There are two primary reasons grooming your dog is a must:
– All dogs shed. Some shed more often than others, and others shed more hair, but all do their share.
– Regular brushing and combing help reduce the risk of skin disease, discourage skin parasites and spread skin oils through the hair to make for a glossier coat. Your dog will also look and feel better, too, free of matted, tangled hair.
Different breeds of dogs obviously have different coats. There are, in fact, six different types, and each requires a somewhat different grooming approach.
– Short and smooth: For the basset hound, beagle, Dalmatian, Doberman pinscher, pug and Weimaraner, brushing is a No. 1 requisite. Start by brushing lightly against the hair growth; this loosens dandruff and dead hair. Finish with a thorough brushing from head to tail. The best tool? A bristle brush, hound glove.
– Long and flowing: If you have an Afghan hound, bearded collie, Lhasa apso, Maltese, Shih Tzu and Yorkshire terrier, the more brushing the better. Daily is best; two or three times a week, second best. This type of coat should be layer brushed, from the skin outward. To do this it`s best to have the dog lying on its side. Begin with the front foot and work up to the elbows, brushing a small section at a time.
Then brush the hair under the chest, layer by layer, and on the underside of the front leg; ditto with the back leg. Next, starting near the chest, part the coat lengthwise, place your brush at the skin and stroke downward with long sweeping motions that extend beyond where the hair ends. Continue to section the hair and brush up to the center part.
Turn the dog over and do the other side. Now comb through the hair to be sure you haven`t missed a mat or two. Use a fine wire slicker and, if the coat is matted, a ”mat” comb. Finish by running a metal-toothed comb through the hair.
– Double-coated: The Akita, Belgian sheep dog, collie, German shepherd, Pomeranian, Samoyed, Siberian husky and Welsh corgi have a harsh outer coat of different lengths and a dense or soft undercoat. First, to remove any mats or dead undercoat, brush in sections from the skin outward. Then part the hair and let your free hand hold down the unbrushed coat to separate it from the section you`re working on. If you don`t go through this step, you`re just brushing the surface and the dead hair will form huge mats that can become practically impossible to remove. Brush the correct way over the entire body, then comb to lend a final touch. A slicker brush or pin brush and a
”Belgian” brush, also called a ”rake,” are the tools.
– Hard and wiry: For an Airedale, Border terrier, wirehaired fox terrier, Norwich terrier and schnauzer, brush the hair only in the direction it grows, never against the grain. Groom two or three times a week using a bristly brush or hound glove or fine wire slicker and also a rake.
– Silky straight or slightly wavy: For a cocker spaniel, English springer spaniel, papillon and Welsh springer spaniel, brush the coat in the direction it grows, from front to back, then the side of the body down the legs. Give the long fringes or feathering long, sweeping strokes and end with combing. Use either a natural bristle brush or a fine-wired slicker and a Belgian comb (rake).
– Curly or wavy: For the bichon frise, poodle, Portuguese water dog and the soft-coated Wheaton terrier, start brushing on the back legs and use brisk strokes. Then move to the hindquarters and work your way forward, section by section, holding down the unbrushed hair to separate it from the section you`re working on. Have the dog face you when brushing its chest, front legs, head and ears. End with a combing. Use the same tools as for dogs with silky straight coats.
TIME FOR A BATH
What about bathing?
With dogs, as with children, an occasional bath is definitely a good idea-unless the pet is ill or very young.
How often should a dog be bathed? If your pet has any skin problems, first check with your veterinarian. Otherwise, bathe it no more than every seven or eight weeks. Brushing should be the No.1 cleaning/grooming method. When you do lather up your pet, follow a few rules of canine bathing etiquette to make the experience more pleasant for dog and owner, and more effective.
(If you have a long-haired dog, don`t bathe him before combing out his coat.)
– When giving a pup its first bath, proceed gently and patiently, although you will have to exert a certain amount of firmness at times. Eventually the puppy will learn to accept bathing.
– Especially with a puppy, put some cotton loosely in each of the dog`s ears before a bath and dab a non-prescription ophthalmic ointment around its eyes to guard against soap irritation. (Don`t forget to remove the cotton after the bath.)
– Particularly if you`re bathing a puppy, make certain it`s not exposed to any chill. The water and the room should be warm.
– Always use a mild shampoo specifically designed for dogs. (Your veterinarian can suggest a brand.) Never use harsh soaps or household detergents; these can cause serious skin problems.
– The bath water should come no higher than the middle of the pet`s legs. – When washing your dog`s face, use a washcloth and clear, not soapy, water.
– On the rest of the pet`s body, use the soap generously and massage it into the coat so it gets down to the skin. Rinse, then lather up your dog once more.
– The final rinsing should be thorough. No vestige of soap should remain because it could cause skin irritation and/or dandruff. A few drops of vinegar in the rinse water will make soap removal easier.
– Drying, especially in cold weather, should be done carefully and thoroughly. Use a thick towel (or two or three if you have a large dog) and/or a hair dryer.
THE LAST STEPS
Even when the bath is over, you still have your pet`s eyes, ears and nails to spruce up. If the dog`s nails are long, prior to using a commercial clipper, get some instruction from your veterinarian so you won`t cut through the quick. The ears should be checked every month. Clean off superficial wax with a cotton-tipped swab coated with baby oil or peroxide. Don`t probe deeply, and if you see any sign of irritation, let your veterinarian take over. Clean your dog`s eyes, when necessary, with a soft cloth, cotton or cleansing tissue moistened in a weak solution of boric acid or plain warm water.
A good grooming parlor can save you lots of time and effort-but not money. How can you tell a good salon from a poor one? Check with other dog owners who use grooming parlors. Check out the top choice yourself to make certain no tranquilizers are used to make dogs easier to handle. –
