Dogs are additional members of the family. More than just food and shelter, their sneaky little eyes are always in search for care, love and affection. 

Contemplating the degree of care required to keep these furry dwellers content, the number of pet shops in the valley is on the rise. These shops can be seen selling anything from grooming materials, pet accessories, vaccines, and even food.  
Each breed calls for unique styling procedure. Moreover, even the grooming techniques, and accessories differ. It is evident that proper care and grooming encourages the pet’s longevity, and enhanced health.  

Grooming: 

Grooming is not just about maintaining dog’s physical appearances; it also ensures better health. Clipping of nails, brushing the fur, bathing – dry or wet -- and trimming of hair are the basics of grooming. There have also been a number of people interested in self-grooming their dogs, but most prefer professionals.  

“We provide normal grooming services to our customers,” explained Kiran Rimal, owner of Bhatbhatini Pet Shop. Further sharing his experience of handling pets, he added, “Dogs are usually quite. However, not all are the same. Some are aggressive in nature and don’t take orders. In such cases, these pets are anesthetized before grooming.”
Simple grooming can ward off the pets from parasites, hair tangle, skin diseases, and hair dullness. Depending on breeds and aggressiveness of a dog, prices vary from Rs 1500 to 3000. 

Accessories: 

There is a misconception among pet owners that belt and chain is all they have for animals. However, the pet market is stacked with an abudance of unique accessories. It can sound strange but there are mouth fresheners, diapers, menstrual pads, face wipes, powder, body perfumes, shoes, belts, comb, toys, and plates even for dogs. 
Menstruation pads for dogs come as the biggest shocker of all. Yes, even dogs have to go through a menstrual cycle. Their menarche occurs after six to eight months depending on the breed which is followed by their period, occurring every six months. 
There are precautions that should be followed while using accessories for dogs. Since they do not contain sweat glands, owners should not take their dogs on a walk in any sort of outfits, including shoes.  Dr Sharad Singh Yadav, chairman and veterinarian at Advanced Pet Hospital and Research Center, Bishal Nagar warned, “Layering your dog while taking them in a walk can develop fungus and result in different skin problems.”  

Tips for home-groomers 

Don’t bathe your infants: 

Newborn puppies are delicate and venerable to diseases. They are sensitive towards temperature, so it is only wise that you protect them from cold. Moreover, puppies that are younger than three months are prone to pneumonia. To clean them off, it is advisable that you give them a dry bat with sprays or dry powders that are available in pet shops.  

Be careful while clipping nails:  

A single mistake while grooming can cause severe damage. Nails clipping can be the trickiest. Though it is important to improve a dog’s physical appearance, it can hurt them if you are not careful.

“The nails of dogs contain blood vessels at its base. So, clipping off only one-fourth nail is considered safe. If we exceed further, there’s a high possibility that they will start bleeding. Nail bleeding is really hard to control as we cannot stitch them due to the hardness,” said Dr Yadav.  

Handle trimmer carefully: 

Hair trimming enhances the dog’s appearance. If you trim their fur at home, make sure that you are handling the trimmer carefully. A slip of the trimmer can peel off their skin. 

Safe shampooing: 

Dogs need regular bathing to keep them fresh, but don’t overdo it. Like humans, even dogs are sensitive to water and chemicals. It is best if you washed them not more than twice a month. Over-shampooing can cause skin problems in dogs. Similarly, the hair should also be managed properly while bathing. If the fur is rubbed in a circular motion, it’s likely for their hair to get tangled. Instead, wash them using the head to foot motion.