Grooming needs vary enormously depending on your pet’s coat type, age and lifestyle — what works for a short-haired cat is very different from what a long-haired dog needs. Here’s a practical, evidence-based breakdown of how often to brush, bathe and trim, according to PDSA guidance.
Brushing frequency by coat type
For dogs, the PDSA’s general guidance scales with coat length: long-haired dogs benefit from daily brushing to keep their coat healthy, medium-haired dogs generally need brushing a few times a week, and short-haired dogs need it only about once a week. Poodle-crosses, whose coats tend to mat easily, fall into the more frequent category too.
Cats follow a similar pattern: long-haired cats need daily brushing to keep their coat healthy, while medium and short-haired cats generally only need brushing a few times a week to remove dead hairs. Hairless breeds are the exception in the other direction — because they don’t have a coat to protect their skin’s natural oils, they need regular bathing with a gentle cat-specific shampoo, which can be required as often as weekly.
Bathing: less is often more
For most dogs, frequent bathing isn’t necessary or even beneficial. PDSA guidance notes that dogs generally don’t need bathing too often, as shampoos can strip their coat of natural oils that help protect skin and coat condition, so over-washing can do more harm than good. For everyday muddy walks, simply rinsing with warm water is generally enough rather than reaching for shampoo every time.
When a proper bath is needed, it’s worth using a dog-specific shampoo rather than anything designed for humans, since human shampoos can cause skin irritation on a dog’s different skin pH. If your dog has an existing skin condition, it’s worth checking with your vet first to make sure whatever shampoo you’re using is suitable, since some conditions call for a specific medicated product.
Nail trimming: not always necessary
Nail care needs vary more than many owners expect. For dogs, PDSA notes that many wear their nails down naturally through activity, but some need them clipped regularly, especially if they don’t walk much on tarmac, have very bowed legs, or have reduced mobility due to injuries or arthritis. In other words, an active dog walking regularly on hard surfaces may rarely need a trim, while a less active or older dog is more likely to need regular clipping.
For cats, the picture is different again: healthy, young cats shouldn’t usually need their nails clipped, since they tend to keep them at a healthy length through normal scratching and activity. Senior cats are the exception worth watching — PDSA recommends having their paws checked weekly, since older cats are more prone to overgrown nails as activity levels naturally decrease with age.
Choosing the right tools
Different coat types need different brushes and combs — a slicker brush suited to a long-haired breed won’t necessarily work well on a short, dense coat, and vice versa. If you’re unsure which tools suit your particular pet, it’s worth asking your vet or a reputable professional groomer for a recommendation rather than guessing, since the wrong tool can be ineffective or even uncomfortable for your pet.
Building a simple grooming routine
- Match brushing frequency to coat length — daily for long coats, a few times weekly for medium coats, weekly for short coats.
- Bathe dogs only when genuinely needed, using a dog-specific shampoo, and check with a vet first if there’s an existing skin condition.
- Check nails regularly rather than clipping on a fixed schedule — trim only when they’re genuinely getting long, particularly for less active or older pets.
- Introduce grooming gradually with young pets so it becomes a normal, low-stress part of their routine rather than something stressful later in life.
- Ask a vet or professional groomer if you’re ever unsure which tools or products suit your specific pet’s coat and skin.
Grooming is one of the more straightforward parts of pet ownership once you know roughly what your particular coat type needs — the key is matching frequency and tools to your individual pet, rather than following a single one-size-fits-all routine.
Making grooming a calm, positive experience
How grooming is introduced matters as much as how often it happens. Short, calm sessions that end before a pet becomes restless or stressed tend to build a much better long-term association than a single long session that leaves them wanting to escape the next time a brush appears. For puppies and kittens, handling paws, ears and mouth gently and briefly from an early age, even outside of an actual grooming session, makes later nail trims and coat checks considerably easier, since the pet is already used to being touched in these areas without anything uncomfortable following.
Pairing grooming with something your pet already enjoys — a favourite treat, or grooming right after a walk when they’re naturally more settled — can also help turn it into a routine your pet tolerates well rather than actively resists.
Signs it’s time to call in a professional
Some grooming tasks are reasonable to take on at home with the right tools, but a few situations are worth handing to a professional groomer or vet nurse instead: a coat that’s become significantly matted rather than just tangled, nails that have grown so long that trimming risks cutting into the quick, or a pet who becomes genuinely distressed rather than just mildly reluctant during grooming. Persisting with a difficult trim at home in these situations can make the pet more fearful of grooming in future, whereas a calm, experienced professional can often manage it far more smoothly.