Bedlington x Toy Poodle - Advice / Do you have - know one ?

[NellRosk]

Running a set of clippers over a dog or chopping out matts is not grooming. It's quite insulting when owners think proffesional dog grooming is easy and anyone can do it. A lot of owners don't even realise when their dog is matted and as a groomer, I've had to show owners how matted their dogs are and how to brush them properly with the correct tools. As PUCCIPONI says we also pluck ears, clip nails, do hygiene checks, notice lumps and bumps that the owners miss, etc, etc. If you buy a coated breed you must be prepared to have your dog groomed regularly by a Proffesional.

I never said it was easy and that everyone could do it. Obviously a professional groomer would do a better job than me but I think it's insulting to suggest that my dog isn't as well cared for or that we would miss a lump and a bump just because we don't pay to have him groomed? Or that we could tell when his behaviour was off, we see the dog every day we know him more than someone that sees him every 6 weeks. Sorry I just don't agree with you saying that if you buy a coated breed you must be prepared to have it groomed by a professional. Whenever we get a dog we research and look into ways to care for it. For example when we got a Border terrier we learned how to strip her coat and did this ourselves. On the ONE occasion we took her to a groomer they clipped her coat and completely ruined it.

 

[GeeGeeboy]

Ok, Nellrosk you know better than the 3 proffesional groomers on this thread who have all given the same advise. Im out of this now, got a busy day of grooming ahead.

 

[Equi]

Running a set of clippers over a dog or chopping out matts is not grooming. It's quite insulting when owners think proffesional dog grooming is easy and anyone can do it. A lot of owners don't even realise when their dog is matted and as a groomer, I've had to show owners how matted their dogs are and how to brush them properly with the correct tools. As PUCCIPONI says we also pluck ears, clip nails, do hygiene checks, notice lumps and bumps that the owners miss, etc, etc. If you buy a coated breed you must be prepared to have your dog groomed regularly by a Proffesional.

I did a half day trial at a groomers and left with a huge respect for them. I had a sore back for two weeks (I did three dogs!) and couldn't believe the work.

 

[NellRosk]

Ok, Nellrosk you know better than the 3 proffesional groomers on this thread who have all given the same advise. Im out of this now, got a busy day of grooming ahead.

Please please tell me where I have said I know better? I've said that yes they can do a better job than me and I'm not disputing that, that's your trained PROFESSION! But enjoy your day.

 

[PucciNPoni]

Please please tell me where I have said I know better? I've said that yes they can do a better job than me and I'm not disputing that, that's your trained PROFESSION! But enjoy your day.

I had a little border terrier in today, I've been grooming him for years. He used to only come in 2x a year for stripping but over time his coat has changed and now we clip and keep him happy. So I see him about every eight weeks, owner is happy with this arrangement. Today when I was watching him come in, he had a bit of a rounded back. Then later as I shifted him a bit on the table he grumbled at me. I mentioned it to the owner and vet had a look and sure enough, he's got some inflammation and he's sore. Now the owner did not notice this, these things can creep up on you and you just don't see it because you see the dog day in and day out. Small changes add up over time and when someone knows your dog well enough to know whats normal behaviour you can spot it. It's like watching children grow. The parents who see them every day don't notice it but a friend who hasn't been around for a few months REALLY notice. Why, because they're seeing bigger changes over time.

I'm not suggesting that DIY owner/groomers do a bad job or don't look after their pet. However, the advice was that the usual type of coats typical in those breeds require lots of grooming. Professional grooming is the norm. It's not just about making them pretty or "show ring ready". But lots of health things too.

You must also understand that there's a good portion of people that we see, day in and day out, who really have no business even owning an animal. So you can perhaps understand some of the comments

 

[NellRosk]

I had a little border terrier in today, I've been grooming him for years. He used to only come in 2x a year for stripping but over time his coat has changed and now we clip and keep him happy. So I see him about every eight weeks, owner is happy with this arrangement. Today when I was watching him come in, he had a bit of a rounded back. Then later as I shifted him a bit on the table he grumbled at me. I mentioned it to the owner and vet had a look and sure enough, he's got some inflammation and he's sore. Now the owner did not notice this, these things can creep up on you and you just don't see it because you see the dog day in and day out. Small changes add up over time and when someone knows your dog well enough to know whats normal behaviour you can spot it. It's like watching children grow. The parents who see them every day don't notice it but a friend who hasn't been around for a few months REALLY notice. Why, because they're seeing bigger changes over time.

