Grooming may sound like some fancy word for pampering your four-legged pal, but it is far more than that. Regular grooming is crucial for keeping your beagle healthy. Grooming does not just keep away various infections and health complications from your beagle, but it also helps strengthen the bond between you two.
Overview
Grooming may sound like one heck of a task, but it’s not. Beagles are easy to groom. A proper head to toe grooming will involve:
- Chopping Nails
- Brushing Teeth
- Brushing the Coat
- Bathing
- Cleaning the inside of the ears
- Paw Care
- Nose Care
While pet care centers could charge anywhere from $50 to $100, it is way more cost-efficient to do it yourself at home or your backyard. Don’t worry. It won’t be that difficult. In this article, I have covered everything you need to know about grooming your beagle head to toe, I have added steps for everything, even given the best recommendations for grooming products. So let’s begin with the ultimate guide for Grooming your Beagle.
Note: At the end of this article I have attached a schedule for each of the things. You can print it out and keep a track of everything. Thank me later.
Trimming your Beagle’s Nails
Beagles are an energetic breed, and they love to run and jump. If you allow the nails to grow long, your pal can rip his nails, which can cause a lot of pain. That’s why it is recommended to cut your beagle’s nail regularly. I usually cut my beagles’ nails once every two weeks.
Ninja Tip: If you notice a nail clicking sound when your pooch walks on the floor, then its time to trim them.
Things Needed:
Things to consider
Beagles could show tantrums for trimming their nails. So it is advised to make your pooch used to nail trimming as soon as possible. There’s no specific age to start trimming nails. Cut them as soon as you you think they are long.
Trimming nails could be a little tricky, but with few sessions, you will trim them almost like a professional.
How to Trim Beagle’s Nail
It is advised to conduct the trimming session when your pooch is tired and calm. The best time for a puppy would be after his playing time or training session. For an adult beagle, it would be after a long walk.
The most important thing: under the nails of dogs, there is a thin layer of skin known as ‘Quick,’ which you are not supposed to cut or else it will start bleeding. An entire nail of the dog could be divided into two parts: One with the skin under it (quick) and another with no skin, just the nail which you are supposed to cut.
It’s not that scary as it sounds; you just need to be cautious while clipping your beagle’s nails.
It’s easy to spot a quick. Refer to the photo below for better understanding.
A beagle might have pinkish-white nails in which it’s super easy to spot quick. A beagle could also have blank nails (just like mine has in the photo), making it a little tricky.
Take your time, have a look at your beagle’s nails, and see where the quick is. Firmly hold your pal’s paw and gently squeeze it. This will extend his nails. Now below the quick, cut the nail at a 45-degree angle.
In the beginning, you can cut just a little from the tip so that you get the hang of it.
If you accidentally cut the nail with the quick, it will start bleeding, and you will have to take him to the vet immediately. Although our vet suggested to buy styptic powder and apply it on the nails immediately to stop bleeping.
Selecting a nail cutter for your beagle
You need to buy a good quality nail clipper for your beagle. The quality of the clipper is directly related to its sharpness. Getting a clipper with insufficient sharpness could hurt your beagle, even injure him.
Apart from the quality, you also wanna make sure that you get a chipper that is big enough to fit the beagle’s nail. However, don’t get a super-sized clipper.
Nails of a beagle are strong, so get a more durable clipper. Select one which has a good and firm grip.
There are three types of Nail clipper that you can use for your beagle:
- Scissor Clippers: As the name suggests, they are similar to a pair of scissors but made for cutting dog nails.
- Guillotine Clippers: You put your pooch’s nail inside the hole and position them. Then you press the handle with one quick motion to cut the nail.
- Automatic grinder: It is a device with which you grind the nail to your desire length. It takes a lot longer to trim down the nails with an automatic grinder. Plus, they are costlier from the above two.
All of these get the job done. Just make sure to get a good quality clipper. I suggest getting a scissor clipper for a beginner as they function just like the human clippers. My recommendation for a quality nail clipper perfect for a beagle would be this scissor clipper. It has a safety cap, comes with a nail shaper, and it’s inexpensive.
Brushing your Beagle’s Teeth
Well, just like humans, beagles need proper dental care too. It would be fantastic if you could brush your beagle’s teeth every day. If not, then at least three times a day is recommended.
How to Brush your Beagle’s teeth?
