Why groom it?
For aesthetics
Of course, for the pleasure of having a beautiful dog every day.
And if you plan to present it at a dog show or have it confirmed for registration in the LOF (Book of French Origins), it is important that your dog is groomed according to the standard of its breed.
For its comfort and hygiene
Grooming makes it possible to reduce the fur, which is much more comfortable for the dog, especially when it is hot.
A regular bath helps to rid the coat of accumulated dirt.
Finally, the stripping of the pads allows for a more secure walk, hair removal and ear cleaning as well as the shearing of the genitals contribute to a good sanitary condition.
To inspect it
By handling the dog from every angle, the groomer is one of the people best placed to detect various problems such as the presence of parasites (fleas, ticks, chiggers, ear mites), eczema, wounds, spikelets, tumors, etc.
The different steps
Grooming includes several successive operations:
untangling
hygiene
draft
bath
brushing
drying
chopped off
claw size
The cut consists, depending on the breed, the nature of the hair and the desired effect, by scissor cutting, shearing or hair removal.
As for hygiene, it involves cleaning the ears, clearing the genitals and removing the pads.
When to groom it for the 1st time?
The young dog has a woolly, dull and unsightly coat. His coat will gain consistency as he grows.
Depending on the nature of the hair, it will have to be stripped, epilated or made a first cut.
In general, the first grooming takes place around 8 to 10 months.
But already, teach him from a very young age to be manipulated: brushing, checking the condition of the ears, teeth. This will facilitate his first grooming session.
What if it has a lot of knots?
A delicate operation
If your dog has a lot of old knots, it can become very difficult, even with professional equipment, to untangle them. This makes certain operations (cutting scissors, hair removal) very delicate or even impossible.
In the first case, you may be asked for an additional fee for the work overload caused.
In the second case, there will only remain the solution of a mowing, more or less short.
Think of its comfort ...
In both cases, a difficult disentangling lengthens the grooming session and makes it all the more uncomfortable for your dog that he will have to pull on his hair.
... brush it
So, if you have a long or medium-haired dog and want to offer it a cut with lengths, consider brushing it regularly.
It can quickly become a moment of complicity!
What is hair removal?
A perfect result
Hair removal is a grooming technique that involves removing dead hair.
It helps maintain the integrity of the coat.
The result is moreover much more aesthetic than a mowing. Especially since after being clipped, the hair grows back with undulations.
In what cases?
Some breeds are predisposed to have their hair removed, this is the case for cocker spaniel or westies for example.
Hair removal requires that the hair is not too tangled, hence the need for regular brushing.
As the intervention is longer, it is often preferable for older dogs or impatient to opt for a clipping.
Painless
Know that hair removal grooming is absolutely not painful for the dog. Indeed, the dead hair is easily detached.