Frequently, when people think about buying a puppy, grooming costs are the last thing they factor into their dog-ownership budget. It's often seen as a frivolous extra that isn't essential. Perhaps the reason for this mindset is that many assume it to be on a par with a visit to a hair salon for a human — it's good to have a nice haircut but not essential to your health.

In reality, a visit to a groomer is far from the superficial pursuit of looking nice. Read on to find out why regular grooming needs to be added to your budget.

Your Dog's Body Health

Matted hair on your dog not only looks unpleasant, but it can also be very painful and the catalyst for numerous skin conditions. When matting becomes severe, it can restrict blood flow and, in the most severe cases, cause a restriction in movement that is so serious that it leads to deformity.

Matting makes it easy for a variety of unpleasant parasites such as mites, fleas, and ticks to go undetected. Allowing these parasites to thrive can be fatal to your beloved pet. Allowing your dog's nails to become overgrown can cause nails to grow into your dog's pads and cause your pet's toes to bend making walking difficult and infections likely.

Your Dog's Eye Health

In addition to the problems above, long hair left hanging over your pet's eyes may restrict their vision and have a negative effect on your pooch's behaviour, mood and capability.

Grass seeds are another potential threat to your dog's eyes. Undetected grass seeds can result in a variety of unpleasant complaints such as abscesses and serious infections. Pets have been known to lose an eye as a result of grass seed that has gone unnoticed. The hands-on nature of regular grooming makes it easy to detect grass seeds and remove them before they lead to more serious complaints. 

Your Dog's Teeth

Just as in humans, a dog's neglected dental care can result in dental disease. This is more serious than just bad breath. It can lead to lost teeth, issues with appetite and, in the most severe cases, damage to your dog's vital organs. 

Your Benefits

It's not just your dog's health that benefits from regular grooming — you benefit, too. Having your pooch look and smell good makes for a more pleasant pet. Additionally, regular grooming gets your dog used to being handled, making vet check-ups less stressful for them and you. 

Regular grooming is an investment that will save you money in the long run, as it helps prevent illnesses and makes it easy to catch a lot of health issues before they develop into something serious. Look for a pet grooming centre near you that you could take your pet to.