You would want to start it slow. Put a small drop of the toothpaste on your fingertip and let him taste it. Do this for a couple of days. Then you can let him chew with the tip of the toothbrush so that he gets used to the sensation. Gradually put a little toothpaste on the toothbrush and let him taste it or lick it. You can keep this process slow and eventually start brushing his teeth.
While brushing, make sure you cover the front and back of your beagle’s teeth.
Selecting a Toothbrush for your beagle
Select a toothbrush according to the size of your beagle’s mouth. Tet a toothbrush that can easily fit in his mouth and move around. Also, make sure that it has a firm grip, and it won’t break in two while brushing. Prefer getting a soft toothbrush regardless of his age unless and until your vet suggests another option.
There are Fingertip Toothbrushes available in which you put the toothbrush on your fingertip and brush your pal’s teeth. I do not recommend them. Well, your beagle just might unknowingly decide to chew on the brush when you are brushing his teeth, and it could injure your finger. Although it could be a great option if your beagle is a puppy.
Selecting a Toothpaste for your beagle
First of all, NEVER use human toothpaste for a dog, its seriously dangerous for your pooch’s health. A good quality Dog Toothpaste help kill bacteria, prevent plaque, and fight infection.
Just to mention, your beagle is going to swallow the toothpaste, so make sure you get a good quality Dog Toothpaste. Get a flavored dog toothpaste; in this way, your dog would love his brushing time. BTW my beagle just loves the peanut-butter flavor toothpaste, and he gets so excited for his teeth-brushing sessions.
Dental Treats
Dental treats are not as effective as brushing teeth, but they are really good for a beagle’s dental health. They help remove plaque and freshens the breath. It is recommended to give one dental treat every day.
What I do is, brush Groot’s (my younger beagle) teeth four days a week and other three days I give him dental treats.
Why brush your beagle’s teeth?
Not brushing your pal’s teeth could buildup tartar and plaque and can even cause tooth decay, which could lead to many serious issues like an infection. Brushing his teeth will keep his gums healthy and prevent tooth decay.
When should you start brushing your beagle’s teeth?
Dental care should begin as soon as you bring your beagle home. Brushing could help puppies strengthen their gums and prevent infections. It helps adult beagles to avoid plaque buildup.
Brushing the coat
Brushing your beagle’s coat may just seem a small thing to do, but it is more important than you think. Brushing is an essential part of grooming. Regular brushing plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy coat. Benefits of regular brushing include:
- Removes dead hair from the coat
- Removes dirt and debris.
- Evenly spreads healthy body oils on the skin
- Creates better blood flow
And that’s why it is recommended to brush your beagle’s coat two to three times a week
Things you will need:
- A good quality Brush for dogs
How to brush your beagle’s coat
Brushing will remove a lot of dead hair from your beagle’s coat. So select a place where it is relatively easy for you to clean all the fallen hairs later.
Take long strokes and brush your beagle in the direction of his fur growth. While not being too harsh, make sure the brush reaches deep enough to spread natural oils of his skin.
Make it a bonding session for you both. Take ten long minutes to brush your pooch’s coat. It will make him feel relaxed.
Leave-in Conditioner
You can even get a leave-in spritz and spray it on the fur right before brushing him. A light spray would be enough for each session. It can add extra protection to the fur and make it smell amazingly fresh. It moisturizes the skin and helps tackle dandruff and dry skin. It is not necessary but something you can do for extended benefits.
Bathing your Beagle
Beagles are low maintenance. They have short and thick coats, which give them excellent resistance to dirt. Your beagle could be out playing in the yard the whole day, and he will still look clean. Well, even if he looks clean, debris, dead hair, and body oil can pile up inside his coat, making it smelly and more vulnerable to mites and skin diseases.
Baths at regular intervals will clear away accumulated body oil, remove dead hairs, clean dirt and result in a fresh, healthy and shiny looking coat. Consider bathing your beagle once in every three weeks.
Things you will need
- Dog Shampoo: Well, you cannot use human shampoos for dogs; they are just to harsh for a beagle’s coat. You will need a specialized dog shampoo for your beagle. A quality dog shampoo helps to remove all the debris from the fur and moisturize it. My vet suggested Earthbath shampoo as they are made of totally natural ingredients and are fantastic for the beagle’s fur. I have been using this one on both of my beagles for years, and it’s just amazing.
