Maintaining Your Long Coated Dog!

Do you want to build a better relationship with your dog? Or not have it shaved down due to matting? Here's some tricks to build a better relationship and prevent matting.

It can be overwhelming to brush your dog once a month, let alone, once a week. For our clients, we suggest breaking it down into smaller sessions. As you can see on the dog to the left, he has areas marked in Red, Yellow, and Green. These area increase in mats as you move from Green to Red.

Rather than brushing the whole dog at once, try doing a section once a day. Moving from the Red down to the Green.

Red: Head and Tail
Yellow: Legs (can be broken into 2 days front and back if needed)
Green: Torso/ Remainder of Body

Once you complete the remainder of the body, it will be time to work on the head and tail again. dividing these body parts into small 10-15 minute sessions each day will go a long way for you, your dog, and your pocketbook.

You will want a good anti-static spray, a slicker brush, and a combination metal comb with coarse and medium teeth.

NEVER BRUSH A  DRY COAT! Starting with the head - use your anti-static spray to gently mist the head. Go through the coat all the way down to the skin with the medium side of your metal comb. If you hit a snag, gently work it out with  your slicker brush and coarse side of the comb. The biggest places to get matted are the muzzle, under the chin, under and behind the ears. Pretty much everywhere but the top of the head. 

Once you are done with the head, work on the tail in the same manner. Apply a good mist of anti-static spray over the whole tail, then proceed to brush and comb it out.  Making sure to brush and comb from the base (or butt) all the way to the end. Comb all the way down to the skin.

Legs and body days are going to be a little more consuming than head and tail days, but once you are both comfortable with the process, this too will become easier. This technique is called Line Brushing.  Check out all of the links and message us for more information