How to kit out your home for dog grooming

Let's face it we love our four-legged canine friends and see them as part of the family. Keeping our dogs clean and healthy means getting organised with the right kit so check out these dog-grooming ideas that will keep your dog - and your home - in tip top condition.

There are plenty of homeware and pet products to keep in your cupboard to help keep your home and your dog happy:

* A good dog brush for the right coat length is the ideal tool for
professional grooming at home. Used once or twice a week, it
should promote
circulation and natural oil production to improve the condition of
animal skin
and give a healthy shiny coat. Try the FurFixer, from 23.99, Petscorner.

*
Keep a suitable disinfectant in your cupboards to help remove odours and
bacteria. Regularly clean bed frames, baskets, cages, floor areas and
pet toys. Zoflora
is pet kind and has many refreshing fragrances such as Linen fresh and
Sweet Pea. Just remember not to use on dog feeding equipment.

* The DuActiva dual action broom from Vielda is designed to pick up dirt and
hair in only one fell swoop. Alongside bristles it has a special
foam layer that creates a barrier to stop dust and pet hairs escaping, leaving your floors
completely dirt and fur free. £6.50, Homebase.

*
Lift fluff, hair and lint away from fabrics with a dust roller or
FurLifter from Oxo Good Grips. Just a quick sweep over furniture or
garments will pick up fluff and
hair from fabric. £11.99, Lakeland.

*
Use separate towels for your dog and
wash them on a high heat with a gentle detergent that won't irritate
your animal's skin.

* Like us humans, pets benefit from natural cleansing products. Citrus Magic
is natural, organic and eco-friendly brand, recommended by professional
dog groomers, with a good range of pet care shampoo products.

* A good hand soap for you with soothing ingredients that is kind to your hands. Try Aloe Vera Handwash, £2.50, Marks & Spencer.

Giving your dog his own allocated space for a dog bed will free up floor space and give him his own secure nook to retreat to. It will also encourage him to go to his 'own' comfort spot rather than lounge on rugs, carpets, sofas or beds. This clever hideout under a kitchen worktop makes use of a small space and is cosy and sheltered, which dogs welcome. Use a removable bed that can be washed regularly to keep the area as fresh as possible.
Bolster medium dog bed, Mungo and Maud. Mr Fox Rug, Woven Ground.

If you are lucky enough to have a utility or boot room, storage tins and a bed cover that echo your scheme will create a smart pet area in one organised space. Keep accessories and toys in wall-mounted wire baskets, perfect for letting air circulate around them. Store food and treats on a shelf in tins to keep them dry and fresh, locking the food smells inside. Hang leads and collars on hooks and use a fabric carrier bag store for poop bags, which you can pull out as you go.
Dog products, Mungo and Maud. Dog bed, Oka. Similar carrier bag store, Sophie Allport.

Here's a super neat idea we can adopt from pet fans across the pond. It is becoming more common for larger houses in the US to install a doggy wash in their utility or mud room, which is basically an enclosed mini shower built specifically for their dogs. What a great way to clean your pooch after a muddy walk before they enter the main house. This one is part of a mud room makeover from American interior blogger Vintage Refined.

Giving your dog a good healthy diet is an important part of dog grooming for lots of reasons. But having dog food and food bowls on the floor can be unhygienic leading to food and water spillage in the surrounding area. Raising the pet food bowls not only looks nice but minimises mess too. This simple but clever idea has been created with two budget chairs and dog bowls with protruding rims. Start by measuring the diameter of the bowl beneath the rim and then mark up the circle in the middle of the seat. Cut out the circle along the line with a jigsaw. For smaller dogs why not do the same but on a lower wooden bench?

And, for some professional advice, dog groomer Rachel van der Vliet of Pip's Palace gives us her home dog grooming tips:

* Groom in a well ventilated area as it will help prevent the growth of airborne bacteria
and will reduce the inhalation of dander and hair. A dehumidifier can be useful in bathing areas or small rooms.

* Spray air fresheners can be too potent if being inhaled constantly so, if needed, use
a solid air freshener such as Citrus Magic, which is designed to absorb pet odour that is non toxic to inhale.

*
When drying a dog, use towels set aside for dog use only.
The towels should be washed separately on a high
heat at 60 degrees. Using non bio washing powder prevents the towel
material becoming too harsh for the dog's skin.

*
Dog hair needs to be swept up, removed from equipment and disposed of
before starting
to clean down surfaces. If you vacuum, make sure you empty the bag
regularly to prevent bacteria growing inside it and use smaller
attachable nozzles to get into room corners where contagions could hide.

*
At the end of your grooming session stronger chemicals such as bleach
should be used
to 'deep clean' all surfaces. They should be
left on following manufacturer's instructions on contact time and should
be rinsed off or wiped down after use - be aware it is harsh and can
damage stainless steel baths.

*
If you have more than one dog and are grooming them on the same
day, make sure
all equipment and surfaces are disinfected between each groom. You
should use a dilute disinfectant that will not harm the animal and will
not be harsh on the skin after frequent uses. There are many available
from grooming suppliers such as Aqueous Canine
Disinfectant and Deodoriser or Safe4 Disinfectant, which is Defra
approved.

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