Long Haired Dogs - Whats in your grooming kit?

cambrica

cambrica

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 November 2011
Messages
2,145
Visit site
I have a Bearded Collie, the longer show coat type as opposed to a working Beardie, so he has the longer coat and the thicker undercoat.
He has his own grooming kit to rival the horses but I can't say I have 'one' brush that does it all !
I have spent a small fortune on various grooming tools to keep those dreaded matts at bay but still find Im using several different brushes which really don't seem to be that good on his coat. The best I've found is the expensive Les Pooches Mat Zapper but it still doesn't do what it claims to. He can look great but on closer inspection it is not detangling the undercoat. I bath him once a month (or so) and groom once a week but the brushes I have are not stopping the matts forming.
Is there a 'gentle' super brush out there anyone can recommend ?
 
Have you been shown how to use the brushes efectively?
You have to start at the skin, in layers and brush outwards. It sounds like you are brushing from the top.
A soft slicker and comb should do the job with the matt zapper for bits you miss.
 
I have samoyeds and malamutes - both with double coats, but other than that, the fur is completely different, and groomed differently.

With the sam, I go through his coat, with a fine tooth comb - literally, right down to the skin, all over. Then slicker, using grooming spray every couple of sessions, towards his head. Thus the deep undercoat is groomed properly, and the guard hairs The air can get right down to his skin.

With the mals, as their coats are shorter and denser, I use a rake first to remove the dead hair, and then comb all over, varying the width of the tines eg wide for the thick neck fur, and closer for the legs. Then finish off with the slicker to take off the loose fur and tidy the coat (again brushing towards the head).

I used to show at champ level, so am used to turning out to show standard - and quite proud of my dogs coats :D
 
Thank you for all your replies. I do have a slicker brush but Im not sure that its the right one for his coat? or maybe its just the way Im using it.


s4sugar said:
Have you been shown how to use the brushes efectively?
You have to start at the skin, in layers and brush outwards. It sounds like you are brushing from the top.
A soft slicker and comb should do the job with the matt zapper for bits you miss.
Click to expand...

I think this may be part of the problem as I have been told by a dog groomer to always brush down although I do brush the top coat smooth and then use a comb.
TBH and to give myself a little bit of credit he is now nearly four and I have managed to keep his coat matt free but I think this last winter with all the damp, wet and mud at the stable yard it has suddenly got really bad. I really don't want to have him puppy clipped (although it looks sweet) as I love him having the Beardie coat.
He is at a point where he needs a bath but again I've been told not to bath him with matts in his coat. I spend hours getting rid of them all and within no time at all his coats all matted which makes me think there is a better brush than I have on the market?

Do any of you use horse detangler sprays (mane & tail) etc or stick to products designed for dogs?


Thank you for all your replies :D
 
Also forgot to mention I use Wahl Dirtie Beastie shampoo which works well but any other suggestions for a softer coat? Thanks :)
 
A beardie should not have a soft coat -softer coats matt easier.
A thinned down conditioner after the shampoo will help ( tressemme is good) but spray ons often attract dirt.
I'll try & find a demo vid of line grooming but drop coats are always sarted at the bottom with the coat above lifted away (easy way is to teach the dog to lie down for brushing) If you were closer I could give you a lesson & if you contact the Beardie club they may be able to put you in touch with someone who can show you.

added - not brilliant but should help with the idea - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNMnPFmK6vo
 
Last edited:
s4sugar said:
A beardie should not have a soft coat -softer coats matt easier.
A thinned down conditioner after the shampoo will help ( tressemme is good) but spray ons often attract dirt.
I'll try & find a demo vid of line grooming but drop coats are always sarted at the bottom with the coat above lifted away (easy way is to teach the dog to lie down for brushing) If you were closer I could give you a lesson & if you contact the Beardie club they may be able to put you in touch with someone who can show you.

added - not brilliant but should help with the idea - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNMnPFmK6vo
Click to expand...

Thanks so much s4sugar. Link is actually a big help as that isn't how I've been grooming him which is probably why it takes so long. If only he was that size! Yes his coat is quite coarse. As I said its really been this winter that I have really struggled but his little world is the kids and the stables, Im just left to clear up the mess !
I will set aside some time tomorrow to tackle the new technic. :)
 
You're quite right in that one brush generally does not do it all. I usually use several (ie matt zapper is great but also use a large slicker as well as an Ancol detangler and a good metal comb). For product, my favorites are the K9 Competition range - it the Aloe shampoo and if necessary a conditioner. However an uber squeaky clean coat which has been rinsed with a diluted down white vinegar is much easier to brush than an overconditioned one. Following that I usually mist with the Nano mist to further aid the detangling process. And the best piece in my tool kit - a really good stand dryer, pointed at the area you're brushing.
 
I have a rough collie, I use one of them thinning Combes that are designed for horses to thin his coat out a bit and then I use one of the fine toothed ones to start from the skin outward to detangle any knots and then a soft paddy brush to tidy up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top