Grooming

Though all dogs need to be groomed, the amount and frequency is determined by breed, lifestyle, and owner preference. The following page explains each portion of the grooming process, including why and when it's necessary. We recommend that all dog owners learn to keep their dog brushed and shedding down to a minimum level. The bathing and drying sections are more for owners who want their dogs to stay very clean, or are thinking about learning the entire grooming process. Ears and nails are infrequent enough that a professional groomer can deal with most cases (as long as the dog is groomed every couple of months or so), but the owner should know how to check to see if something should be taken care of sooner.

Before and After Grooming Pictures

Brushing

Shedding or Short-Haired Breeds

Most dog breeds have fur that sheds. The main seasons for shedding are early Spring and early Fall, so that an appropriate coat is grown for the anticipated weather. In today's society most dogs are part of the family, living in the house with artificial lighting and temperature, causing a disruption to the natural cycle. This is not a problem and is, indeed, a small price to pay for the companionship we receive.

However, the result is that many dogs shed year-round, leaving hair on everything from the furniture to your clothes, to dinner! Brushing your dog's coat will remove much of the loose hair, reduce the likelyhood of mats (tangles), and is a nice time for one-on-one bonding with your buddy.

Brushing your dog through with a slicker brush every couple of weeks, as well as using a rake, shedding blade, or other tool during times of heavy shedding should be sufficient. Any feathering (longer hair on the ears, tail, chest and back of legs) may need to be brushed more often depending on length and texture.

Non-Shedding or Long-Haired Breeds

If you have a long-haired dog or one of the non-shedding breeds, brushing is a lot more important. Like people, dogs with long hair may need to be brushed multiple times a week to avoid mats - every day to stay looking their best!

Non-shedding breeds, such as Poodles, Bichons, Porties and some terriers do still shed. The difference is that they don't 'blow their coat', but rather need to be brushed to gently pull out the dead hair to prevent mats from forming. This brushing is much more intensive than for the breeds that are heavy-shedders, but again is great bonding time... and most dogs relish the attention.

How often your dog needs to be brushed will vary considerably within this group, from every other day to every couple of weeks. The deciding factors are length and texture of hair, how dirty the hair gets, and what activites the dog enjoys (a dog that loves to roll on carpets will develop mats quicker than one who prefers to lounge on a leather sofa).

For pets (dogs who aren't exhibited in the show ring), a slicker brush followed by combing down to the skin usually does the trick. Using a spray-bottle to mist the hair with water, very diluted conditioner or a specifically formulated product will help reduce static build-up and help detangle any mats. For dogs with a lot of hair, a pin brush will help save hair that a slicker might pull out. You can also use a hair dryer set to 'cool' to aid in brushing the coat out - the dryer will show you any mats and helps blow them gently out while you continue to brush.

Brushing Techniques

The easiest way to completely brush a dog, especially with long hair, is for them to lie on their side around your waist height (a towel on a sturdy surface such as a dresser or table works well). Most dogs will fall asleep, and music or warm air from the dryer will maximize relaxation. You can either brush the hair in sections, or part the coat from chest to tail and work in layers, smoothly moving the line from your dog's stomach up to their spine. This is when a misting of conditioner will really come in handy.

This type of brushing is great for maintenance, drying after a bath, and calm bonding time between owner and pet. Many dogs enjoy the process so much that they will jump back on the table for more - some dogs will even decide it's a great bed for naps through-out the day!

Bathing

Dogs should generally be brushed thoroughly before a bath. This will help:

Remove dead hair

Lessen the drying time

Reduce the likelihood of mats

You want to get out as much hair as you can before popping your pup in the tub - not only will you save your drain from clogging, you will have a much easier time getting the water to your dog's skin and shampooing the coat thoroughly. By lessening the amount of hair to deal with you are also speeding-up the drying time, and doing a better cleaning job on the remaining hair. Last but not least, water will tighten mats to a point where they can no longer be brushed but need to be cut out - they usually pull the skin uncomfortably and can be dangerous to cut out (skin can be pulled into the center of a mat, so shaving the spot with clippers is safer for the dog).

