Dog grooming at home for beginners: brushing, ears and eyes
Checked against 3 sources
A weekly routine — brushing, a look at his ears and eyes, and nail care — keeps most dogs comfortable and is a chance to catch problems early, even without a professional groomer13. How often to brush depends on his coat: daily for a long coat, a few times a week for a medium one, and about once a week for a short coat1. Ears only need cleaning if they need it — if they're waxy, smelly, itchy or sore, check with your vet before you try, rather than cleaning as routine12.
- Brushing
- Long coat: daily. Medium coat: a few times a week. Short coat: about once a week1
- Nails
- Pet-specific clippers only, never human nail clippers1
- Bathing
- Not too often; use a dog shampoo, never a human one1
The printable version of this guide is a free PDF. Get it at thapki.app/guides/grooming/dog-grooming-at-home/
On this page
A weekly routine, by coat type
| Coat type | Brushing | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Long-haired | Daily | Prevents mats and tangles forming, especially around the ears, legs and tail1. |
| Medium-haired, or prone to tangling | A few times a week | Removes dead hair before it has a chance to mat1. |
| Short-haired | About once a week | Still worth doing — it clears loose hair and is a chance to check his skin1. |
Ears: only clean if he needs it
- Check his ears regularly for a build-up of wax or hair, or a smell. Many dogs with healthy ears never need routine cleaning at all12.
- If his ears are red, inflamed or painful, don't clean them yourself — check with your vet first, since it could be an infection or something that needs treatment2.
- If you do clean, use a proper ear cleaner — not water, alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, which can irritate an ear that's already sore2.
- Only go in as far as your finger comfortably reaches, massage gently at the base for about 30 seconds to loosen any debris, then wipe away what comes up with cotton wool — never a cotton bud2.
- Stop straight away if he shows pain. That's a reason to call your vet, not to clean harder2.
Eyes and nails
- Give his eyes a quick look during your weekly brush. Redness, cloudiness or thick discharge is worth a call to your vet rather than a home fix.
- Some dogs wear their nails down naturally through daily activity on hard ground; others need regular trimming. Use pet-specific nail clippers — never human ones — and ask your vet or a groomer to show you the first time1.
Bathing
Dogs don't usually need bathing often — shampooing too much can strip away the natural oils that keep his coat and skin healthy. When he does need one, use a dog-specific shampoo, and check with your vet first if he has a skin condition1.
Get the printable weekly checklist (PDF)
One A4 page: a weekly box to tick for brushing, ears, eyes and nails, so the whole family can see what's been done. Leave your Play Store Gmail and mobile number below and the download starts right away.
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Not fully clear yet
Official sources disagree or leave gaps on these. Confirm before you rely on them.
- PDSA doesn't give a specific at-home technique for cleaning a dog's eyes, so this page covers only looking for problems, not a cleaning method — ask your vet to show you if your dog needs regular eye care1.
- We found no official source with step-by-step guidance on trimming nails to avoid the quick at home; this page recommends asking a vet or groomer to demonstrate first rather than guessing1.
Sources and how we check
Facts checked against the official sources below by Thapki. Written with AI help from the sources below, then checked line by line; the Thapki team reads and approves every page before it goes live. How we check
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