How to Make a Grooming Plan for your Pup

Las Vegas Best Mobile Groomer

Las Vegas Best Mobile Groomer

The most important thing about grooming is knowing what kind of coat type your furry friend has. Each coat type has a different frequency and method for grooming. Not sure what type of coat your dog has? After reading this guide, you should be able to tell just by petting your dog.

Does your dog have a double-coat?

Double-coated breeds shed a lot because they have a lot of dead weight under their first layer of fur. Shedding is usually seasonal especially during the summer. When you’re petting your dog, do they have a cushiony feel to their fur? If so, they probably have a double coat. Depending on the length of your dog’s hair, a double coat could mean extra groom time and an increased frequency of visits to the groomer. Once you know if your dog has a double coat, you can better understand what their grooming needs will be.

What is the length of your dog’s hair?

Now that you know if your dog has a double-coat, it is time to determine the length of their coat. This may seem simple, but many people fail to measure the coat length properly. There are three typical lengths of dog coats. Knowing the length of your pup’s coat will help you form a grooming plan that will keep them looking happy and healthy.

Does your dog have short hair?

Typically, short-haired dogs will have a tight layer of fur that holds close to their skin. There are two different classes that short-haired dogs fall into; single coat and double coat.

Short-hair single coat: (Dobermans, Weimaraners)



Short-haired dogs with a single coat are the easiest to maintain, because they don’t have dead hair to get rid of. You do have to provide some light grooming for these breeds, but nothing to straining; a bath every few weeks should do the trick. If your dog has this type of coat you will know when you pet them Their fur is very sleek, without much cushion protecting their skin. This type of coat has fur that is tight to the skin and shiny which makes them vulnerable to extreme weather conditions. Make sure to dress them for any type of weather (warm or cold) that could be harmful to their sensitive skin. Short-haired single coated pups may seem the simplest to groom but you have to remember they do not have much protection from the elements. You will have to take extra measures to keep them completely healthy. This means having the proper shampoos and conditioners, like an oatmeal bath.

Short-hair double Coat: (Chihuahuas, Dalmatians)

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We’ve gone through what double-coated means for your dog. When they have a short-length the undercoat can be very thin to where it is almost non-existent until shedding starts. You may not expect it but when short hairs shed, they get everywhere.To stop your house from looking like a fluffy mess you should try to brush your dog every few days and a bathe them every two to three weeks. This will keep your dog’s coat shiny and smooth. The extra layer of fur does protect them a little better from different weather types rather than their single coat counter-parts. That being said, you should still take steps to protect them from snow and rain, since they’re not built for extremely cold conditions.

Does your Dog Have Medium Hair?

Medium-haired dogs will most likely have a double coat, they will not be as hard to groom as a long-haired dogs, but still require some extra love with grooming. There are two different medium hair groups :wiry and straight coats.

Wiry coats: (Fox Terriers, Westies)

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Wiry hair is a very thin and stringy. It usually feels coarse and a little rough. This coat type may seem like it will be easy to brush out, but looks can be deceiving. These breeds are some of the hardest to groom. There is a special kind of grooming technique, called hand-stripping, to fully decrease the shedding and get the undercoat controlled. This can be done with a stripping-knife. This tool is basically a brush that looks like a barber straight razor. If you use clippers, it can drastically change the texture and will cause discolouration in the fur when it grows back. Another downside to using clippers is that you will have to groom more frequently. You should use an experienced groomer for these type of breeds, because a lot can go permanently wrong if the grooming is not done properly.

Straight coat: (German Shepherd, Shiba Innus, Golden Retriever)

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A straight-coat is a smooth, straight coat that blankets over a soft layer of undercoat. The undercoat can be thick, depending on the breed of dog you have. The second coat can get packed and will matt if the brush out is not adequate enough to fully strip down the whole undercoat. When matting begins it will harm your dog They will start to develop sores and hot spots that become painful when they are touched. This is why it’s important to maintain a proper grooming plan, so your pup’s health stays top-notch. When the coat is neglected for long periods of time, it will become harder for you to correct the situation. Bathing every few days each month is recommended for these canine coats to stay prime.

Does your dog have long hair?

Unlike short-haired and medium-haired breeds, long hairs need A LOT of maintenance. They require a consecutive and demanding grooming plan to avoid matting that will occur without proper care. There are three types of long-haired dogs; drop, straight, and curly coats. Each shaggy type has their own grooming needs.