- Dog Conditioner: A good quality conditioner will make your beagle’s fur softer and shinier. Again do not use human conditioner; they are just to hard and could damage the coat. Two of my favorite dog conditioners are Earthbath Conditioner and Everyday Isle.
- Bath Brush (for adult beagles): An adult beagle’s coat is thicker, and sometimes shampoo fails to reach the inner layer of the coat. Bath brush helps spread the shampoo throughout both the layers of the coat. I have been using this bath brush for my beagle, and it does its job quite well.
- Cotton balls: Get clean cotton and shape it in balls.
- A clean towel.
- Soft Washcloths: You will need a couple of clean washcloths to clean your beagle’s face and genital area.
How to Bathe your beagle
Step 1: Gather all the supplies
First, decide a place where you will be bathing your beagle. If he is a puppy, you can choose a sink or a tub. Don’t forget to put a floor mat or a towel on the sink so that your puppy doesn’t slip. If he is an adult, you can opt for a bathtub, bathroom, or even a yard.
You would want to keep all the supplies at your hands reach. And by supplies I mean: shampoo, bath brush, conditioner, a couple of washcloths, and a clean towel.
Step 2: Prepare your Beagle
Before you put water on your beagle, brush his entire coat. You can refer to the Brushing section above for how to brush his coat. Brushing your pooch will remove all the dead hairs, which can make it harder for the shampoo to reach the inner layer or the coat.
The second thing you want to do is put a cotton ball in both his ears to block the water. Just make sure you don’t push the cotton too far into the ears and remove it after the bath. It may lead to infection if water goes inside the ears and stays there.
Step 3: Prepare the water
You would want to get the right temperature water. The water should not be cold, or it will make your dog uncomfortable, and he will try to jump away. Neither it should be hot, or else it will make your pooch’s skin dry. Make sure the water is lukewarm.
Step 4: Wet the coat
Once everything is ready, now its time to make things wet. Bring your pooch in the sink or bathroom and pour some water using a small container. The water may just roll off as if he is waterproof. Use your fingers and let the water go through the coat. You will need to make sure that his coat is adequately soaked in the water.
Step 5: Shampooing
Don’t hold back on shampoo. Cover every part. Massage his fur with the shampoo so that it cleans both the layers.
As the beagle grows, his coat becomes thicker, and your hands won’t be enough for scrubbing the shampoo on his fur. It is highly recommended to scrub an adult beagle with a bath brush so that it distributes shampoo properly in both the layers of coat. Brush the shampoo gently on his back, paws, and armpits.
Apply a small amount of shampoo on the washcloth and gently clean his head, forehead, and neck, avoiding the eyes.
Apply shampoo to another washcloth and gently clean your pooch’s underbelly and genital area.
Step 6: Rinse thoroughly
You need to take off all the shampoo out of your beagle’s thick coat. Failing to do so could later cause dryness and irritation. So make sure you rinse your pooch thoroughly with lukewarm water.
Step 7: Time for conditioning
Once you have rinsed the shampoo off, its time for conditioning your beagle’s coat. Well, conditioning is optional, but it makes the coat even better and prevents dry skin and dandruff.
Apply a generous amount of conditioner to all areas except his face. Massage his fur with the conditioner for 3 to 5 minutes.
Step 8 The final Rinse
Rinse the conditioner, use an ample amount of water. While putting water on your beagle’s fur, run your fingers through his coat.
Step 9: Dry it up
Once you are done, let him shake his body and then dry him off with a clean towel. Make sure you dry all the parts of his body. Run the towel gently through his body.
If he is a puppy and there’s cold outside, you can use a hairdryer. Set the hairdryer at its lowest setting and keep it at a reasonable distance, to prevent skin burns.
Step 10: Remove the cotton from the ears
Yeah, don’t forget to remove the cotton balls from both of his ears.
Recommended daily care
You can use canine wipes to clean his little bum and genital areas. You can also use canine eye wipes to clean your beagle’s eyes. You can also use a clean cloth to do these.
Ninja tip: Beagles can throw tantrums for baths, so make it fun. Let him play with water, let him enjoy his bath time. This will make the whole process much easier.
The quality of your beagle’s coat also depends on what you feed him. Low-fat food can make your pooch’s coat dry and rough. Whereas, a proper diet could make it more shiner and smooth. You should ask your vet about what fatty acids you can add to your dog’s diet that can help make his coat better and healthier.
