How to Groom your Beagle? (Step By Step Guide)

Grooming is one of the most important aspects of life and hygiene. Whether it be humans or animals, grooming oneself has always been a priority. Not only does it help in sharpening your look but also maintains hygiene.

Grooming also ensures we’ve taken out unnecessary hairs or elements from our skin.

In addition, animals love to clean themselves! While they may not be able to express it through words, there’s no doubt that animals enjoy looking sharp and staying afresh whenever they can.

Beagles, in particular, are our topic of interest today. Beagles are famous for being calm and energetic in different situations. To help these little ones stay healthy and happy, it is essential for us to ensure that they are groomed correctly and regularly.

I’ve never groomed a dog before, so where do I even start?

Well, good news for you, because that is exactly what we will cover in today’s article. Starting all the way from understanding how Beagles can make a habit of being groomed to the best of equipment, we’ll guide you to all that you need to know about grooming your Beagle.

 

How to groom your beagle?

Getting Your Beagle Used to Groom

Before we begin, it’s crucial to note how you can get your Beagle accustomed to grooming. Typically, grooming activities like bathing or massages are liked by Beagles. The reason is apparent that such acts make them calm and relaxed.

So, the essential point that Beagle parents should remember is to make this a soothing experience for their dog.

So, the earlier you start to groom your puppy, the better. You’ll be surprised to learn that only in weeks, your Beagle will happily sit for grooming activities. This is because Beagles get groomed easily without much hassle.

Even so, some dogs can be sensitive to touch or brushes. In such scenarios, you’ll need to pay extra attention so that your doggo accepts grooming. One way to do so is to make your Beagle adopt certain behaviors.

You can go ahead with lightly brushing them and gently holding their ears or feet. These are areas in which most of the grooming will take place. Gradually, your dog will not feel discomfort or get scared of clipping nails.

Altogether, it’s primary to make them comfortable with such handlings by you. If not, then your Beagle might repel grooming no matter what.

However, before you begin, there are a few key factors that you must keep in mind. They are as follows:

 

Create a Routine

Try to make your grooming sessions regular, especially after coming back to your home. Routines and habits are what discipline us and give structure to our day. It helps us adhere to a specific series of activities, facilitates good practices, and makes us accustomed to our tasks.

Just like our day-to-day practices foster productivity in our lives and prevent unwanted distress and pressure, routines play a crucial part in our dogs’ lives as well.

Dogs stay more relaxed in their surroundings when they build an understanding of following a predetermined routine. For this reason, starting grooming your Beagle while they are a puppy will reduce fear or anxiety in them.

Beagles enjoy playing and discovering the outside world. Consequently, beginning the grooming process with a fixed interval of 3 weeks will establish regularity as this is when Beagles start to become dirty.

A grooming routine is vital to ensure that your four-legged companion is clean and healthy. Once you create a pattern, your Beagle will enjoy the soothing feel of brushing its coat.

 

Rewards & Treats

Remember how mom used to treat us when we wouldn’t complain or nag when being cleaned?

Even if you haven’t had such an experience, let us tell you, rewards and treats are one of the best ways to get your Beagle to love being groomed. Why wouldn’t a dog love to be cleaned and pampered at the same time?

Sweet, so how do I go about it?

We’re glad you asked. You see, giving your Beagle too many treats can cause them to be spoiled and result in an unhealthy diet. Give them too little, and they won’t even be motivated.

The trick here is to learn how much your Beagle loves a specific treat (biscuits, bones, etc.). Once you’ve got the amount set up, it’s time to convince them to be groomed. Of course, you cannot just tell a dog to have treats for and expect them to understand.

With dogs (and all animals, for that matter), it’s the visual interpretation that does the job. If you show your Beagle a quick glance at the reward, they’ll run after you in no time. This is your moment to groom the critical areas and brush them properly.

 

Grooming Kit

Now let’s discuss the equipment that you should have. A general grooming kit will contain items like a hairbrush, toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner, clippers, etc. We’ll talk about this in much detail later.

However, you need to make sure you have a proper grooming kit in hand. So, the complete activity is done fast without making a mess.

Apart from this, all the tools you will use should be dog-friendly. Also, the external products must be of good quality. Or else it can have bad aftermath and an annoyed Beagle. Trust me, and it’s something you don’t want to face.

If you look closely, there are many facets to grooming itself. Everything right from teeth, paws, ears, hair, body, etc., needs to be cleaned. So, for each area, there’s a unique tool required.

Teeth

The mouth area is an essential part of the body that needs to be kept in check. Thus, the same goes for your Beagle. While choosing the toothbrush, pick the right size. It should be able to cover the teeth as well as be easy to hold. Also, try to buy an excellent flavored toothpaste for your doggo. This is because they’ll eventually swallow it (don’t worry, it’s not harmful).

