Now that you have figured out how to best feed and exercise your pet, or made the decision to provide dog grooming services yourself, just what do you need to carry out your good intentions?

Bathing supplies and area

You will, of course need an area to bathe your pet, complete with good drainage and a hose device for quick and thorough rinsing. Specially formulated shampoo and conditioner are must haves and you may have to spend a bit of time researching and trying several before you find the best for your breed of dog. After bathing, your pet needs to be patted down with a designated, super absorbent towel and a quick blow dry. You may even want to invest in a commercial dog blow dryer that comes on a stand that the dog can be strapped into. This is a real aid for long haired dogs and their owners, since drying time can be prolonged. It is important to dry the dog's coat quickly before it develops tangles and become matted.

Brushes and combs

Brushes and combs are important not only as a beauty aid to provide a silky coat but for maintaining a healthy coat. Even short haired breeds must have regular brushing to remove excess hair that allows the skin to breath. Brushing with a soft brush feels good, calms the dog and makes the coat shine. But using a hard wire brush and/or comb, is the only way to remove debris and tangles. It is also a good way to check for ticks, fleas and other parasites. The brush or comb may be made of metal or hard plastic but must have fine enough to ferret out those invaders and stand up to tangles without breaking.

Dog toenail clippers

Dog toenail clippers are a must have and come in scissor or guillotine style. They should be used biweekly or more often, according to how fast the nails grow. Keeping your pets nails trimmed will prevent nail splitting.

Scissors and trimmers

Scissors and trimmers should be specially designed for your breed of dog. Scissors should be blunt ended to avoid possible injury from a jumpy pet and trimmers must be strong enough to do the job efficiently. Get an electric trimmer with enough power to quickly shave and trim areas of dense fur without clogging and stalling.

Together with these must have dog grooming tools is your love and dedication to keeping your pet clean, attractive and healthy. Your attitude will help make dog grooming less of a chore and a really pleasant bonding experience.