problems. So, the next time you're thinking about skipping an appointment with a professional groomer, consider the long-term health of your furry friend.

At Barkbus, we understand that every dog is unique and has specific grooming needs. That’s why we always recommend talking to your vet or a professional groomer to get recommendations on what is best for your specific breed. You can also call or text one of our experienced team members to get tailored advice and recommendations for your pup's unique needs. Whether you need their fur trimmed or their teeth cleaned, we have the experience and expertise to provide your dog with the care they need. So if you are looking for a reliable, stress-free grooming option, book an appointment with Barkbus today!

WRITTEN BY
Ziggy

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