Seasonal Dog Grooming: Everything You Should Know

As the seasons change, so do your dog’s grooming requirements. Keeping up to date with seasonal dog grooming can help to maintain and improve your dog’s health, comfort and well-being.

Why is seasonal grooming important?

Regular dog grooming can help to detect and prevent skin infections, as well as parasite infestations and other health issues. 

However, the groom that your dog will require might change throughout the year. A well-maintained coat will help dogs to regulate their body temperature, helping to keep them cool in summer and warm in winter. 

Dogs will often shed differently depending on the season, with many breeds experiencing heavy shedding in the spring. 

Grooming tips for Spring

Many breeds of dog will start shedding their winter coats in the spring - coats become lighter in preparation for the warmer weather, as explained here. Regular brushing with specialised tools such as slicker brushes and deshedding brushes will help to reduce shedding around the house. 

Each breed will be different, so take the time to research and understand how often your dog will require grooming. 

The high pollen count during spring can irritate a dogs’ skin. Hypoallergenic dog shampoo can help to alleviate the itchiness. Ear cleaning can help to prevent infections from debris and pollen.

During spring is when ticks and fleas are at their most active. Frequent brushing and inspections can help to keep infestations to a minimum, paying particular attention around the ears, under the legs and in the thick fur areas.

Summer grooming tips

Keeping cool is vital for dogs in the hot summer sun, but be careful of trimming dogs if they have a double coat. If you shave a dog with a double coat, it can actually damage their coat and prevent it from growing back properly. Short-coated dogs may require just a light trim, speak to your dog groomer if you are unsure.

Sunburn is a real threat to dogs as well as humans. Dogs with light or thin coats can get sunburn, so consider using dog sun cream on sensitive areas such as the nose and bellies, especially if they like to lie on their back in the sun!

You can find some tips here to help keep your dog cool when the summer temperatures really hit the peak.

Grooming in Autumn

As dogs prepare to grow a thick, winter coat, often another round of shedding will take place. Regular brushing will help to remove the loose fur before it starts to mat, as well as helping to keep the dog's skin healthy. If your dog is a particularly heavy shedder, use an undercoat rake. 

As the air starts to get drier, a dog’s skin can start to experience dry and flaky skin just like us. Consider using a good dog moisturising conditioner to help keep their skin soft. This can also help to prevent irritation. 

Ticks and fleas can still linger in the colder autumn months, so check regularly and use preventative measures and treatments to help keep them pest-free as the winter approaches. 

If, like many dogs, yours loves nothing more than to jump in muddy puddles, make sure to fully wipe down your dog to get rid of the mud on the paws and fur. This will not only help to keep your house clean, but more importantly will help to prevent skin irritations.

Winter grooming

Many dogs will grow thicker coats in winter to help keep out the cold. You should aim to keep this coat intact throughout the winter, as cutting it too short can leave them vulnerable to the cold. 

The longer coats will likely be more vulnerable to matting though, so make sure to brush regularly to avoid the potentially painful matting. 

As roads and pavements become gritted to prevent ice, this can lead to irritation and even cracking of paw pads. Clean their paws after every walk, and consider using paw balm to give them an extra layer of protection against the ice, salt and grit.  

With both the summer and winter discussed, each season home to possible temperature extremes, it is also worth noting handy dog walking tips during each climate. These can be found in this guide. 

The essential grooming tasks all year round

We’ve covered the seasonal specific grooming tasks, but there are some things that you should be doing all year round to help your dog’s coat stay healthy. These include:

• Regular brushing: The frequency as to how often to brush your dog will depend on the breed. Regular brushing helps to keep their coat in top condition and control shedding year-round.
• Dental care: Dental treats and regular brushing can help to prevent painful dental diseases as well as keeping their breath fresh
• Nail trimming: Regularly check your dog’s nails as excessively long nails can cause severe discomfort for the dog
• Ear care: Wiping your dog’s ears down regularly with a gentle cleaner or soft cloth can remove any buildup and help to prevent infections

There are many parts of dog grooming that you can safely and easily do from home to help your dog. However, there are certain grooming tasks best left to the professionals. 

At D-O-G Grooming Studio, we are here to help, with years of experience and highly qualified staff to ensure your pooch receives the pampering it deserves. Feel free to discover our services for dog and puppy grooms and do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.