The condition of a dog’s coat depends on many factors – your pet’s health, its diet and how it is groomed. Taking care of your dog’s health and regular hygiene will help you keep its coat shiny. How to take care of it? Read on to find out
Shorthaired dogs (German Shepherds, Bulterriers, Terriers and Dobermans) do not have undercoat and may freeze in cold weather. Periods of seasonal shedding are also typical for short-haired breeds. However, they have the advantage of not having a specific coat odor.
Short-haired dogs should be brushed once a week and daily during the shedding season. Soft brushes with natural bristles or metal brushes with short teeth should be purchased for brushing. The coat should be combed in the direction of hair growth. After the procedure it is necessary to massage the skin for a few minutes and wipe the coat with a wet and soft flannel cloth, which will remove dead skin cells and hair
When it comes to bathing with dog shampoo, it is not recommended to do it more often than twice a year. If the animal is very dirty during a walk, it’s enough to wipe the coat with a damp cloth or rinse it under running water. A similar procedure is used for dogs with short but tightly clinging to the body hair, such as Rottweilers and Foxtrot. Only for combing the coat, in addition to the massage brush, you should also buy a metal brush with medium soft teeth.
The coat of long-haired dogs should be taken care of systematically. This will keep it looking neat and tangle-free. For grooming, it is advisable to get a smoother brush, a massage comb with soft teeth, a metal brush with densely spaced long teeth that are bent at the ends or a metal brush with plastic tips. If your dog is a representative of long-haired dogs, you need to comb the coat three times a week, and during the period of seasonal shedding – every day. In order not to cause discomfort to the animal, hair should be combed gently, with smooth movements along the natural direction of hair growth. It is best to start from the ends of the hair, gradually reaching the roots. After combing with a metal brush, use a wide-toothed comb and a massage brush. Special attention should be paid to the coat on the paws and tail. Long-haired dogs can be bathed no more than three to four times a year. If the animal is heavily soiled, simply rinse it under running water.
If your pet is one of the rough-haired dogs, you need to buy a metal brush with sparse, small and short teeth, a smooth brush, and a soft brush for massaging and combing. For combing the “beard”, fringe, paws, you should use a comb with dense teeth. Rough-haired dogs should be combed at least twice a week. In addition, it is worthwhile to frequently trim their coat, which has its own maturation cycle, at the end of which complete renewal occurs. This means that the “mature” coat breaks down into separate strands, loses its shine and protective properties. Trimming is a hygienic coat care procedure that removes dead hair. Experts do not recommend clipping coarse-haired dogs because over time the hair will become thinner and lose its shine and elasticity
In addition to combing the coat, owners of all dog breeds should pay attention to the condition of the coat on the paws, between the toes, timely trim the coat in the anal area and check the coat above the eyes. Hair should not fall into the animal’s eyes. Hair that is too long should also be clipped
It is also necessary to accustom your dog to brushing and responding calmly to your actions from an early age. This is one of the first skills your dog should learn upon entering your home.
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