3 Reasons Why Brushing Your Dog is Important

samoyed puppy standing in grass with a brush in its mouth

Brushing your dog’s coat is a regular, and important, part of grooming your dog and keeping them happy and healthy. The frequency of brushing depends on your dog’s coat type, shedding level, the season, and more. Whether your dog’s brushing schedule is daily, a few times a week, or weekly, what matters is that your dog is brushed regularly and frequent enough for their coat type. Here are a few reasons brushing your dog is important:

1. Prevent Tangles and Mats

Tangles and mats are a concern for dogs with any coat type. Tangles are uncomfortable for your dog and can make them feel itchy. Additionally, when they scratch to relieve the itching, their nails can get caught in the tangles, which can be painful. On top of that, tangled fur that is left unbrushed will turn into mats.

Small mats around the ears or collar are normal and can be worked out with regular brushing or cut out if necessary. However, if left alone, they can result in more matting. Matting is when loose and live fur becomes a tangled clump of fur on your dog. They can become heavy and painful as the tangled mess pulls on your dog’s skin. Mats can also trap dirt, debris, and other things, which can lead to irritation, skin infections, and more.

It’s important to brush your dog regularly and with the right types of dog grooming brushes or combs for their coat type. Longer-haired dogs and dogs that shed more will need to be brushed more often. Curly or wavy coat types will also need to be brushed more often than straight coats. Pay attention to your dog’s coat type and make sure you know how to properly care for it.

2. Remove Loose Fur and Control Shedding

Regularly brushing your dog helps to control shedding and also makes them more comfortable. Brushing removes loose fur, which will help your dog feel more comfortable because they won’t have itchy loose fur hanging out in their coat or on their skin.

Also, when you brush your dog, loose fur is caught in the brush instead of ending up all over the house. Brushing a high-shedding dog more often, even if their coat doesn’t require frequent brushing, will help you control and contain shedding better. A grooming glove can be a big help in making the whole process more efficient.

3. Help Your Dog Stay Happy and Healthy

In addition to making your dog more comfortable by removing itchy, loose fur, brushing your dog regularly also improves air circulation to their skin. Not only does this result in healthier skin, but it also helps keep your dog cool during high-energy playtime or exercise and during warmer weather. As long as brushing and grooming have been introduced properly to your dog, it’s usually a calming experience for both of you that also helps to strengthen your bond. Plus, it helps to improve circulation!

Regularly brushing your dog also gives you the opportunity to keep an eye on their health and to check for parasites like fleas or ticks. As you carefully work the brush or comb through their coat, you can also run your hands over the area to check for any cuts, scrapes, sores, or other issues. Doing this will also help identify potential health issues early so you can get your dog to the vet and get treatment before things get worse or out of hand.

There are a bunch of grooming tasks that are all part of taking care of your dog. Brushing their coat regularly is just one of them. But, just like brushing their teeth, checking their ears, and trimming their nails is important, brushing your dog is important too. If you start introducing grooming to your dog as a puppy and keep the experience a positive one, it will help make grooming much easier and more enjoyable for you both.