Proper Grooming For Long Haired Dogs

If you have a breed with long hair and love those long locks, you know first hand the high maintenance grooming requirements needed. Whether you pamper your pooch at a local dog grooming salon every few weeks, it is still necessary to keep your pet's hair clean and matte free until the next grooming visit. Here are some after care grooming tips for dogs with long hair that you can do yourself:

• COMB DAILY using a fine-tooth comb.


• Concentrate on the back, sides, under the arms and chest area near the skin's surface. This is usually where matting occurs more frequently.


• If you are experiencing any tangles, do not bath your dog and try using a conditioner at this time - this may cause the matting to get worse. Rather, try to the best of your ability (softly and gently) getting the tangles out with the comb first.


• Do not tug or pull hard while trying to detangle a matte. You will be pulling at your dog's skin and thus causing it to be very painful to the dog. For assistance, you may "lightly" mist the matted area with a detangling spray.


• Once you finally get the tangles out, you can then use a pin brush just to smooth the coat down. Finally, you may bathe your dog at this time. After bathing, do not "towel rub" your pet's hair. Either let air dry or blow dry on a "warm or cool" setting while brushing the hair smooth.


• Brush your pet's coat every day to avoid any future problems.

Now, if your dog is severely matted and/or you have been unable to get any minor mattes out yourself, the best solution is to bring your pet to a dog grooming professional immediately for a coat and skin evaluation. Even small mattes can become worse over time so it is essential to take care of this issue immediately to avoid a dog groomer having to "shave" your pet should you wish to keep the hair long.

Unfortunately, if your pet's hair is severely matted, the best solution is to have your dog shaved so that a new and healthy coat can grow in. Furthermore, it will also avoid any pain and discomfort your pet would experience trying to get the matting out manually.

Lastly, we also suggest any dog with long, silky or "cotton-like" hair to refrain from wearing tight fitting clothing, especially with sleeves, as this can cause matting issues more frequently. Loose fitting or apparel without sleeves will help, however, the key is to always brush your dog EVERYDAY, especially after taking the dog's clothes off with the appropriate grooming tools to avoid any issues.