By Andrea Miller
Certified Professional Groomer
Grooming….not just for small dogs anymore.
The topic of grooming often conjures up images of small, fluffy dogs named Precious, Princess, or Snuggles. While this is true, I do groom my share of Princesses, I also groom my share of Max’s, Riley’s, Charlies’ and other dogs who tower over me while on the grooming table. Gone are the days where grooming was a second thought and something you did once a year.
The pet industry is a billion dollar a year business and grooming is a huge part of that. Dogs today are being purchased at and many of these dogs eventually will top the scales at 60lbs or more. People are drawn to these dogs easily because they have cute names and even cuter faces.
The problem is, the person selling the dog is not always going to tell the potential owner of the huge grooming care and commitment that comes with the new bundle of joy. It’s expensive and can get downright frustrating if you are trying to tackle it at home.
I find these days that people are quite willing to commit to a life of brushing and at home maintenance between grooms. It’s quite refreshing to finally see and certainly makes it easier on everyone, dog included, when it comes time for that haircut. The attitudes of owners towards grooming is finally getting to a level where we, as groomers, are getting more of a choice of style other than the dreaded “shave down” because owners are taking better care of the coat at home.
While my grooming advice obviously can go towards any breed of dog out there, the bottom line is - bigger dog = bigger grooming headaches!!! Brushing out a Yorkie at it’s worst is hours of difference between brushing out that Goldenpoo with even just a few tangles! Here are 4 categories that larger breed dogs can fall into and what you can expect as far as grooming commitments.
1. Even short haired dogs need grooming. BELIEVE ME!!! I have owned nothing but short haired dogs and my couch and our clothing can testify to what happens when an owner neglects brushing this type of coat.
Yes. I admit it, I’m terrible! When I lack on the bathing and brushing on my girls, (a Greyhound and an American Staffordshire Terrier) my house and clothes pay the price. Dogs with coats like the Visla, Mastiffs, Doberman, and Rottweiler may not have a thick coat or an undercoat, but it still needs a good brushing now and then.
There is a product called the Hounds Mitt, or Hound Glove that works like a dream. It doesn’t look like much, but does a great job removing dead coat. It goes over your hand and you just rub your dog in a circular motion or back and forth to loosen the dead coat. Meanwhile your dog gets a massage! Everyone wins! Another place to focus on some specific short haired dogs in the face. Dogs like Boxers, Mastiff-types, and Bulldogs have wrinkles upon wrinkles which need attention on a regular basis. A damp cloth will do the trick, but during a bath this area needs some special attention. This area can get smelly, irritated and dry if neglected.
2. Natural type coated breeds make up a large percentage of large breeds out there. The Golden Retriever, (well…all retrievers!), Afghans, Husky, Bernese Mountain Dogs and many mixes are included in this.
These dogs, while beautiful to look at, can be challenging to groom at home. The dreaded undercoat can be the reason why. I don’t know why, but there doesn’t seem to be a good selection of brushes and combs out for the general public to deal with these coats. A slicker brush is a great start. Making sure you brush right down to the skin, you can remove quite a bit of undercoat this way. There is a tool called an “undercoat rake” that we use to help us take this out and it’s a godsend!
CAUTION: There is a potential for people to do some damage to the skin with some of these tools. Thus the reason they’re not readily available in your local pet store and best left to your groomer. A simple wide tooth pet comb will do a surprisingly good job in between grooming to remove dead coat. Don’t rule out professional grooming on these breeds. Our high tech bathing systems and especially our high velocity dryers will remove the maximum amount of hair that is ready to come out. These dogs can go a little longer than short haired breeds between professional grooming. It’s usually a personal preference to these owners and how much they are willing to do at home.
3. Another type of coat that is a little higher on the maintenance scale is the larger breeds that require a bit more stylized attention! These include the Giant Schnauzer, Setter, English Springer Spaniel, and the Bouvier. These dogs are either carded, which is a process in which the dead, longer hair is pulled out using a stripping knife or clipped with the furnishings trimmed with scissors. Either way, most of these dogs require a lot more grooming to maintain their classic good looks! Again, it depends on the amount of brushing the owner does at home as to how long the dog can go between grooms. To maintain a neat appearance, I usually see these dogs every 6-8 weeks.
4. Lastly is the large breed, hybrid type dogs like the Goldenpoo, Labradoodle, Giant Schnoodle. Most dogs of this type have been bred with the Standard Poodle, which has a coat that easily mats. The problem is, that they are sometimes bred with a dog with an undercoat as well. So what you’re left with is a dog with an undercoat…that mats!!
I know these dogs are sold as hypoallergenic and don’t shed. I can tell you from personal experience, and testimony from other owners that the Goldenpoo does shed. And how! In my 7 years of grooming this is easily one of the highest maintenance coats I’ve ever seen. It comes down to an owner making a choice between frequent visits to the groomer (like every 4-6 weeks) to maintain that beautiful coat in a long cut, or just accept a shorter cut and go a bit longer between grooms. Even the best brushed out Goldenpoo will still take me upwards of 3 hours to groom in a coat kept any longer than 1 ½ inches. It’s not uncommon for these dogs to take 1 hour to dry alone!! When this coat mats badly, it just cannot be brushed out and will come off in one pelt. I hate doing this, and really prefer the longer, scissor cuts but sometimes it’s just not possible.
So, there’s lots more to grooming than this but if you’re looking into adding a large breed dog to your house, these examples might give you a brief idea of what you might be in for! Lots of large dogs fit just fine into apartments and condos. It just comes down to research, research, research into grooming, exercise, and activity level as to which may be best for you. Don’t be afraid of asking your vet, people you see in the park and especially your groomer for advice on what you may be in for. That’s what we’re there for and any good groomer should be more than happy to hand out advice. After all, it makes it easier on everyone especially your dog.
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