Basic Dog Grooming For All The Coat Types - HomemadePuppies
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As always puppies advertised on Homemade Puppies are always 100% raised in-home by responsible family breeders...never raised outside or in a barn, etc. No Puppy Mills, ever. We promise. www.homemadepuppies.com
Here is this week's blog from Katie!
Grooming is an important part of care for ALL dogs, no matter the breed or age. Starting young (6-14 weeks) ensures that your dog learns to enjoy grooming. Short coated breeds need less grooming care than longer coated breeds, but they still need regular nail trims, ear cleaning, and occasional baths and brushing.
Non-shedding breeds are very popular right now, but their coats often need the most care. Making sure you have the right tools is the first place to begin. We will talk about each type of coat and what works best.
SHORT COATED BREEDS
Examples: Beagles, Boxers, Greyhounds, Bulldogs, Labrador Retrievers, Great Danes, Chihuahuas
Dogs with a short hair coat generally don't need much brushing. These hair coats often do shed, and a good brushing can help cut down on the amount of hair you have in the house.
The two types of brushes that work best for short coated breeds are a slicker brush or a silicon or rubber bristled brush.
With short coated dogs brushing removes loose hair and helps the skin stay healthy. These breeds will need the least professional grooming.
MEDIUM COATED BREEDS
Examples: German Shepards, Huskeys, Bernese Mt Dogs, Corgis
Dogs with medium hair need more regular brushing. Depending on your dog's exact hair coat will depend on how much brushing your dog needs. Once or twice weekly brushing is usually best. Many of these medium hair coat dogs have what is called a double coat. This is where the dog has an under layer of fur and an outer layer of fur. Brushing will help prevent mats and keep the skin healthy. You want to make sure that your brush can get all the way to the under coat if your dog is a double coated breed. The slicker brush above may work for some medium coated breeds but some may need longer bristles. Here is an Amazon link to two brushes that could work well for medium coated breeds.
The rake is especially effective in getting the whole way to the under coat. A professional groom might be beneficial 2-3 times a year to help with proper coat care and reduce shedding.
LONG COATED BREEDS
Example: Golden Retrievers, Collies, Yorkies, Shih Tzus, Pomeranians, Cocker Spaniels, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
These breeds will need grooming. Consulting a professional groomer would be best, but there are a lot of YouTube tutorials that can aid you in proper grooming techniques if you want to try it yourself. Long coated breeds can be easily prone to matting. Often the coat will need trimmed to stay in the best condition. Some long coated breeds can have their whole body shaved short such as the shih tzu and Yorkie but some like the collie and golden retriever should not have their body shaved and should just be trimmed to keep their coat healthy. Trimming or shaving of the coat should be done every 4-8 weeks. Daily brushing is recommended unless the coat is shaved short. A long tooth comb works best to get all the way through a long hair coat.
CURLY/WIREY COATED BREEDS
Example: Poodles, Bichons, Schnauzers, Portuguese Water Dogs, Doodles
These are most often the breeds that offer low to no shedding. Dogs with this type of hair coat will need a lot of grooming care, however. daily brushing is a must. Wirey coated breeds, such as a Schnauzer, are slightly easier than the curly coated breeds, such as a Poodle. Curly coats can mat very easily. A mat is when the hair twists up together to form a tight clump. This is painful for the dog because it can pull on the skin and create sores and in severe cases can impede movement. Many curly coated breeds have furry faces. While this may be a cute look, be aware of eye drainage that can cause build up under the eye and form hard crusts. These need to be cleaned away or the hair trimmed to prevent eye problems. Most curly coated dogs need their hair shaved. Curly coated and wired hair dogs should have professional grooming every 4-8 weeks. A long tooth comb posted above in the long hair breeds works well for curly coated dogs also. A rake, posted in the medium breeds, works well for wired hair coated dogs. Please never attempt to cut a mat out of your dog's hair using a scissors. It is very easy to cut your dogs skin.
No matter the type of hair coat, all dogs need nail trims. Depending on your dog, they might need their nails trimmed every 4-8 weeks. Trimming nails can be done by a groomer or veterinarian or you can learn how to do it yourself. Dogs have a blood supply, called a quick, in the middle of their nail. You want to be careful not to cut into the quick. This will cause the nail to bleed and is painful for the dog.
Ear cleaning is another maintenance chore that can be done at home. Ears generally only need cleaned if they are dirty. Speak to your vet if you notice an abundance of dirt ( black or brown gunky buildup) in your dog's ear, or if the inner ear appears red or your dog scratches, rubs or shakes their head a lot. Your veterinarian can recommend a good ear cleaner.
Anal glands are small sacs inside your dog's rectum. They fill up with a smelly liquid that is generally excreted when your dog has a bowel movement. For some dogs this liquid does not express out and the gland gets full. In this case, your dog will need their anal glands expressed. This is usually done at your vet but some groomers provide this service also. If you see your dog scooting their bottom it is probably because their anal glands are full and uncomfortable and need to be expressed.
Grooming is part of the responsibility of dog ownership and is essential for keeping your dog healthy. If you have any concerns about how to care for your dog's coat, skin, ears or nails please speak with a professional groomer or your veterinarian.
❤ Katie Watterson
Do you have a question for Katie? Submit your question(s) to info@homemadepuppies.com.
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Thank you!
Don't forget to catch Katie's blog from last week: https://www.homemadepuppies.com/socializing-your-puppy
*As always Katie's advice is on this blog are only meant to be used as tips and should never replace your veterinarian's advice. Always consult your veterinarian regarding your dog's health.
