4 Ways Keeping a Senior Dog's Coat Short Prevents Health Issues
Dogs can bring so much joy into your life, so owners naturally want to ensure they have the best quality of life for as long as possible. If you have a long-haired dog that is getting on in years, you can help make its old age that much more pleasant by keeping their coat short.
Keeping a dog's coat short offers benefits throughout its life, but these tend to become more important as they age. Here are just four reasons why it might be worth regularly visiting a groomer to keep your senior dog's coat short.
1. Standing Becomes Uncomfortable
Dogs need to stand relatively still for quite long periods when they are having their coats brushed and maintained, and that naturally takes longer when their hair is longer. This isn't such an issue for younger dogs, but senior dogs often find it uncomfortable to stand for so long due to reduced mobility and issues such as arthritis. By keeping the coat short, you can keep your everyday grooming sessions much shorter to reduce the strain on your dog's joints and muscles.
2. Relieving Themselves Becomes Harder
When a dog starts to get on in years, it may be less adept at squatting than it used to be. This is a problem since poop will be more likely to get trapped around their back end when they can't squat as comfortably. This is obviously going to produce bad smells, and it's also likely to cause matting that can leave your dog in discomfort. However, a groomer can keep all the hair around their sanitary area short to prevent this from happening.
3. Matting Is More Serious
Hair can get matted for several reasons, and this is naturally more likely to be an issue for long-haired dogs. Unfortunately, matting is much harder on older dogs. They tend to be more prone to matting since their hair will lose some of its natural oils over time, and the fact that a dog's skin becomes thinner during old age means the tension created by matting can produce more discomfort and potentially lead to sores or infections. Keeping the coat short is going to make this far less likely.
4. Slips Become More Common
Senior dogs tend to be less sure on their feet and more prone to injury if they slip and fall. Again, this is a problem associated more with long-haired breeds since the long hair that grows around their feet can get between the pads and cause them to lose their footing across slippery floors. That's why it's worth tidying that long hair up on a regular basis.
For more info about dog grooming, contact a local company.