Note: If your beagle catches mites or fleas you will need to use special shampoos. To get better advice and recommendation for anti-flea shampoos please contact your vet.
Cleaning the Ears of your Beagle
Long and floppy ears of your beagle might look super adorable, but they are most likely to get infected. Beagle’s dropped ears block the airflow creating a dark and moist environment making it more likely to get ear infection than other breeds. And that’s why you should clean your beagle’s ears once a week.
Things Needed:
- Dog Ear Cleaner
- Cotton
How to Clean your Beagle’s Ear
The first thing you should do is fold back the ear flap, take a flashlight, and have a look in the ears for any sign of infection. Look for small black or reddish granules. Other indications for infection are constant itching on the ears, dried blood, or foul odor. If you notice any such thing, take your pooch to the vet asap. An untreated ear infection could lead to permanent deafness.
If you notice nothing but some dark red/brownish wax or dirt, then that’s what we want to clean. Apply a few drops of ear cleaner on a cotton ball and start cleaning the interlayer. If there’s too much wax to clean, make sure to use multiple cotton balls. Use separate cotton balls for both the ears.
Paw Care
Well, paws go through a lot of struggle. From walking in summer sunlight to freezing winters. Beagles love to run, jump, and do all sorts of physical fun. You don’t want to take all that away from your little pooch by not taking care of his paws, do you?
Paw care is as important as any other grooming points in this list. You must check your beagle’s paw regularly for any signs of injury, scratch, or swellings.
Paw pads (foot) do get dry, which might lead to painful cracks. To prevent this and keep his paws healthy, you should apply paw wax. It moisturizes the paws and prevents dryness and cracks.
It is advised to apply paw wax every day in winter and at least twice a week in other seasons. Also, always apply paw wax after bathing your beagle. I use Pet Head Paw wax as they are petroleum-free and made of oatmeal.
If you wish to avoid commercial products, you can even make a natural paw wax/balm at your home:
DIY Paw Wax Recipe
Ingredients:
- Olive or sunflower oil – 1 tablespoon
- Coconut oil – 1 tablespoon
- Shea butter – 1/2 tablespoon
- Beeswax – 2 tablespoon
Direction:
Put all the above-listed ingredients in a container and heat them at low flame (heat boil). Let them melt and mix with each other. Now, after a few minutes, pour the mixture in a container and allow it to cool down at room temperature. And this results in a semi-solid homemade Paw balm for your beagle.
I got this recipe on Pinterest, and I have personally used it on my beagles. But it’s still homemade, and no research has been done to find if it really works or not. So it may or may not be for your pooch, you will just have to try and find it out.
Nose Care
Beagles see with their nose. They catch a smell, and they will start chasing it. Dog’s muzzle is the most vulnerable feature. Exposing your pooch to bright sunlight or cold winds can dry his nose. This can cause the nose skin to crack and peel up.
Make sure that your beagle’s nose is always moist, especially when you take him out. You can use dog nose balms to moisturize the nose and prevent dry skin. Two of my favorite nose balms for my beagle are Nozzle Nectar and Snout Soother.
When to take your beagle to a Professional Groomer?
I highly recommend doing regular grooming at home, as it is more convenient and cost-effective. But there might come a time when you will have to take your pooch to a professional groomer.
- Even if you bath your beagle regularly with high-quality shampoo and conditioner, you might want to consider taking your beagle to a groomer during his heavy shedding periods. A professional groomer has dryers specially made for dogs, which can help remove excess hair from the inner coat.
- Another time when you should visit a groomer is if your beagle gets sprayed by a skunk. A groomer can help remove odor and deep clean his coat.
- Now, if you have tried and still not comfortable to cut your beagle’s nails, then it’s better to have it done by a groomer regularly.
- Once in a while, you can pamper your beagle and take him for a spa to a groomer.
Your dog depends on you, and it’s your responsibility to take good care of him. Doing all these might seem a huge task, but it’s not. Take out some time for your adorable cuddle monster. Regular grooming will help your beagle live a healthy and happy life.
Here is a printable schedule for all the grooming activities. Print it and put a tick on the task as soon as you do it. In this way, you will know exactly what grooming activities are pending. It is totally free and you can download it here. Here is the demo of how it looks:
