Dog grooming checklist
Do the calmest job first and the least popular one last, so the session ends on something they enjoy rather than on the clippers.
18 items
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
The items
- Brush right through before any water touches themA wet knot only tightens. Sort tangles dry, or the bath makes them worse.
- Check for mats
- Behind the ears
- Under the collar
- Between the toes and pads
- Nail clippers or a grinderTrim little and often rather than a lot at once — the quick is easier to nick on overgrown nails.
- Styptic powderFor the nail that bleeds anyway. It happens to everyone eventually.
- Dog shampooNever human shampoo — the pH is wrong for their skin and it dries them out.
- Cotton wool for the earsNever a cotton bud inside the ear canal itself.
- Ear cleanerOnly if the vet has said their ears need it — healthy ears mostly clean themselves.
- Non-slip mat for the bath or tubA dog that slips once will fight the bath every time after.
- Towels×2One for the first wipe-down, a dry one for after — a single towel is soaked through by then.
- Cup or shower attachment for rinsingShampoo left in the coat is what causes the itching people blame on something else.
- TreatsFor between each stage, so the whole session stays something they'll tolerate again next time.
- Slicker brush for after the bathA wet coat shows tangles a dry one hides.
- Hair dryer on a cool, low setting, if they'll tolerate itNever hot — their skin is closer to the surface than it looks under all that fur.
- Teeth checked or brushedEasy to forget entirely, and the one thing a groomer's visit doesn't always cover.
- Eyes and paws checked for anything stuck or soreThe last two minutes, once they're calm enough to sit still for it.
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
Questions people ask
- How often should a dog be groomed at home?
- Brushing weekly at minimum, more for a long coat. A full bath is usually needed only every few months unless they've found something to roll in.
- What's the biggest mistake people make?
- Bathing before brushing out mats. Water tightens a knot instead of loosening it, turning a five-minute job into one that needs scissors.
- Is human shampoo an acceptable substitute?
- No — it's the wrong pH for a dog's skin and tends to leave them dry and itchy. Dog shampoo is inexpensive and worth keeping in stock.