Does your dog have long flowing locks or hardly any hair at all? With a little maintenance at home, between trips to the groomer, their coat will stay in excellent condition. Maintenance is important because without it matting occurs and is very uncomfortable for your dog. It can cause irritation to the skin and be dangerous to your fur friend to remove yourself. It is best to be avoided, and by setting aside just a little bit of time each week your pooches coat can be much healthier.
Healthy coat equals happy pooch!
EASY PEASY
Examples: Short coats such as the Labrador, smooth coats such as the Staffordshire Terrier, some wire haired coats such as the Long Haired Jack Russell Terrier.
Congratulations you have chosen a dog that is very low maintenance and easy to groom! All your pooch needs is the occasional bath when they are getting a bit too odorous but you can wash them more often if you like, just no more than once a week.
Chuck your pooch in the bath, shampoo him up, rinse thoroughly and towel dry. Brush pooch frequently with a soft brush to help remove dead hairs.
When to bring them to the groomer: Although you can trim your dog’s nails at home I do not recommend doing that until you have been trained by a professional! Dog’s nails have a vein running through them called the quick and if you cut the nails too short it will hurt and they will bleed everywhere (seriously everywhere and you need a special powder to stop the bleeding).
To avoid any stress or discomfort for your dog take him to your local groomer. Groomers also have a special brush to remove dead hair from your dog (that would ordinarily end up on your nice clean sofa). Keep in mind some dogs need less nail trimming as they may naturally wear down from the weight of their body during exercise on concrete. If in doubt don’t try it at home, take your dog to your local groomer.
A BIT MORE WORK
Examples: Double coats such as the Siberian Husky and the Pomeranian, some combination coats such as the Golden Retriever.
These breeds are a little more high maintenance than your short haired dogs. At least once or twice a year your dog will completely shed their undercoat. I’m sure if you own one of these breeds you will have noticed this!
To maintain a healthy coat you will want to brush your pooch with a slicker brush about once a week. Brushing removes the dead hair and allows air circulation to the skin. If you’re also bathing them at home you will want to brush first otherwise all the dead hair will fall out in the bath and clog up your sink very effectively! Also do not get your double coated dog clipped by a groomer as it will ruin their coat and cause them to overheat. They have a special coat, designed perfectly to keep their temperature just right (don’t ask questions!).
When to bring them to the groomer: Every 6-8 weeks is a good time to come see your groomer for a regular brush out, bath, nail clip and a bit of pampering. If you have forgotten to do your regular brushing at home and mats have formed as a result it is time to see your local groomer a little earlier. It’s important not to try and remove mats from home as it is very dangerous and you can injure your dog.
MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR LOCAL GROOMER
Long silky coats such as the Shih Tzu, some combination coats such as the Cocker Spaniel, some wire haired coats such as the Schnauzer and curly coats such as the Poodle (and the oodles)
These dogs will require regular grooming by a professional. Their coat grows out continuously like us humans so they will need regular haircuts. You can however do some maintenance at home to keep their coats in good condition. Regular brushing with a slicker brush and some detangling spray, about once a week, will avoid the formation of mats and keep the skin healthy by promoting air circulation.
When to bring them to the groomer: Bring your pooch to the groomer at least every 6-8 weeks, especially If mats do form (again, do not try to remove them yourself, it is dangerous for your dog). They’ll also receive some much loved pampering and special care.
To conclude, no matter what type of dog you have grooming is essential for their health and well being. So invest your time in their grooming and see your local groomer every so often, or as often as you like! We are here to help make your pooch feel healthy, happy and everyone deserves a little pampering every now and then.
Chi Chi is the dog groomer behind Poochi Grooming in Preston, Victoria. If you need help with any dog grooming matters or to book an appointment contact Chi Chi at Poochi Grooming.
Contact Poochi Grooming
Phone: 0478 815 817
Email: poochigroom@gmail.com
Website: poochigrooming.com