As all dog owners know, grooming is important to your dog’s care routine. This can be quite time-consuming and difficult with some dogs, but the Boston Terrier is pretty low-maintenance and easy to groom.
This guide gives you all the information and tips to groom your Boston Terrier properly.
Boston Terriers have extremely short hair. It’s pretty much hugging their skin. Cutting their hair would do them more harm than good. That said, there are instances where cutting their hair is suggested. One of which is suggested by a vet for medical reasons.
The Boston’s coat is short and smooth, meaning it doesn’t need to be trimmed or cut. With regular brushing, the Boston’s fine-textured coat doesn’t shed much and is pretty easy to manage.
Regular brushing is recommended, i.e. brush your Boston Terrier’s coat at least once a week using bristle brushes or a hound glove to prevent excessive shedding and to keep the short coats looking healthy and shiny.
If your Boston Terrier is still a puppy, then you can use a sink to bathe it, but if it’s an adult, then you’ll need to use a tub. Ensure the water you use is lukewarm to avoid irritating your dog’s skin. Remember, most dogs aren’t fond of bathing, so ease your Boston into it.
Before you put your Boston into the water, give it a good brush with a soft brush or a grooming mitt to remove any dead hairs and remove most surface dirt from your dog’s coat.
Gently lower your Boston into the tub or sink and pour water over it using a container. Then, rub some dog shampoo all over its coat. Don’t use human shampoo, as this will damage the natural oils in the coat, and remember to use loads of positive reinforcement.
Pour more water over your Boston until no shampoo is left on its coat. Try to avoid water getting into their eyes while you rinse them. Simply place your hand over their eyes to stop the water.
Rub some dog conditioner over your dog’s body and massage it into the fur for about 2 minutes. Then, rinse all of the conditioners off.
Now, use a soft towel to completely dry the coat. Make sure you dry them well. This shouldn’t be too difficult as they do have short hair.
Nail clipping is an important part of the grooming process, especially with smaller dogs that might be prone to jumping up against your legs when excited. Here are a few suggestions on how to clip your dog’s nails.
As the Boston Terrier’s nails are so small, it can be a little tricky to trim them yourself, and many owners will take their Boston to a professional groomer for this. If you do it yourself, it’s best to file your dog’s nails down rather than clip them,, as there’s less risk of injury.
To file them down,, use a rotary sander on a low speed and gently sand away small parts of the dog’s nails until they’re the right length.
Your Boston Terrier’s nails must be trimmed at least once a month or when you can hear them tapping on the floor as they walk around.
Ear infections are common in most dogs. Over time, dirt and bacteria get into their ears and build up, which causes irritation in the ear. Cleaning your dog’s ears regularly should help you avoid this altogether.
Whenever you groom your Boston Terrier, you should check its ears for any dirt or signs of infection. Use a damp towel or a cotton wool ball and some ear-cleaning solution to clean the inner ear gently, but be careful not to get any water into the ear canal. Once the ears are clean, make sure to dry them off with a soft towel.
You’ll need to clean your Boston’s ears every 2 weeks. If you notice any strange odours coming from its ears, you should take them to the vet, as this could be a sign of an ear infection.
Smaller dogs with shorter snouts are prone to getting tear stains under their eyes. To avoid this, cleaning their eye regularly is suggested. Here’s how we’d suggest you clean their eyes.
Your Boston Terrier’s eyes protrude slightly from the dog’s head, meaning they tend to get dirty and are prone to infection if not properly looked after. To clean your dog’s eyes, use a damp cloth and gently wipe underneath the eyes in a downward motion away from the eyes. Be careful not to wipe any dirt into your dog’s eyes.
Boston Terriers are more susceptible to eye infections than many other dogs, so you should clean their eyes whenever you notice that dirt has accumulated around them. How often this happens will depend on your dog’s lifestyle and how much time they spend outdoors.
Keeping your Boston’s teeth clean will not only ensure their health but also keep their breath from smelling horrible. Follow these steps to clean their teeth.
As with all other dog breeds, the Boston Terrier’s teeth must be brushed regularly to avoid tooth decay, dental disease and bad breath. To clean their teeth, use a soft canine toothbrush or a finger toothbrush and some dog toothpaste. Avoid using human toothpaste as most contain fluoride, which is poisonous for dogs.
You need to start slow and get your Boston used to the taste of the toothpaste and the feel of the toothbrush. Firstly, place some of the toothpaste onto the brush and let your Boston lick it off.
After several days, put the brush inside the mouth briefly and gradually increase the time you leave it in. Once your Boston is used to this, it’s time to start brushing its teeth. Brush them gently in a circular motion, focusing on a few teeth at a time rather than the whole mouth.
Boston Terrier dogs are as susceptible to dental issues as all other dog breeds, and ideally, you should try and brush your teeth every day. You can also give them things like dental chews, which will help to keep their teeth clean and healthy.
Boston Terriers have shortened muzzles that are covered in soft or deep skin folds. These folds collect dirt and bacteria, so it’s vital that you keep them clean and dry.
To clean the folds, you can use either grooming wipes or a damp cloth to wipe inside the folds and around the mouth. Once they’re clean, dry them thoroughly with a soft towel or cloth.
To help prevent infections and irritation, clean your Boston’s skin folds at least every day, even twice a day if possible.
You should start grooming a Boston Terrier when you bring them home. This will get them used to the routine early on and will also be a good way for you to bond with your dog.
Boston Terriers don’t need to be bathed too often and usually only need a bath about once a month. You should only bathe them when dirty or smelly, as giving them too many baths will dry their skin.
Boston’s nails are very short, which means they can be a bit difficult to trim at home. Due to this, many owners take their Bostons to professional groomers to have their nails trimmed, but it is still possible to do this yourself.
The Boston has a short coat that doesn’t need to be trimmed or shaved as it will never grow long enough for this to be necessary.
Grooming your Boston should be pretty straightforward and stress-free, and it can serve as a good way for you and your dog to bond. Remember to start the grooming routine as early as possible and to be consistent with it. That way, your pooch will know what to expect and should enjoy the process.
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