How to Groom Your Labrador Retriever?

Labrador Retrievers were historically used by fisherman to help pull fish lines and catch fish that had escaped. They were originally from Newfoundland and over time, they were crossbred with other breeds like Setters, Spaniels, and other Retrievers. They are an ideal family dog as they can live comfortably with children and elders alike and they are also trusted companions and are very much attached to their owners. Labs primarily come in three colors, black, yellow, including cream and white colors, and chocolate.

Their temperament is pleasant and they have a great sense of smell which allows them to pick up any scent. For this reason they are often recruited as detection dogs by the police and military. Labrador Retrievers do not require a lot of maintenance, but they still require regular grooming. Fortunately, their pleasant nature means grooming is often easy to carry out and this breed co- operates very well when they are being groomed. Regular grooming also helps the owner to bond with the dog and form a closer relationship with him. A regular grooming routine can include:

Massaging: Massaging can be considered as the beginning of the grooming session. It helps in loosening the skin and dead hair in the body, so that they can be brushed away easily later. It also helps the owner to inspect the dog to identify any lumps, bumps, rashes, or skin patches on its body. Massaging can also help the dog to become familiarized to touch. This can be very useful when your dog is being examined by a vet or by a groomer.

Brushing: The Labrador retriever, has a soft fur coat which does not need much brushing. However, it's good to brush your dog daily to once in a week, to keep their coat glistening and radiant. Brushing also stimulates natural oil in their skin which is very useful in repelling dirt and dust. Try to ensure that you are using a dog brush which can be purchased from any local pet store.

Cleaning Eyes and Ears: Cleaning your pet's eyes and ears are also one of the important parts in grooming. You can clean the outer rings of the eyes with a cotton swab or damp cloth to remove the discharge. Similarly, you can clean the ears with cotton swabs to get rid of dirt and ear wax. If you are in doubt as how to clean the eyes and ears, or if you notice anything abnormal in their eyes and ears, you should take him to a vet.

Bathing: Labs don't require to be bathed regularly. This is because Labrador coats have oils in them which repel dirt. Hence brushing is more important than bathing. Having said that, you can bathe your pet if they become dirty. While bathing them, use a mild dog shampoo to get rid of the smell. Hard rinsing of the coat is not recommended since it can wash away oils on his coat.

Clipping: Clipping the nails of labs can be quite a task since they don't stay still for very long. It is essential that you cut the nails, but don't cut the quick as this can lead to bleeding and in some cases infection. If you are not sure how to clip them, you can take him to a dog groomer.