I'm not suggesting that DIY owner/groomers do a bad job or don't look after their pet. However, the advice was that the usual type of coats typical in those breeds require lots of grooming. Professional grooming is the norm. It's not just about making them pretty or "show ring ready". But lots of health things too.

You must also understand that there's a good portion of people that we see, day in and day out, who really have no business even owning an animal. So you can perhaps understand some of the comments

Bless him, glad it got spotted. Of course I understand your comments, I imagine you see some right sights!! And I was never suggesting there was no need for dog groomers or trying to say in any way I could do it myself because I haven't been trained. I have enough on my hands with my two monsters, so I have a huge amount of respect for anyone who spends all day with different dogs because I imagine groomers have to do a certain amount of training with the dogs they see if they're naughty and don't behave for grooming.

 

[PucciNPoni]

. For example when we got a Border terrier we learned how to strip her coat and did this ourselves. On the ONE occasion we took her to a groomer they clipped her coat and completely ruined it.

How long ago did this occur and how has the coat grown in? I don't think that clipping once will permanently ruin a border coat, not if the dog is otherwise healthy - especially if the dog isn't neutered.

 

[NellRosk]

How long ago did this occur and how has the coat grown in? I don't think that clipping once will permanently ruin a border coat, not if the dog is otherwise healthy - especially if the dog isn't neutered.

Years ago, Minnie is dead now. Her face was clipped and she looked awful, like a little ugly weasel and she was tragically put down a month or so later so I couldn't say how it grew back but in the time she was still alive it didn't really grow back. She was neutered, could that have affected it? Usually when we stripped her it left a lovely undercoat but when it was clipped it just looked awful! I'll try dig out some pics so you can get a true idea of what it looked like, poor min.

 

[PucciNPoni]

Aw, shame.

Repeated clipping of a terrier coat will certainly encourage a coat to come in soft, but a one off wouldn't. But if there are hormone issues, thyroid, cushings etc present, then that can affect the coat more. And yes, neutering will also make a softer more difficult to strip coat. Very often with terriers once the coat is neutered (usually about a year or so after) the coat starts to change. But that's not always the case. Other factors, such as genetics will play a part.

I used to clip my border, but he gets stripped again and he's been neutered over ten years. It's not a great coat, but clipping didn't ruin it.

 

[NellRosk]

She possibly had something else going on as she was old! Unfortunately she suffered an unrelated accident and had to be put down before anything was diagnosed.

 

[california dreaming]

Oh dear, I seem to have opened a big can of worms I never meant to cause any offence to anyone. However, I am going to stand by the facts and they are this: A poodle's coat is not fur it is wool. That is why it is non shedding. As such, it grows continuously. The Bedlington's coat is similar if not the same and is also non shedding and grows continuously. It never ever stops growing even inside the dogs ears (hence the necessity for ear plucking in these breeds) so, if you cross these two breeds the likely hood of the puppies having wool, non shedding coats, that continually grow is very high. These types of coat are not for the faint hearted and will require very regular brushing and clipping because they never stop growing. Some people can brush this type of coat and try clipping it. But Most cannot and the dog gets into a terrible state. The O P asked about the traits of the Poodle x Bedlington and I have mentioned a very important one to her. I wish her many happy years with her new puppy

 

[AmyMay]

So CD, does that mean that my Bichon has wool not fur?

 

[california dreaming]

yes it is the same for Bichon. It has a wool coat.

 

[california dreaming]

And before i am inundated with "my shih tzu" coat continually grows but is not wool. I know they have silky fur that if left parts down the middle.

 

[AmyMay]

yes it is the same for Bichon. It has a wool coat.

Learn't something today - thanks.