Four Reasons you should brush your Short-haired Dog

Hey! An important part of dog ownership that a lot of short haired dog owners seem to forget is the importance of grooming. Short haired dogs are often over looked for this task as they do not get knotty like their long haired brothers. However, it is still a duty that needs to be done to keep you and your dog healthy.

1. Signs of Illness
When you are brushing your dog, you are up close and personal with him/her. You will be able to look and feel over your dog for any injuries or changes in their body. A lot of smaller cuts and scrapes can go unnoticed over time if you don't regularly check for them, and these can lead to infections. Another thing you will be able to feel is any unusual lumps which can be a sign of something worse inside of your dog, and be able to watch them for signs of growing each time you brush your dog. It is also a good opportunity to get a feel for your dogs weight, and how they are holding their weight.

2. Less Stray Fur
Some dogs shed more than others, and I find that even short haired dogs leave a lot of fur around the house. Diego has course fur, which sticks into carpets and chairs and is quite difficult to remove. Chico on the other hand has a lot more fur coming off him, but it is light and can easily be vacuumed up. During certain months, both dogs moult crazy amounts of fur and it feels like their is dog hair in everything. That is why it helps to brush them, preferably outside. This gets a lot of the loose fur off your dog, and helps to pull out the other fur meaning there will be less fur inside. During the change of seasons, I recommend brushing at least once a day as this is when the fur moults the most. The rest of the year, once of twice a week will make a drastic improvement on how much fur is left around your house.

3. Bonding Time
In this day and age, time is an important factor in a lot of our decisions and this means that bonding time with your pooch can be pushed low on the importance factor. With brushing regularly, it gives you a chance to bond with your dog in a close environment, while getting other benefits that we are mentioning. I find this a good chance to bring out some treats and do some basic commands as well, while teaching the dog to enjoy brushing and you being in close proximity. Its a great way to interact with your dog on a one on one basis, and gives the dog the opportunity to be the only thing on your mind.

4. Improves Circulation
Regular brushing helps not only with your dogs fur condition, it also can help with their skin and circulation. Depending on what type of brush you use, it will change what benefits your dog gets. I recommend for short-haired dogs that you use a rubber brush as this helps to circulate and massage the skin. Like massage in humans, brushing in a nice firm manner will help to prevent knots in muscles, as well as improving blood flow.