Drop coat with undercoat: (Shih tzus, Tibetan Terriers, and Bearded Collies)

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This coat type is full of surprises. With proper grooming, it can be a beautiful majestic flow of hair that may hit the ground. If you want to keep the locks intact and looking beautiful you will need to maintain a continuous grooming schedule to avoid horrendous matting and shedding. Once matting is present it is nearly impossible to keep the hair long, you will have to shave it off. A shave will save you from the shedding problem that comes with these breeds. You can easily get to their undercoat to brush out all the dead hair. The Rapunzel look is gorgeous but requires so much maintenance that if you don’t have the time to brush it every day the undercoat will become matted. This is deceiving because when you look at the coat it seems healthy but once you start grooming you will discover a lot of knots. Weekly bathing is necessary to avoid a foul smell from the undercoat. A professional groomer will have to give your pup a nice haircut every 2-3 weeks to maintain a healthy length. As mentioned before, this is a very demanding coat to deal with, but if you have the patience, time, and money, they can be gorgeous.

Long drop coat without undercoat: (Maltese, Yorkies.)

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These breeds are not as brutal to groom as their friends with the undercoats. Their fur is soft and long, which is very similar to human hair. If you can pull back the hair and see skin very easily, you know they are a single-coated, long-haired breed. When they have a healthy coat, it is quite easy to maintain. Once the fur has become matted it is near impossible to save. When matting occurs, it will be very painful because it pulls on their skin from the weight of the knots. It may sound like a nightmare coat waiting to happen, but all you have to do is keep up with the brushing routine. It is recommended to do a light brushing every day with a deep brush out (getting every knot out) once a week. You may not have sufficient time in your schedule to keep up with brushing. If that is the case you will want to look at the option for a shave down, they still look absolutely adorable with all their hair cut down! This would mean you would only need to cut their hair every 4-5 weeks, which saves you money and time. Now, assuming that you decide to keep your furry friends coats long, you will be required to add some extra steps to your grooming plan. You will need to become savvy with a pair of scissors or have deep pockets for an experienced groomer to give them a stylish cut every 2 weeks. The one great thing about these breeds is that they don’t shed as much as a double-coated breed!

Long fluffy coat with undercoat: (Pekingese, Pomeranians)

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Fluffy breeds are some of the hardest to groom because of their double-coat. Their coat has a coarse texture with giant manes, which is where the term lion cut comes from. Cutting these breeds with clippers can cause a change in their fur permanently, which will make the texture completely different. The groomer must know how to cut the hair properly to avoid any mistakes You can very easily cut too much hair off to make their bodies and heads look lopsided so you must have excellent precision when styling a shaggy pup. Shedding can become a problem when you do not adequately groom these dogs with the proper frequency needed. The recommendation is to brush daily with a bathing every 3-4 days to keep the coat fluffy and soft. The presence of the undercoat is huge, you definitely know it’s there just by looking at your pup. The puffiness from the coat comes from the undercoat. A good example of trhis would be a Pomeranian whose undercoat is so wild that you can see it popping through the top coat. These coat types will have some trouble in extremely hot climates because of their condensed fur. For their comfort you should give them a summer cut during the appropriate seasons. Keeping on top of grooming for your pup with fluffy fur is very important because matting is so easily undetected and will happen often.

Long curly hair: (Poodles, Bichons)

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Last but not least, curly hair dogs! These dogs usually do not have an undercoat but are the prima donnas of the grooming world. They matt easily and need to be brushed daily to avoid this. Most of the breeds in this category are hypoallergenic so you do not have worry about too much shedding. When this coat matts it is very difficult to brush out, they almost always have to be cut out to avoid discomfort to your pet. Once you have found a good length that you and your pup are happy with it is quite easy to maintain. Grooming sessions do run long, because of how precise the groomer must be with cutting through the curls and making sure everything matches. Once you have found a routine that works for you, and keep up with the rotation it is usually smooth sailing. The recommendation for these fur babies is to groom them every 2-3 weeks to maintain a healthy coat.

Conclusion:

It’s important to the happiness and health of your dog that you understand your dog’s breed and fur type This is a key step with being a dog owner, and before you decide to adopt or buy your new pet,you should fully understand what you will be getting yourself into. A dog is family and family always makes sure one another looks and feels their best.

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