 

Paws

Paw care is vital for your Beagle’s health. They are prone to minor cuts, infections, and other injuries. It would be best if you inspected their paws regularly for any signs of injury. One of the ways to apply balms on their feet is to heal and moisturize the cracks present.

 

Ears

Another significant area that needs to be hygienic is the ears. Did you know that Beagles are more vulnerable to getting ear infections? I would recommend cleaning your Beagle’s ear at least once a week.

This would be ideal for checking any case of infections. You can easily clean your dog’s ear by putting a few drops of an ear cleaner on cotton swabs. Meanwhile, do check for any signs of infection.

If there’s a foul odor or dried blood, then it confirms the infection. Take your Beagle to the vet if you notice anything like that.

 

Hair

The most exposed part of a dog is undoubtedly its hair. Other than this, dust, dirt, and germs also get accumulated on their skins. Hence, it’s best to remove them.

 

Desensitization Training

Desensitization is a type of training that can reduce or prevent your dog’s fear or anxiety for certain things.

One example is having your dog groomed. If you notice your pet doesn’t enjoy being groomed, it’s likely their fear is building up at the thought of the grooming process. This means it’s time to start implementing desensitization training to help them get over their fear and learn they’re safe.

The first step in this process is getting your pets used to the idea of grooming by doing simple things like touching them with a towel or brush. You can also use treats or toys to provide positive reinforcement when they are touched with these items.

This will allow them to associate touching these items with something pleasurable and not stressful like before.

 

Items to Have in Your Grooming Kit

A Beagle is a small dog that is easy to groom. There are only a few essential grooming items and tools you’ll need for your Beagle.

The main grooming tools for Beagles are shampoo, conditioner, brush, comb, and scissors. There are also a few things that you might want to consider for your Beagle – cleaning wipes, allergy medication, or cologne. However, this is just a brief description of the tools.

In short, Beagles are low maintenance. Thus, they do not require any expensive or complicated tools for grooming. So here’s a detailed list of all essential items that should be in your grooming kit. You’re welcome 🙂

Dental/Oral tools and products: You’ll require a special toothpaste and a suitable toothbrush for your pooch.

High-quality Bristle brush: To brush the thick and short coat of your doggo, you’ll require a high-quality bristle brush.

Essential Bathing products: Coming to one of the most salient parts of grooming which is bathing your Beagle. Choosing a good quality and gentle canine shampoo is essential. Make sure that the shampoo and conditioner are made from natural ingredients and are organic. Besides this, the conditioner should be tear-free.

Clippers/Grinders: While clippers are the most common choice for people to trim their dog’s nails, we advise you to use a nail grinder, the reason being ease. Sure both clippers and grinders get the job done, but grinders are far quicker and easier to file nails. It also helps to trim

Ear cleaners solution: An ear cleaning solution will help the prevention of infection and neutralize odors. Simply use a safe solution and clean the ears using cotton. Do not use a Q-tip. After washing with the solution, wipe through the ear once again with dry cotton to ensure that all debris is removed. You can also use tissue paper or gauze if you do not have cotton.

Anti-bacterial/fungal solutions may also help avoid any ear infections in your Beagles.

Tip: As a Beagle owner, you must go for high-quality and recommended products only. This is extremely important for your doggo since their health and hygiene are significant factors that you cannot go wrong with. If you ever feel confused with certain products, it’s best to cross-check them with an expert’s advice or a vet doctor.

 

How To Bathe Your Beagle?

An essential piece of information regarding bathing Beagles is that their coat is short and tight. As a result, it pushes back a good amount of remains of dirt.

Due to this, even when Beagles may have spent a lot of time playing outside, it does not appear and becomes challenging to know when they need a bath.

So, where will you bathe your Beagle? Will it be in the sink or the tub?

Bathing your Beagle is not as easy as you may think. You must first decide what type of bath to give them – one that is specifically for puppies or one that is for adults. If they are a puppy, the kind of bath you’ll need to give them will differ depending on whether they are a biter or not. And if they are an adult, you will need to decide whether your Beagle likes water or hates it.

Brushing is an integral part of grooming your Beagle. It helps keep the coat clean and healthy.

The oils in the fur can get dirty and sticky, especially after he has been playing outside. Brushing also helps remove loose fur that can get tangled or mat up with other hairs.

When you brush, make sure to work your way from the head down over the entire body, taking care to brush around sensitive areas like ears and under his legs where mats are most likely to form.

It would help if you brushed your Beagle before bathing him for safety reasons too. If brushing doesn’t remove all of that loose hair, you will end up with a bathtub full of it later on!

