Grooming Tips and Products
Dear Fellow Pet Parent!
Please use this page as a guide to help you with your grooming needs until I am able to go out again. I include links to amazon.com as well some other resources I personally use for all my grooming needs. Please feel free to e-mail me with questions and suggestions. Let's use technology to our advantage and make the best out of the situation. I might overcome my dislike of being in front of a camera and post some videos on how to use the tools, using our two Golden Retrievers as models. But no promises...
If your dog is short haired, I found that using some waterless shampoo and/or leave in conditioner is all you really need. Along with a wire slicker brush and a deshedding blade. Being outside on a windy day and lots of ruffling the coat will release a lot of hair.
Please use this page as a guide to help you with your grooming needs until I am able to go out again. I include links to amazon.com as well some other resources I personally use for all my grooming needs. Please feel free to e-mail me with questions and suggestions. Let's use technology to our advantage and make the best out of the situation. I might overcome my dislike of being in front of a camera and post some videos on how to use the tools, using our two Golden Retrievers as models. But no promises...
If your dog is short haired, I found that using some waterless shampoo and/or leave in conditioner is all you really need. Along with a wire slicker brush and a deshedding blade. Being outside on a windy day and lots of ruffling the coat will release a lot of hair.
Double coated or heavy coated dog:
With warmer weather approaching, your double coated or heavy coated dog will shed. The only way to go about it is regular brushing and releasing excess undercoat.
With warmer weather approaching, your double coated or heavy coated dog will shed. The only way to go about it is regular brushing and releasing excess undercoat.
- If your dog has mats, DO NOT BATHE him/her! It just makes the mats worse.
- Find a good location. It's going to be messy and hairy! If you can go outdoors that would be ideal.
- Have your tools ready: A soft and a hard pin brush, greyhound comb(s), wire slicker brushes, a mat rake, a mat splitter. For ears, cotton balls and ear cleaning solution should be used. For eyes, I recommend cotton balls or swabs and eye cleaning solution. For nails, you will need a good and breed appropriate nail trimmer. If you can use a hair dryer or high velocity pet dryer/blower, you need an extension cord. The amount of hair produced can be quite profuse, and you DO NOT BLOW OUT A COAT INSIDE! The hair will be everywhere for many months and years to come.
- Use detangling spray, leave in conditioner, or even human hair conditioner, watered down to about 20 parts water to 1 part conditioner. A spray bottle works great, or a soaked cloth to gently rub into the coat, following the flow of the hair.
- Make your pet and yourself comfortable and know that you are not doing something the pet doesn't like. All pets love to be groomed, it just takes the right approach and tool. I learned that you can't fool a dog, so if you think something uncomfortable is happening, your pet will know and acts accordingly. If you act as if the grooming session is the greatest thing on earth for both of you, along with some treats, your pet will think the same! (Gosh, I am rendering myself useless...)
- You will find excessive shedding on the hips and haunches, as well as chest and tail.
- Put detangler into the coat. Enough to dampen the coat. Start with a soft pin brush. Follow the grain, using soft strokes. You just want to loosen things up, work the detangler into the coat, and find knots and snarls or mats. The latter are dealt with with a different tool. You might find that your dog, like most, have some spots they love, other they loathe. Work just a few strokes on the loathers, along with praise and treats, and move back to the lovvies. Eventually they get the message, and some of my dogs actually turned around 180 degrees. It's all in the attitude, dude...
- If you find knots or mats, which can be quite uncomfortable, do them first. They need the most attention. Using a mat splitter, gently move the blades under the mat and try to lift it off the skin. Be generous with detangler or conditioner. Once it is off the skin for at least a finger's width, you can either cut or clip out the mat, or work it closer to the surface and use a wire slicker to get the fluff out. Some mats might be really uncomfortable for your pet, particularly armpits, groin and genital area, behind the ears. Don't feel compelled to get the mats all out in one session. It might take a few days, but eventually you get there. It is better than have your pet suffer at worst or being uncomfortable at best. Treats work well as detractors. A dog favorite is peanut butter. You can prepare pb-popsicles, or just put some pb in a jar, freeze it, and let your dog work on it while you work on him. Be creative in distracting your dog, use family members to help. Dogs generally love all the positive attention!
