Must Have Grooming Products For Long Haired Dogs

[Finnesse]

I use OMG spray when I groom, a CC pin brush which I love and a greyhound beauty comb (a CC comb would be just as good), good equipment does help in my opinion. When my Lappie is losing coat I blow her out with the dryer, her coat is easy to look after if I keep on top of it and groom every couple of weeks.

[dancinbcs]

For a Spitz coat or any long double coat, you need a soft slicker brush, a good quality bristle and nylon brush and a very wide toothed comb (Collie comb). Most good show dog shampoos like Plush Puppy are fine and get an anti tangle conditioner if the coat tangles. Aloveen would not be my choice for a dog without skin problems because it tends to make the coat heavy.

Always line brush before bathing. If the dog isn't dropping coat the bristle/nylon brush is best and expect to pay anything from $20-$150 for a good brush. The more you pay the longer it should last. My first Mason Pearson brush is still going strong after grooming show dogs for 27 years so well worth the money. If the coat is shedding use the slicker. Work from the the back foot up and forward each side, parting the coat and brushing from the skin in layers about a cm wide until the whole dog is done. Then run the collie comb through lightly at right angles to the dog, to check for any tangles. If you find any brush them out from the tip of the hair back to the body.

When bathing lather the dog and squeeze the shanpoo through, do not rub. Rinse and use the conditioner and comb it through with the collie comb before rinsing. Towel dry without too much rubbing and them blow dry in layers using the brush to lift the coat. Repeat the line brushing.

You are a bloody legend, this is very helpful, thank you very much!

I am actually finding my very heavily coated, Jap Spitz as easy to groom as all the Border Collies I have had but it takes less time because he is smaller. A lot depends on coat quality and a Pom has a finer coat than a JS but the principal is the same with any long Spitz coat. Line brushing once or twice a week keeps the coat in perfect order. Never brush over the top of the coat, it has to be in layers from the skin out. How often it needs to be done depends on how the coat feels. If you feel it starting to clump together a bit it is time to brush. If the hairs are clearly separate to the skin you can leave it a few more days. The pants need a lot more brushing than the rest of the dog. The undercoat is like cotton wool so do not expect to ever get a fine comb through it. Always stick the a very wide toothed comb and only after brushing first.

[karly101]

Yeah sounds like the mistake was not brushing the coat out before bathing... I've done that before too! A good dryer will help you out if you can find one...some vets have DIY hydrobaths with dryers that you can use.

I personally love Aloveen but I've also used Ego wash and the coat comes up beautiful with that as well!

[Miranda]

Regular grooming is also important, I go over my show boy on a daily basis, that way I find any little tangles and remove them before they turn into knots. It is far easier to do a quick groom every day than leave the dog for a week or more and then have to deal with the result.

I'm not keen on Aloveen either, I think it's better suited to short coated breeds, the conditioner is completely useless on my dogs.

[Alibi]

On my pomX who had a very pommy coat i would brush every bit of her with a good pin brush straight before her bath (though i cheat and i do have a hydrobath for her, great for getting hair out)

I would shampoo with plush puppy or animal house shampoo. Then condition with plush puppy or isle of dog conditioner, then rinse and use a leave in spray conditioner/detangler/anti static (animal house brand).

Then i would blow dry while brushing with the pin brush again, doing this in sections till dry. Then i would just trim her feet and she was done.

Moulting time i would lightly go over her with the mars coat king as she would shed like crazy.

[G.S.P.S/K]

As a former groomer of 5 years - i recommend the brand Biogroom. For a pomeranian just the basic shampoo from Biogroom's range called Econogroom is best. Leaves dogs shiny, only has a light fragrance and doesnt let the coat get too tangly. PLEASE DON'T USE FURMINATOR ON YOUR DOG! When new dogs came into us where owners or other salons had previously used Furminator- it made the dog (both shorthaired and longhaired alike) look as if it had been shaved. Furminator may get rid of a lot of hair- but it also destroys it! The hair will never grow back as nice- it'll be wiry, turn white/gray and not be as shiny and smooth.

Also never shave your double-coated dogs, we saw plenty of cases where the undercoat grew through the top coat leaving hair extremely thick and bushy and a change in colour. That's if the hair grows back at all! Have seen some Pom's who had bald patches for a few years after being shaved and have heard of dogs like Samoyeds going into shock after been shaved.

[espinay2]

As mentioned, when washing the dog make sure you dont scrub at the coat. Gently massage and squeeze the shampoo through the coat so you dont twist the hairs. Also make sure you don't scrub at the coat when drying with a towel. Blot and squeeze the water out of the coat. The coat responds a lot better if it is treated with care and respect. Agree too about the furminator. It may thin out the coat, but it does it by breaking the hair shafts. These rough ends are then just more prone to tangling. Good quality tools that dont break the coat can reduce grooming over time as they don't damage the coat as much.

[Guest donatella]

I love you guys!

This is great info, thinking about getting a dog grooming dryer off eBay, they have some from $99. The quality might not be salon quality but I'll be only using it on 1 dog evert 1-2 months tops!

[Shelby]

Also, when brushing between baths, mist the coat with a spray of water to stop hair from splittng. You can add a few drops of lavender oil to make her smell nice too. Have attached a page from sheltie grooming book which explains line brushing. I always start from the neck of the dog and work my down one side, then stand dog up and do back, then lay down on the other side.

[Esky the husky]

Sorry a little derailement, but I don't want to start another thread.

Is there some kind of shampoo of product that could make Esky's coat harsher/ less soft?

[❤LovesPoodles❤]

Sorry a little derailement, but I don't want to start another thread.

Is there some kind of shampoo of product that could make Esky's coat harsher/ less soft?

Lol I need advice the other way around. Mishka the rescue husky her coat is very harsh and I am trying to get it softer :laugh:

[Alyosha]

All this talk of brushing coats before washing has reminded me to pop in and say - for silky coats, don't brush knots and dirt out dry as the coat will break and split. For tangles in silky coats I would soak the tangle in conditioner (either straight or watered down depending on product and knot severity) before washing. Then tease or brush/comb the knot out. For little knots in silky coats, wash as normal without brushing, after shampooing condition the coat, and brush it through before rinsing.