Who would have thought that the simple act of dog grooming could affect your dog's physical and emotional health and well-being on so many levels?

The look and feel of your dog's coat will tell you about what is going on for his whole state of being - internally and externally. Proper grooming not only infuses a healthy glow to your dog's appearance, but also helps develop his self-esteem, and makes you look good walking him!

While grooming your dog, it gives you the chance to bond and spend time together. Most dogs enjoy being brushed when done properly and look forward to their routines. As you regularly groom your dog you will be able to notice any lumps, bumps or cuts and abrasions which may otherwise go unnoticed. Brushing also stimulates the natural oil secretion from the cells which makes their coats soft and shiny plus it also increases blood circulation.

When a dog is all-over healthy, he will have clear skin with no rashes, irritations or signs of dryness. The coat will be soft to touch and have a glowing sheen to it and there will be no odor.

An internal imbalance can reveal itself through his poor coat and skin condition. A correct balance of minerals and vitamins as well as essential fatty acids are necessary for maintaining the health of a dog which will reflect in the skin and coat condition.

If your dog has a dull coat, add a ½ teaspoon of flaxseed or fish oil to his food. You can also whisk an egg into his kibbles once or twice a week. A sprinkling of garlic powder in their bowl works well as great as flea deterrent.

Besides a nice brushing and combing once a week and a well-balanced diet there are other grooming practices that you can either do yourself or go to a dog grooming salon. Proper dog grooming also involves:

Bathing should be done about once a month with a gentle, low ph shampoo.

Some dogs require a shave or trim in the summer in order to stay cool while others may have their fur styled. Trimming of beards is common for hygiene while trimming eyebrows may help your dog see better.

Long nails can be very painful for animals, particularly when they live indoors and have few opportunities to smooth their nails on pavement. Improperly trimmed nails also carry the risk of becoming ingrown, which is both very painful and very uncomfortable. If you can hear the dog's nails clicking against the floor you should cut them right away.

Ear Cleaning should only need to be done about once a month, as long as there are no ear problems.

Here are the FIVE steps dog brushing for a perfect coat.

• First use a slicker brush and brush against the growth of fur. This will help remove the loose fur.

• Next take a medium or wide toothed comb, against the growth, which will help get rid of the tangles.

• Use the brush to brush along the fur growth, making sure to brush hard enough to get to the skin, but not enough to hurt.

• To use the flea comb, part the coat and start from the root and then comb through and remove any remaining tangles.

• If your dog has furry paws, then clip them, but don't clip the hair in between the pads, just the excess hair.

You shouldn't wait until you dog is a mess before you start grooming as this only makes him associate the experience with something that isn't fun. Many dogs love the routine of brushing and grooming and actually look forward to it since, after all, it's another form of attention, and dogs love attention.

We are all capable of brushing our dog on a regular basis, but I would recommend going to a professional when you need clipping, nail cuts or ear cleaning unless you know what you are doing. I highly recommend that you use the steps above to brush your dog as often as you can and if you would like to learn more about how to groom your dog safely at home, I suggest you check out this FREE dog grooming mini course and learn the correct way to groom your dog from the comfort of your own home. You'll both benefit from it.

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