- If you can and your dogs tolerates it, use a hair dryer or high velocity pet dryer to blow out undercoat and little knots, mats, and snarls. Use a hard pinbrush , coat rake or mat splitter, following the grain. This usually takes care of the worst offenders. Blow and brush for as long as you can, but please use a face mask, or even better, a bandana or any other cloth to cover nose and mouth.
- If you didn't use the hair dryer method, the coat has been loosened up, worst mats have been addressed, and everyone is really enjoying this! Time to use the greyhound comb. Gently pull the comb through the coat. Short strokes, making sure to reach all the way down to the skin. You want to pull back the skin with one hand, while combing with the other. The stretched skin exposed little knots and mats close to the skin and the comb can lift them off. Take your time. If you feel resistance, stop pulling and use the mat splitter since you most likely found one of 'em.
- Finish up with a harder pinbrush, making sure to go all the way down to the skin.
- The tail needs special attention. Use detangler generously and let it sit for a while. A mat splitter is the first tool to remove bulk. Follow with softer pinbrush, comb, wire slicker. You might need to move back and forth between body and tail. Most dogs have an issue with their tail.
- In the meantime take a cotton ball, soak it with ear cleaning solution, and gently put the cotton ball into the ear. Just rub the ear from the outside. Then wipe out the ears with cotton ball or cloth. Unless you know what you are doing, it is not advised to use q-tips or similar.
- If nails need attention, don't be afraid. With my technique you hardly ever hurt the pet, and nail trimming starts with the right attitude. I start at the very tip of the nail. Using the clippers I gently increase pressure. If the dog doesn't react, I go for the full cut. If I need to cut more, same technique, just a tad closer to the paw. Gradually you get to the point where they let you know you are too close. Respect it and let it go right away. If you can, having your dog walk on pavement can help keeping the nails in shape.
- Are we done yet? No, not really, but your dog should feel much better, and the amount of happiness can be measured by the pounds of removed hair in some dogs! Large breeds are particularly prone to excessive shedding. And the time you safe vacuuming the hair balls...
Grooming Products
Detangler and Conditioners:
I prefer the Best Shot line of products. The Ultra Vitalizing Mist is my favorite solution. Available at amazon.com
More detanglers and products to help with mats can be found here.
Brushes, Rakes and Combs:
Andis Soft Pin Brush, Mars Hard Pin Brush, JW Undercoat Rake, Hard Wire Slicker Brush, Soft Wire Slicker Brush, Undercoat Rakes for Medium to Long Haired Dogs, Shedding Blade for Short Haired Dogs, Greyhound Comb,
Mat removing tools:
My favorite tools are at groomersmall.com. For mats I use the Pawprint line of tools. But you can find similar products on amazon.com - I just prefer the ergonomics and efficiency of my tools.
Ears, Eyes, and Nails:
Virbac Ear Cleaner, Eye Cleaner and Wipes, Nail Trimmers.
Treats to make it more fun: Green Mountain Treats. GMT is part of Fresh & Furry, we offer homemade all natural dehydrated chicken liver treats for dogs and cats. Very popular in my grooming sessions!
I prefer the Best Shot line of products. The Ultra Vitalizing Mist is my favorite solution. Available at amazon.com
More detanglers and products to help with mats can be found here.
Brushes, Rakes and Combs:
Andis Soft Pin Brush, Mars Hard Pin Brush, JW Undercoat Rake, Hard Wire Slicker Brush, Soft Wire Slicker Brush, Undercoat Rakes for Medium to Long Haired Dogs, Shedding Blade for Short Haired Dogs, Greyhound Comb,
Mat removing tools:
My favorite tools are at groomersmall.com. For mats I use the Pawprint line of tools. But you can find similar products on amazon.com - I just prefer the ergonomics and efficiency of my tools.
Ears, Eyes, and Nails:
Virbac Ear Cleaner, Eye Cleaner and Wipes, Nail Trimmers.
Treats to make it more fun: Green Mountain Treats. GMT is part of Fresh & Furry, we offer homemade all natural dehydrated chicken liver treats for dogs and cats. Very popular in my grooming sessions!