Taking a dog to a professional groomer can be very expensive, which is precisely why I tend to avoid dogs who have special grooming needs.  Spending $40 to have a 10-pound dog washed and clipped seems absolutely outrageous to me.  No matter what breed of dog you have, however, some grooming is essential to the hygiene and sanity of your house.Brushing
Regular brushing of dogs with long coats can make a big difference in how often you have to sweep and vacuum your home.  It also gives you a good opportunity to spend time with your pooch and check him or her over for any health problems such as fleas, wounds or other injuries.

Clipping
Basic clipping jobs can be accomplished with an inexpensive pair of clippers, saving you a huge cost over time.  We use clippers for my husband’s hair rather than pay a barber to do it, so why not do the same for a dog?  Clippers can be purchased for around $40-$80, depending on the options and model.  It won’t take long to pay back the cost with savings over a professional groomer.

Nail Trimming
Nails can hurt if your dog wants to paw you, and if you have hardwood floors, you are likely haunted by the click-click-click during your dog’s nocturnal wanderings.  Trimming your dog’s nails helps keep everyone safe, and keep their movements muffled when you are trying to sleep.

These simple grooming tasks help you be closer to your dog, keep your home cleaner and keep people safe from wayward toenails.  Best of all, they take very little time and cost substantially less than the same services at a groomer.