Most dogs will start to shake themselves dry after their ears have gotten wet. To help keep the water in the tub and off of you, finish shampooing and rinsing your dog's whole body before doing the head and a final rinse. On the other hand, if your dog has fleas do the head first so that no fleas will try to 'escape' to the head where they are harder to get rid of.

Note: the above is also true for dogs that swim!

Once your dog is wet, pour shampoo that has been diluted with warm water over them - using a gallon container and pouring a few ounces at a time will work well. Use your fingers to gently massage the shampoo to the skin until you get white foam. Your can use a sponge or rubber curry comb for short haired dogs to get them cleaner; make small circles being sure to clean everywhere. A sponge can be used on a long-haired dog as well, but unless done carefully may result in many mats.

Rinse your dog thoroughly! Shampoo that is left in the hair can cause irritation and scratching, or be sticky and make the hair gum together. If your dog tends to mat, you can use a conditioner, concentrating on 'trouble' areas such as ears, armpits and tail. Read the label as some conditioners need to set for a few minutes, and some need to be rinsed while others should remain on the hair through drying.

Drying

After your dog is rinsed, gently squeeze the water out of their hair getting the bulk out, then do the same thing with a towel. Remember those ears that will cause your dog to shake? Now you can gently blow on them, and most dogs will shake the water off.

Short-Haired Breeds

You can rub a short-haired dog with the towel as much as you want and they will probably enjoy it. You can then let them 'air dry' (you're done!), or you can use a dryer to get them completely dry - this is a good idea if it's cold out or your dog will be outside... dirt will stick to a wet dog.

Long-Haired Breeds

Don't 'rub' long hair with a towel because mats are likely to form, and because the hair is wet they may get very tight. Just use the towel to squeeze the water out.

After you have gotten the excess water off, place your dog back on the grooming table on a thick, dry towel. Lie them on their side and focus the dryer on a small section of their underside. Make sure the air is not too hot, especially since the dryer isn't moving. Using your pin brush (or being very careful with a slicker), brush the hair where the dryer is blowing. When that area is completely dry, move to a slightly different spot to make your dry patch larger. You will know it's dry when the hair is the same color and texture all the way to the skin - the hair won't stick together, and curly hair will be straight and fluffy. Go up your dog's side, and do their legs as well, then have them roll over for the other side. If the towel is wet, reposition it or get a new one to keep the finished side dry.

The hair will stand in the direction you brush it while drying, so use the same techniques on both sides. If the hair is supposed to lie flat, brush with downward strokes (Afghans, Yorkies, Maltese etc). If the hair should be fluffy, brush against the grain (up and toward the head) - Poodles, Samoyeds, dogs with a 'teddy bear' clip etc.

This method is called 'fluff drying' and looks very different from air drying, even on a short haired breed like Labradors.

Nail Care

Different dogs will need different amounts of attention devoted to their nails. Some of the factors are nail color, shape of the foot, size and exercise of the dog and more. Regardless, it is healthiest for your dog to have short nails, preferably not touching the ground. If your dog either works or competes at high speeds, a little more length can help with traction, but too much can cause injury.

White nails usually grow faster than black, but are softer - they may wear themselves down for the most part. Black nails tend to be hard and don't wear down so easily, but also grow slower. The angle of your dog's toes (as well as wrist/ankle/elbow/knee/hip...) will determine how long the nail will be before it touches the ground. For example, a dog with flat feet may have 3/4" nails that are just touching the ground, while a dog with tight, round feet may need their nails kept under 1/2". When a dog's nails touch the floor, it affects how their toes distribute the weight - this can cause many problems and wear on joints resulting in permanent damage. It is especially dangerous for young pups who are still developing, but can contribute to arthritis and other joint conditions as well.

If your dog's feet allow the nails to scratch the ground, the nails are white/soft, your dog weighs 30+ lbs, and exercises a couple of hours a day including on a surface that will grind down the nails... you may not need to worry about it. On the other hand, any dog not matching this description probably needs their nails cut at least every 6-8 weeks.

