Dog Grooming Tools for Every Dog Owner

There are a few essential tools you'll need to get started grooming your dog at home.I'll give you my list of some of the best dog grooming tools on the market today. Let's get started with the tools every dog owner should have at the ready.

Combs
If your dog has fur or hair you need at least one comb. There are several different types of combs for dogs. We'll get into more detail on what each one does later. Just know that you will need some type of comb for your dog's daily grooming habits. Examples of different dog combs are: shedding comb, steel comb, flea comb.


Brushes
Much like combs, there are several types of dog brushes. You will need at least one type. We'll go over all the various types later. A slicker brush is a safe starter for all dog owners. Examples of different dog brushes include: slicker brush, soft bristle brush, glove brushes.

Nail Clippers
Don't skimp on the toenail clippers. Your dog will love you for spending money (about $12) for a quality pair. Those few extra dollars will buy you sharper cutting blades and better clipper action resulting in a cleaner nail cut.

Styptic Powder
This handy solution should be in every pet owner's first aid kit as well as their grooming kit. Styptic powder is yellow cake-like powder that you press into a wound or short nail to stop the bleeding.

Doggie Toothbrush and Tooth Paste
Dental care is essential for your dog's health, and it's the one place most of us pet owners fail to do on a daily or even weekly basis. Time to buckle down and brush those teeth! They make tooth paste for dogs in peanut butter flavors and beef and liver. Bring a towel, there's going to be a lot of drooling!

Dog Shampoo
It's very important to have dog shampoo on hand. You should never use human shampoo on a dog, it washes away the essential oils in the dog's coat. An oatmeal based shampoo is usually safe for all ages and skin types.

All you need to get started with grooming your dog at home is a proper comb, the proper brush, nail clippers, styptic powder, doggie tooth paste and a brush, and dog shampoo. You may be looking at an initial investment of about $70, so remember to budget that in for your first time purchases for your dog.

There are also specialty dog grooming tools for the more advanced people. I make recommendations for these too. Check out our page on buying dog grooming tools!