Does your dog look like a mop and you are wondering what you can do to make him look more presentable? See below some tips and tricks from the book “The Stone Guide to Dog Grooming for All Breeds” by Ben and Pearl Stone to get your pups looking shiny and new!
The following five steps constitute the fundamentals of dog grooming and are applicable to each breed. For many breeds, these five steps are the entire grooming procedure.
Brushing and Combing
Brushing out the coast is the most important step in dog grooming. The importance of brushing is underscored by the fact that the dog can be made presentable by brushing alone. It is the foundation for all that follows, and much time and effort may be devoted to it, especially when dealing with long-haired, dense, and matted coats. While there are a few tricks of the trade which will prove very helpful in cutting down on this time-consuming chore, the main ingredient is manual labor. Brushing out the coat is the first and most important step in dog grooming. Thorough brushing before bathing is mandatory since wetting a tangled, matted coat will only cause the coat to tangle and mat even more. Combing out the coat runs a close second to brushing. In fact, combing should be considered accompaniment to brushing, just as a pianist is an accompaniment to a singer. The “melody” should be, brush and comb, brush and comb, brush and comb.
Brushing and Combing Techniques
Before going into the specific techniques of brushing and combing, we must first take note of the approach to the dog. This consists simply of starting each step from the hindquarters, operating on the theory that if the dog can’t see what is being done, he will be less likely to object. So starting with the hindquarters, we proceed to groom the dog systematically and methodically, part by part, step by step.
Now, here is the actual technique of correct brushing and combing. First, grasp the left rear leg and while holding part of the hair in one hand (to reduce tension), brush the other part. To get to the undersides of the leg, lift the leg up and while holding firmly with one hand, brush the undersides. When the leg is completely brushed out, top and undersides, repeat the process exactly with the right rear leg.
At this point, you may lay down your brush and pick up your comb. The chief function of the comb is to find and remove any tangles, mats or knots left in the coat after brushing. So, running the comb through the leg coat you just brushed out, whenever you hit a knot, hold the bottom part of the knot firmly with one hand and comb or tease out the knot with the other. The key to doing a good job here are the words, systematically and methodically. You can also add the word patiently, for you will need a great deal of patience if you come across many knots. The more thorough your brushing, the fewer knots you are likely to find when combing. The more thorough your combing, the finer will be your finished job.
After you have finished brushing and combing both hind legs, do precisely the same with the two front legs. When all four legs are done, start once again at the hindquarters, this time concentrating on the tail. Proceed then to do the entire body coat, first left side, then right side, then underside, then the front or chest areas. The most systematic way of brushing out the body coat is from rear to front, layer by layer, lifting up with one hand a layer of coat and brushing down to the skin with the brush hand.
The final step should be the head, including the ears. With such long-eared breeds as the Poodle, Cocker Spaniel, Afghan and Lhasa Apso, the heavy furnishings on their ears are a part of their beauty, and no effort should be spared in thoroughly brushing and combing this area. If the dog has a beard, then naturally you have the face to do. But once you've mastered the art of brushing and combing, no area should present a problem. Combing should always be the final, finishing touch.
To review the basic steps of brushing and combing:
Reference:
B. Stone, P. Stone. (1981). The Stone Guide to Dog Grooming for All Breeds. New York: Wiley Publishing Inc.
The following five steps constitute the fundamentals of dog grooming and are applicable to each breed. For many breeds, these five steps are the entire grooming procedure.
- Brushing and combing
- Bathing
- Blow drying
- Ear cleaning
- Nail trimming
Brushing and Combing
Brushing out the coast is the most important step in dog grooming. The importance of brushing is underscored by the fact that the dog can be made presentable by brushing alone. It is the foundation for all that follows, and much time and effort may be devoted to it, especially when dealing with long-haired, dense, and matted coats. While there are a few tricks of the trade which will prove very helpful in cutting down on this time-consuming chore, the main ingredient is manual labor. Brushing out the coat is the first and most important step in dog grooming. Thorough brushing before bathing is mandatory since wetting a tangled, matted coat will only cause the coat to tangle and mat even more. Combing out the coat runs a close second to brushing. In fact, combing should be considered accompaniment to brushing, just as a pianist is an accompaniment to a singer. The “melody” should be, brush and comb, brush and comb, brush and comb.
Brushing and Combing Techniques
Before going into the specific techniques of brushing and combing, we must first take note of the approach to the dog. This consists simply of starting each step from the hindquarters, operating on the theory that if the dog can’t see what is being done, he will be less likely to object. So starting with the hindquarters, we proceed to groom the dog systematically and methodically, part by part, step by step.
Now, here is the actual technique of correct brushing and combing. First, grasp the left rear leg and while holding part of the hair in one hand (to reduce tension), brush the other part. To get to the undersides of the leg, lift the leg up and while holding firmly with one hand, brush the undersides. When the leg is completely brushed out, top and undersides, repeat the process exactly with the right rear leg.
At this point, you may lay down your brush and pick up your comb. The chief function of the comb is to find and remove any tangles, mats or knots left in the coat after brushing. So, running the comb through the leg coat you just brushed out, whenever you hit a knot, hold the bottom part of the knot firmly with one hand and comb or tease out the knot with the other. The key to doing a good job here are the words, systematically and methodically. You can also add the word patiently, for you will need a great deal of patience if you come across many knots. The more thorough your brushing, the fewer knots you are likely to find when combing. The more thorough your combing, the finer will be your finished job.
After you have finished brushing and combing both hind legs, do precisely the same with the two front legs. When all four legs are done, start once again at the hindquarters, this time concentrating on the tail. Proceed then to do the entire body coat, first left side, then right side, then underside, then the front or chest areas. The most systematic way of brushing out the body coat is from rear to front, layer by layer, lifting up with one hand a layer of coat and brushing down to the skin with the brush hand.
The final step should be the head, including the ears. With such long-eared breeds as the Poodle, Cocker Spaniel, Afghan and Lhasa Apso, the heavy furnishings on their ears are a part of their beauty, and no effort should be spared in thoroughly brushing and combing this area. If the dog has a beard, then naturally you have the face to do. But once you've mastered the art of brushing and combing, no area should present a problem. Combing should always be the final, finishing touch.
To review the basic steps of brushing and combing:
- Start with the hind legs, brush and comb all four legs.
- Brush and comb tail, then go forward with the body coat.
- Brush and comb head, face and ears.
- Proceed step by step, systematically and methodically.
Reference:
B. Stone, P. Stone. (1981). The Stone Guide to Dog Grooming for All Breeds. New York: Wiley Publishing Inc.