General Dog Grooming

2SpoiledAussies

Well-Known Member
My grandmother raised and showed Shelties, and learned the tricks of the trade to grooming. Later, she started a dog grooming business. I've bathed dogs there many summers, and it is so much fun. No one ever left her, because the other places in town didn't make the dog's clean last a month+. She recently had to quit her business, and her customers have been devestated. This is a great technique for all dogs, and it can be converted to home-use.

First of course, brush out tangles. The only brush we EVER used was a slicker brush. It is gentle on the dogs, great for mats, and can be used all over their body.

Then is the Bath. We have found Nature's Speicalties, Plum Silky to be the best. It makes the dogs smell clean, and feel so good! Water it down (A LOT) for the body, but don't water it down for the face (that way it doesn't run into the eyes). It is best to have a faucet head that will move around, but isn't required. At home, I actually bathe my dogs in the shower because we have the removable shower head in there! Always start with warm (not hot) water at its face. Not only will this make the dog not be scared of getting its face wet, but if it has fleas (I doubt any of your pets do, but better be safe then sorry) it will make it to where the fleas won't hide in the ears and come out later (This has happened to my one of my old dogs at Petsmart). Then wet down the whole rest of the body. Next you will rub the concentrated soap into the face. Get it nice and clean. Then rub the watered down soap throughout the body. Make sure to get the undersides and the neck. Massage it in! This is probably the most important part. Don't just clean the hair, but the skin too! This is what will make them clean longer. And it is much healthier for dog's hair if you bathe them about every month (different breeds are different, but a month is a good average), because it keeps the natural oils. Then rinse!

Then drying. At her grooming shop, we always set them under a fan from 30 minutes to 2 hours, then dried them with a force dryer. If you can't set them under a fan, then that's ok. And if you don't have a force dryer, the strongest blowing thing you have is great. We lent our force dryer out, so the last time I bathed my dogs, I used a hair dryer. It is best to brush while you are drying. Blow back and for the with the hair, until the root are dry. You can tell if they looked clumped and pushed against the skin then they are probably not dry. If your dog is shedding this will take a while, but it is a great way to get all that hair gone.

We always used cologne at the shop, but I never do at home. But it might be good to invest in some if you are trying not to give too many baths, or need a smell gone. Any will work, most don't last long though.

Hope this has helped! I'm sure I forgot something, so just ask any questions you have! And here are the 2 products I mentioned, and where we get them:

Nature's Specialty. Plum Silky

Brush: http://www.petedge.com/product/Grooming/Grooming-Tools/Combs-Brushes-Rakes/Oscar-Frank-Universal-Small-Slicker-Brush/pc/190/c/214/sc/276/43318.uts

Nature's Specialties, Plum Silky: http://www.naturesspecialtiesmfg.com/product/16_82/plum-silky---16oz
 

k9 crazed

Experienced Member
Good description! I was a professional groomer and all I ever used was a slicker as well, the universal also. I would suggest a large one for larger dogs .
I would just add before you let the dog out or the tub to rinse the entire dog from nose to tail and underneath again making sure no more suds come out. Then sort of rub your fingers through it's coat all over making sure there are no places that still are sudsy at all, this only takes a half a minute or so but will ensure that your dog never gets the itchies because you didn't rinse well enough. Like 2spoiledaussies said dry them well -your dog will stay cleaner longer if you make sure they are completely dry. Scents are sort of fun for some people, but for your dogs comfort I would suggest no, I've never met a dog that liked that particular procedure and it is not necessary. Remember that nails are easier to cut when they are soft from a bath and don't forget the cookies to help make everything more enjoyable!
 

MaryK

Honored Member
Great posts! Thank you both:)(y) Just a couple of questions.

1. The slicker my older boy, a Blue Heeler, has very sensitive skin, is it safe to use on him especially as he also has a very short single coat?

