Grooming your dog should not take long and should be done regularly.

Teeth

Start brushing your dog's teeth early to get them used to it. Each week, spend a couple of minutes working your way up to a toothbrush. Do not spend longer than 2 minutes or so, or your dog will may get aggravated.

​Start by placing a little dog toothpaste (do not use human toothpaste) on your finger and letting your dog lick it. The following week, move on to rubbing a little toothpaste on your dog's teeth with your finger for a couple of minutes. Do a couple of sessions of rubbingtoothpaste on your dog's teeth with your finger until you feel your dog is comfortable enough with a finger brush, and work your way up to a dog toothbrush in the following weeks.

​Brush weekly to help reduce plaque and prevent tartar buildup which can lead to tooth-loss, infections, and pain. Tartar buildup must be removed surgically and requires anesthesia, which can pose risks for a senior dog.
Senior Dachshund Dog Ears Grooming
I got my ears cleaned once a week with ear solution and a cotton ball.

Ears

Check your dog's ears once  a week and clean them when you see wax start to build up to prevent infections.

Apply ear solution to help break up wax and  gently wipe it away with a cotton ball. Your dog will not like having their ears cleaned, so be firm, but gentle. Be careful not to go down the ear canal. 
​
 Reward your dog with a treat, but only when they are calm; if you treat your dog when they are not calm, they will think they are being rewarded for that behavior.  ​

​If your dog develops an ear infection, contact your vet for help.
Senior Dachshund Dog Bath
I took a bath every couple of months and got my paws wiped daily.

Bath-Time

How often you give your dog a bath will be different for every senior and should be timed appropriately. If your dog has dry skin and doesn't get too dirty, give them a bath once every couple of months. Give a bath more often if your dog gets frequently dirty.

​To give your dog a bath:
  • Add warm water to a tub or sink so that your dog can still stand up in it
  • Place your dog inside the tub
  • Lather dog shampoo onto the dog
  • Rinse well
  • ​Dry your dog with a towel. Pay special attention to drying the paws; after a bath, your dog may want to run around and wet paws could make the floors slippery for them.

Manicure & Pedicure

Keeping your senior’s nails short is important to help them move around. I got my nails trimmed and filed once every two weeks because my quick grew quickly, but you may be able to get your nails done less often.

Make sure not to cut your senior’s nails too short or you will cut the quick and cause some pain and bleeding. If this happens, there is a styptic powder that you can apply to stop the bleeding.

​If you are not comfortable cutting your dog’s nails, you can take them to a professional groomer.

Hair

Whether your senior has a long coat or a short coat, it’s a good idea to brush it. Brushing any type of coat helps remove dead hair and skin, it helps stimulate the natural oils, and it helps you connect with your dog.

Recommended Products

Check out some availabke senior-dog-friendly products.

Behavior

Find out how your senior dog’s behavior may change.


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