Alice White
A dog of any breed with a well-groomed coat always looks spectacular.
A beautiful well-groomed “fur coat” is not only a source of aesthetic pleasure but also one of the essential components of a dog’s health and well-being. Dirty, uncombed, knotted, or overgrown coat can be the cause of many health problems of the dog, primarily skin.
Combing the coat is also a great way to examine your dog and detect signs of any disease in time.
Therefore, the care of the dog’s coat must be of high quality and regular.
How to care for the coat of a particular breed of dog?
It all depends on what type of coat your dog is endowed with. From the point of view of grooming, it is customary to distinguish between six main types of hair coats. Each of them requires its own special approach.
Long Haired Dog Grooming
Long-haired dog breeds (Rough Collie, Sheltie, Afghan Hound, Pekingese, Shih Tzu, Setters, Spaniels) always look very beautiful.
But behind this beauty is always the efforts of the owners to keep their fur in “shape”.
The main rule when caring for the coat of a long-haired dog is to brush it regularly. If you neglect this rule, your dog’s coat will quickly roll into mats that can only be clipped.
A wide-toothed comb is best for combing long-haired dogs. Do not skimp when buying – it is better to give preference to a comb made of natural material (wood) so that the wool does not become electrified when combing.
The hair of long-haired dogs must be trimmed in the “problem” areas: above the eyes, around the anus, between the toes. In winter, the long hair between the toes is quickly filled with snow, which heats up from the dog’s warmth and turns into tight lumps. This can be very uncomfortable for the dog.
Bathing long-haired dogs are worth it as it gets dirty. So that in the autumn and winter slush you do not have to do this after each walk, buy a special jumpsuit or blanket for dogs.
Grooming of Smooth-Haired Dogs
Smooth-haired breeds of dogs with short guard hair and little or no undercoat (Boxer, Bulldogs, Rottweiler, Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, Doberman Pinscher, Miniature Pinscher, Chihuahua) are customary.
Despite the fact that these dogs seem to have little hair, they also need to be combed regularly. Dogs molt twice a year and those who live in apartment conditions almost constantly. Therefore, you need to help the dog get rid of dead hair.
For brushing smooth-haired dogs, a rubber brush or a soft-bristled brush (clothes brush) is ideal – slickers, combs, and brushes with long and sharp teeth and bristles are not suitable here.
After combing out, swipe a suede cloth in the direction of the dog’s coat growth – this simple measure will give your dog’s coat a dazzling shine.
Bathing smooth-haired dogs are recommended as little as possible. It is quite enough several times a year, and if necessary – if your dog, for example, fell out in something.
Grooming for Wire-Haired Dogs
Wire-haired dogs include most terriers (Fox Terrier, Airedale), Schnauzers (Giant Schnauzer, Mittel Schnauzer, Miniature Schnauzer) and some hunting dogs (eg Drathhaar).
Caring for the coat of a wire-haired dog requires three procedures: regular combing, clipping, and trimming (pulling out dead hairs).
Trimming is very important, a haircut cannot fully replace it. The dense, dense coat of wire-haired dogs does not fall out as easily as, for example, smooth-haired or dogs with medium regular coats. Remaining on the skin of the dog, such hair gets off, and the dog becomes in places like a felt boot.
You can learn how to cut and trim a wire-haired dog, but it’s still better to entrust the first procedures to a professional, from whom you can learn the basics of grooming.
Grooming a Dog with a Normal, “Medium” Coat
A typical representative of the owner of such a coat in the canine world is the German Shepherd. Coat of this type is also found in the East European Shepherd Dog, Malinois, Moscow Watchdog, Alabai, Labrador, Laikas. This coat is short to medium in length, with a well-developed undercoat. Perhaps the easiest wool to care for.
Such dogs also need to be combed out regularly, for this you can use a standard brush for grooming wool, if necessary, a slicker and furminator.
