DIY Maintenance
Brushing
We understand it can be frustrating to expect a certain haircut, only to be informed that your dogs hair is too matted to achieve your desired request. De-matting is painful and can cause harm to your beloved pet, which usually means starting over with a short clip, relieving your dog from the discomfort caused by matting.
Brushing is the first step in maintaining your long-haired dogs coat.
Brushing will not magically make matted hair disappear. If it’s too late, it’s too late.
Here are some products from brands we trust, that will help you maintain your dog’s coat between grooming visits:
LARGE DOGS + LONG HAIR
The larger the dog, the longer and firmer the bristles on the brush need to be. While the Chris Christensen is on the higher spectrum pricewise, it is built to handle the resistance created by longer coats, such as that of Old English Sheepdogs, Standard Poodles, and Poodle Mixes that carry a longer fuller coat. The ergonomics on this brush help prevent hand fatigue, which is very common when having to maintain any thick coat with the aim of staying in a fuller clip. Alternatively, we also recommend the FURminator Firm Slicker brush, as it is more budget conscious, and can provide a similar result. The bristles are not as long, so full coats may require more effort, or the aforementioned Chris Christensen brush.
*Reminder: over-brushing can cause brush burn. Please be mindful of how deep you are brushing, and always take the time to ensure that your dog’s skin is not getting irritated. Hard bristles are for thick, long hair only. Please refrain from using hard bristles on smaller dogs with thin hair, such as yorkies.
MEDIUM TO SMALL SIZED - MEDIUM TO SHORT LENGTH
Smaller dogs don’t need brushes that are as aggressive as the larger, thicker dogs. Shihtzus, Golden Retrievers, Wheatens, some smaller Poodle Mixes, and other mixed breeds with hair that requires cutting, can be brushed out with smaller sized slicker brushes, with medium to softer bristles. This is all dependent on your dog’s individual coat. We cannot stress how much dog coats vary, you should have an idea of where you fall in the scale of coat maintenance. Ryan’s Pet Supplies brushes are medium in firmness, and still have the stainless steel bristles we love due to their durability and integrity. With rubber grips, they help with control and fatigue, but this isn’t as much of an issue, as smaller dogs with shorter coats take less time to brush out overall.
*Reminder: shorter, thinner coats require less frequent, less thorough brushing. As with most coat maintenance, YOUR MILEAGE WILL VARY. You will learn what is best for you and your pet as time goes on. Thinner coats are subject to brush burn, as the brushes come in contact with the skin more frequently than with thicker, longer coated dogs.
CHECKING YOUR WORK
Knowing when to stop is key to maintaining your dog’s coat. Overbrushing can hurt your dog, lead to brush burn, rashes, bleeding, and in a worst case scenario, infection.
A proper comb is key to understanding the progress you’ve made after brushing. Running a comb through your dogs coat will replicate our comb attachments, so when your comb stops or struggles to make it through the coat, so will our blades. When a comb stops, its important to not force it through the coat, as you have probably snagged the comb in a bunch of knots, and you adding force just hurts your dog. Switch back to a brush to work through the knotted/problem area, and check to see if your comb passes through after some brush strokes.
Some smaller knots can break loose with a comb, but we must emphasize the word ‘smaller’. If it requires more than a quick tug, it probably hurts, so bring the brush back out. Combs are personal preferences, but we recommend metal combs, as plastic has too much give, and may confuse you into thinking the coat has been fully brushed through.
DOUBLE COATS
The most popular remark we hear from our bath clients is that their double coated dogs are shedding EVERYWHERE! This is normal, fur will always shed, and contrary to what you may believe, shaving a double coated dog is the last thing you want to do, as it will cause irreversible damage to their coats, and will interfere with the natural cooling and heating of their coats.
By maintaining your dogs coat, and removing dead coat, you are keeping their coat in the optimal condition to ensure that the coat allows air to flow through their base coat, much like cleaning the fins of a radiator on your HVAC unit. Air cannot flow when the coat is impacted with dead coat. The large brushes we mentioned above are great for double coated dogs such as Golden Retrievers, Great Pyrenees, Huskies, German Shepherds, etc.
Double coated dogs will occasionally have matts that can be brushed out, as the root of the matted hair will tend to break away, as the coats are meant to shed. Your mileage will vary, and you shouldn’t brush harder than you feel your dog can tolerate. For these thick coats we recommend rake brushes for getting through the thicker coat that may contain some dead, dry hair and knots.
Short Haired Coats
Short haired dogs need love too! Ever wondered how to minimize how much hair you find in every corner of your vehicle? Tired of seeing hair on your clothes even after you wash them? Never fear, we can help you reduce it! Owning a dog means you will always have traces of dog in your life, there is no way to stop dog hair from shedding, it’s something you sign up for, much like scratching floors! If those are deal-breakers, we feel you may need to reconsider owning a domesticated animal in your home. If minimizing shedding is something you’re looking for, routine baths and regular usage of a furminator will help you tremendously! A healthy diet can also aid in coat health, but remember, shedding is natural and every dog sheds in different quantities and cycles. The Kong Zoom Groom rubber brush tool is probably our favorite tool for short haired dogs, as its gentle and very effective at gripping the dead coat that is ready to shed.
In conclusion
At home maintenance can dramatically improve your dog’s coat condition, and help prevent a shave down when it’s their turn for their spa day. For the heavy shedders, the rubber Kong brush will be a game changer for minimizing how much your dog sheds because YOU will be accelerating the dead coat coming out in a controlled fashion. Hopefully these tips and products will help you feel more confident when it comes to tackling maintenance on your own time, we’re sure your dog will thank you!
We are always willing to further demonstrate in person at your next appointment date, and you can always reach out to us on social media or drop us an email if there is anything you need clarified!
Hope this helps!