To clip your dog's nails, hold the foot gently but firmly and bend it back with the joint. This should not be uncomfortable for your dog. Now you are looking down on the pads of the foot, and the nails are pointing up at you. Gently cut the very tip off - do not cut past the curve in the nail, as this will probably hit the 'quick', or blood supply. Go slowly taking off just a little at a time. In white nails you can often see where the vein is, and in black nails you will see a little white ring in the center of the nail when you are getting close. If the nail does start to bleed, don't panic. The nails will bleed a lot and many dogs will yelp, but the bleeding can be stopped easily with any styptic powder or cornstarch.

You can also use a Dremel or nail grinder to smooth the edges after using clippers, or just use the grinder itself. This process is very easy and many dogs will fall asleep after they know the routine. Using a grinder is also very nice because you shorten the nail just a little at a time and can almost always tell when you should stop. If grinding, only touch the nail for a couple of seconds at a time to avoid heat build-up, and don't push too hard. Shorten the nails evenly to allow your dog's structure to decide how their weight will be distributed.

If nails are not cut, they can continue to grow causing your dog's feet to become deformed resulting in numerous joint problems. Be sure to cut the dew claws as well, if they weren't removed when your dog was a puppy - those are the nails located on the inside of their wrists (sort of like thumbs). Because most dogs never use their dew claws, they can actually grow around in a circle and back into the pad - this is extremely painful and requires veterinary attention!

It's a good idea to check your dog's nails every few weeks, just to keep an eye on the length. If you don't want to try clipping them your self, most vets and groomers are happy to just do your dog's nails for about $5-10 dollars between regular visits.

Ear Care

Many dogs never seem to need special ear care, but it's easy enough to check. Other dogs, especially breeds that have heavy, drooping ears and/or lots of hair, seem to have nearly constant troubles. Better safe than sorry, so try to get into a habit of checking your dog's ears at least on a monthly basis, more if you suspect a problem. Teach your dog to allow their ears to be handled, so that should a problem arise it'll be easy to treat.

To check you dog's ear, simply lift the ear 'leather' and look into the canal. The skin should appear slightly pink (sometimes light blue on black-haired dogs), not much hair, have little or no wax, and no bad smell. If your dog acts sensitive, yelps, or tries to bite, they probably have an infection that should be seen by a vet. The visual signs are redness, inflammation, or lots of wax, usually accompanied by a strong odor.

If your dog has hair growing from inside the ear canal (very common in no/low shedding breeds), it's generally a good idea to have them 'plucked'. This means pulling the hair out a little at a time, keeping the canal clear for airflow and less chance of wax build-up. Plucking is uncomfortable for most dogs, but not painful - unless you wait until they already have an infection! Most dogs get used to it easily, and some actually like it. A powder or chalk can be used to help grip the hair, making the job much easier. Many people opt not to pluck; they just check the ears closer in case of a hidden infection.

Ear cleaners can be purchased at any pet store - pour a few drops into each ear and massage, then wipe the excess with a cotton ball. You can also purchase wipes, and gently clean your dog's ears with your finger - though this is hard if you have a small dog.

Allowing your dog to have wet ears for long periods of time, especially in warm weather, is a recipe for disaster. A warm, moist environment is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Try to dry the ears and head of a long-haired dog after a bath, and if you live on a lake, make sure your dog's ears are at least dry for bedtime, and check routinely for signs of infection.

An interesting note - dogs that are 'neotenized' (more child/puppy-like) tend to have weaker immune systems and are more prone to ear infections and other trouble. These breeds (and mixes) tend to have floppy ears, tails that are rather low-set (not carried over the back), boxy muzzles and body shapes, and are generally more cuddly and willing to please, and less intense or aggressive. Some examples of these breeds are Golden Retrievers (show-bred, not so much the hunting lines) and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels - opposites are many of the terriers and spitz breeds.

These neotenized breeds are ones that stop developing while they still posess the puppy qualities, and it is believed that the organs and immune system are also not developed to the extent of an 'adult'. This means that those breeds (or mixes) tend to have more ear infections, allergies, weaker immune systems... in some cases it may even tie in to the higher than average statistics of developing cancer.

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