2. Is the shampoo available elsewhere, not just the States? Will google later, it's late here and am about to go to bed, to see if I can find it as the pet shop near by who stocked natural products has closed.
 

k9 crazed

Experienced Member
I've used slickers on cats and rabbits both of these have very delicate skin. A thing about the slicker is never to brush hard or long on the same spot on the skin or you can "brush burn" it. With a very sensitive dog you might try a soft slicker but I do not like them myself. You can soften a new universal slicker by folding the bristles down with your palm a few times. If his coat is extremely short (greyhound like) you could try a bristle brush he might enjoy that, or even burnishing with a towel. Is that at all helpful?
 

Dogster

Honored Member
Great posts!!!!:D Shivon barely needs any grooming...

I use a bristle brush to brush her coat. It doesn't scratch her skin, from what I noticed.
I wash Shivon with DERmagic soap bars for dogs. They're all-natural, and they don't irritate her skin as much as other shampoos or soap bars. http://www.dermagic.com/ :) Sometimes I use a rubber brush when I'm washing her (if she's covered in mud, for example.)
 

2SpoiledAussies

Well-Known Member
We've never had it irritate skin. It says it is also for sensitive skin, so it should be fine, unless it is an extreme case. Other soap is fine too, this is just a great all-around shampoo that is great!

I also love rubber brushes, but we never used them in the shop. Some dogs also love them, mainly ones that like to be scratched. And they are great when they are really dirty, aren't they?
 

648117

Honored Member
I use a comb on Lewis (Pomeranian) and Holly (Pug X), although I did use a slicker also when we first got Lewis to work on the knots/matts.

I don't think a slicker would be that good on Lewis' coat for general grooming because it would never reach all the way through it and always sounds very rough. Or am I doing it wrong?

The comb I use is a metal dog one with long and short bits. I lift up sections of his coat (working from bottom to top) to comb until it's all smooth and then run the comb through it all again. He never has knots now so I don't use the slicker (I brush him about every 2-3 days).
I also use the comb on Holly, she probably doesn't actually need grooming but she enjoys it and it makes her look nice (for 5 minutes and then she looks scruffy again ;))
The comb looks a bit like this but with a plastic handle:

Would a slicker do a better job?
 

MaryK

Honored Member
I've used slickers on cats and rabbits both of these have very delicate skin. A thing about the slicker is never to brush hard or long on the same spot on the skin or you can "brush burn" it. With a very sensitive dog you might try a soft slicker but I do not like them myself. You can soften a new universal slicker by folding the bristles down with your palm a few times. If his coat is extremely short (greyhound like) you could try a bristle brush he might enjoy that, or even burnishing with a towel. Is that at all helpful?
Thank you very much.:) Yes very helpful.(y):) I use a bristle brush on him at present, didn't know about a towel he'd LOVE that I'm sure:D Will get one for the boys though, again thanks for the advice, really appreciated.:)
 

k9 crazed

Experienced Member
You're welcome MaryL:)

648117,
the most important thing is that the two of you are comfortable. If you are happy and he doesn't have tangles awesome. A slicker will definitely get through his coat, you can use it the same way as you do your comb- brushing down sections of fur at a time. It is important that you don't rake the brush over his skin again and again.:oops: You may find that you like to employ the slicker when it is shedding time and use your comb the rest of the year. Really, as long as you two are happy and the mats are gone that's truly all that matters.
 

Mr-Remington

Experienced Member
I need to buy a slicker brush for Remi. He's adult coat is starting to come in and he sheds everywhere all the time. I brush him everyday, but just with a normal pet brush from Petsmart.
 

MaryK

Honored Member
You're welcome MaryL:)

648117,
the most important thing is that the two of you are comfortable. If you are happy and he doesn't have tangles awesome. A slicker will definitely get through his coat, you can use it the same way as you do your comb- brushing down sections of fur at a time. It is important that you don't rake the brush over his skin again and again.:oops: You may find that you like to employ the slicker when it is shedding time and use your comb the rest of the year. Really, as long as you two are happy and the mats are gone that's truly all that matters.
I'm lucky with Zeus, his coat is so short he hardly sheds. Ra Kismet does a little and gets a few tangles, mostly due to the fact that water and dust make MUD:eek: And he ADORES that!!!!!!!!!:eek:

A little 'off subject' would it work for a long haired cat? My two cats shed more than the dogs!!!!!!!!!