Different shampoos can be used for different hair types. For example, if you have a dog with a thick coat, then it would be best to use human shampoo.

However, this shampoo is not safe for dogs with thin coats because the chemicals in the shampoo will strip away all of the natural oils on their body and will leave them with dry and brittle hair.

The ingredients in human shampoo are too harsh for a Beagle’s coat and will leave them looking like they went swimming in an oil slick. It is best to use a specialized dog shampoo instead of human shampoo to keep your pet healthy and happy!

 

Effects of dry skin

One of the most important factors in determining the health of your dog’s skin and coat is keeping them properly moisturized. Nevertheless, dry skin is a warning sign for you to check your dog’s skin.

There are many situations in which your pet may have dry skin, but one ordinary and simple example is post-bath. Other factors include infections or allergies.

If your vet has verified that your Beagle does not have any issues like parasites, or skin allergies that are causing his constant scratching, then there is a chance that he might be suffering from something else.

Some other problems that might cause excessive scratching are:

– Insect bites. Your vet may want you to treat the bug bites to make it stop.

– Flea allergies. These are usually hereditary, and the only thing you can do is to use flea control medication on your dog to get rid of them or bring him in for shots every month or so.

– Allergies to food or pollen in the air, caused by just about anything, including grasses and trees. If you’re not sure what’s causing it, ask your vet about getting an allergy test done. This way you’ll know which allergies your doggo is prone to.

As a rule, Beagles should be bathed every 2-3 months using a mild shampoo and conditioner designed for washing dogs. However, if your dog suffers from dry skin, it may need to be washed every week.

Tip: If your Beagle has irritated skin, you may apply vitamin E oil to soothe the inflammation and cure the problem. Also, in case of allergies, you can make a DIY oatmeal mixture that can prevent your doggo from getting dry skin and treat the itchy areas.

 

How To Brush Your Beagle

Down to brushing your Beagle(s). This is one of the most overlooked parts of grooming dogs in general. Pet owners, due to their lack of knowledge, may give less importance to brushing their pets.

Allow us to break it down for you; brushing weighs a lot more importance than we think it does. So, I have curated a list containing some of these features for you:

1. Stimulate Blood Flow

Stimulation in the blood flow is an essential part of staying healthy for every human and animal. These constant stimulations help to keep the hair follicles (whether they be present on the body or head) healthy.

 

2. Removing Unwanted Dirt

Quite mainly, the only reason anyone ever brushes their dog is to keep them clean. Brushing off dirt, debris, and dust off a dog’s skin is vital for their health.

Brushing ensures that no bacteria (stuck on the dirt) stays for long on the body of your dog. This, in turn, keeps them safe from infections, diseases, etc.

Further, you can also remove any old and dead pieces of hair left on your dog’s body. This will enable and promote more growth for new hair and fur on your Beagle.

 

3. Fur Health

If you’re the kind that uses a leave-in spray while brushing, then this facet should grab your attention.

Using a high-quality leave-in spray is a must if you like to use additional products while grooming. This allows for the fur to take good shape according to your wish and gives off a sharper and cleaner look to your Beagle.

In addition, body oils that are naturally produced over time are also spread across the body when you brush your Beagle. The best way to go about it would be a slow and straightforward movement going from the front to the back.

Of course, as time moves, you can decide on different techniques or even consult your veterinarian for the best brushing practices for your little Beagle.

Leaving the benefits of brushing aside, it is key for every Beagle owner to learn the optimal amount of times a Beagle requires brushing.

For the most part, brushing your Beagle once a week would be necessary, and twice in a week would be the best-case scenario. If you’re making use of a de-shedding tool to extract all remaining dead hairs, remember to do it multiple times in one week for heavy sheds.

For lighter sheds, simply going over your Beagle’s body once a week would be more than enough.

Furthermore, to clear any confusion, it should be noted that a good quality brush will only take care of the dirt, stimulation, and spreading of oils.

Deshedding tools will take care of removing dead hairs from the deep ends of a Beagle’s body.

Overall, brushing your Beagle isn’t the most difficult thing to do, and a little practice is all one needs to get better at it. When you do happen to brush your Beagle, ensure that they aren’t feeling too forced or any pain during the act.

 

Conclusion

In a nutshell, grooming your Beagle is super easy, especially once they get habitual to it. The main thing to remember is that you should make your dog feel comfortable during the session. This activity is not only to keep your Beagle healthy but also happy. Moreover, you’ll see that your bond with your dog has also improved because of it. So if you make a routine, it’ll be more beneficial for your dog to adjust to it. Hence, overall it can be a fun thing to do to spend some quality time with your little friend and keep all germs away.