I keep my touch light when grooming both boys, thank you for all the help. But am going to get and use a slicker on Ra Kismet, as he can get tangles, especially in the feathers on his hind legs and his long tail (which he's not keen on having groomed as he has to stop wagging it for a moment or two:D).

One more question:) Ra Kismet has suddenly developed 'dandruff' he's never had this before, his diet hasn't changed either, so what is causing this? No fleas or anything either. Neither is he on any form of medication. Could it be the extremely hot weather combined with air conditioning?
 

k9 crazed

Experienced Member
Hard to know half the time the Vets are at a loss for any skin anomaly so... it could be...
Or the food company changed the food, or there's a different pollen, or you changed fabric softener...(you get my drift?)
All I can tell you is what I personally would try first, which would probably be to bathe him with a gentle soothing shampoo then rinse very, very well. Get the skin circulation going with regular brushing and add fish oil to his diet if you don't already. That's what I'd do first anyway, good luck :)
 

MaryK

Honored Member
Hard to know half the time the Vets are at a loss for any skin anomaly so... it could be...
Or the food company changed the food, or there's a different pollen, or you changed fabric softener...(you get my drift?)
All I can tell you is what I personally would try first, which would probably be to bathe him with a gentle soothing shampoo then rinse very, very well. Get the skin circulation going with regular brushing and add fish oil to his diet if you don't already. That's what I'd do first anyway, good luck :)
Thank you.:) Understand what you mean about vets and skin anomaly, Zeus had shocking allergies and we've never found out what caused them, despite sessions at the vets lasting up to three hours, testing.

I'll do exactly as you suggest. No I've not been giving him fish oil, that's a brill suggestion. Is the human one O.K. or is there one especially for dogs?

He's brushed daily, BUT there's so much dust around it's ghastly. My eye is sore tonight, just from dust blowing in to it early today, so thinking that would irritate a dog's coat too.
 

k9 crazed

Experienced Member
I give them the same ones I take. I get the inexpensive kind at Costco- though I don't suppose that'll help you much! FWIW, I give each of my boys 2 a day, (umm real scientfic about amount's round here since one is roughly half the size of the other!) I just plop a 1000mg in their dish with their food morn and night. My dogs are 165lbs and ~74lbs. That's the dosage rec. for an adult on the package. I give Rocket more cause he's my "issue" dog. although Deisel had this crunchy thing going on with his nose and it has since cleared up- may have been the fish oil, or maybe it's all the chicken poop he's been eating out in the yard LOL! Hard to know for sure!
 

sara

Moderator
Staff member
What I do with Poms, if I push the fur backwards with my hand, then brush with the fur with the slicker, until I can see skin then I move my hand up an inch or so, and repeat, it gets alot more hair out than the comb does, though I often use a rake first to pull out the loose fur, then a comb after just to finish them off nice :)
 

MaryK

Honored Member
I give them the same ones I take. I get the inexpensive kind at Costco- though I don't suppose that'll help you much! FWIW, I give each of my boys 2 a day, (umm real scientfic about amount's round here since one is roughly half the size of the other!) I just plop a 1000mg in their dish with their food morn and night. My dogs are 165lbs and ~74lbs. That's the dosage rec. for an adult on the package. I give Rocket more cause he's my "issue" dog. although Deisel had this crunchy thing going on with his nose and it has since cleared up- may have been the fish oil, or maybe it's all the chicken poop he's been eating out in the yard LOL! Hard to know for sure!
Thank you:) there's a Costco in Melbourne but not, unsurprisingly, in Adelaide. Will check the local supermarkets and see what they have.
 
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