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After the groomers butchered Artie by trimming his feet and butt (UK Samoyeds shouldn't have any fur trimmed) and even thinning his tail fur out I invested in a blaster and now groom him myself. He hates being brushed and jumps down from grooming tables as soon as you turn your back for a second. Eventually I'll get my own table with a double arm wand but the single arm didn't hold him either By the way this was him less than 24 hours later, he wasn't born to be a white fluffy dog  
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Apr 21, 2014 14:12
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cheese eats mouse posted:Someone help me dog judo when it comes to the face and feet. It's a battle ground for me. Almost finished her face from last week hah. It's mostly around the eyes and mouth. It's SUPER hard to explain this sort of thing without actually, physically showing you. A lot of the problem I've seen with owners is that they're either too worried about holding their dog still, or they accidentally reward their dog for pulling (or both!) When it comes to holding like this, it's best to see if maybe there's a groomer in your area who would be willing to show you up close how to work on things. Suspect Bucket posted:Also also, practice first in a non-grooming situation. Attempt the holds gently in a training envoronment, offering encouragement and treats. If you're not comfortable with doing it, or dont feel like you can do it safely, just don't try. Better to have a slightly weird looking dog then a pair of scissors sticking out of someone's eye. THIS! Better to be safe than sorry!! When it comes to scissors by the face, I like to use a closed pen (the kind with a cap with no pointed end). That way, I can still use something coming up close to the dog's eyes (which is pretty terrifying!) with having less of a chance of something very bad happening. Hold it longways, like you would to put on a pair of glasses, if that makes any sense. Like I said, MUCH easier to show you than to explain it, haha! Zenithbliss posted:He hates being brushed and jumps down from grooming tables as soon as you turn your back for a second. Eventually I'll get my own table with a double arm wand but the single arm didn't hold him either You probably don't want to hear this after dropping money on a table and everything, but you really don't need one.  If you're doing the grooming on your own, you're not stuck with the time constraint that groomers have. It's much less stressful to brush a dog out when they're lying nicely on the floor. You have the benefit of being able to work slowly at it. Start by calling Artie over and having him lay down by you. If he REALLY doesn't like being brushed, seriously only brush him for like a second, then as long as he's still laying down nicely, give him a release command (I use "All done!" with Buddy) and give him some delicious treat that you ONLY give him when he's done being groomed. Once he makes the connection that he gets a treat after being brushed, you can start upping the length of time of your grooming session. If he's not attached to anything, HE is the one that gets to make the choices, so he has the OPTION of choosing the right one. If he gets up and walks away, just stay where you are, and call him back. Pretty soon he'll realize that he's completely free to walk away at any time, but he only gets that delicious, delicious reward if he lets you do your thing until you release him.After awhile, you'll get a good sense of how long is good for him, and when you should chill out. At this point, I could brush Buddy for like an hour and he'll still be ok, although that only happens if I get in a groove and aren't paying attention. I also make the reward greater and greater for longer and longer sessions, so it's worth it to stick it out. If he seems to continually get up, or if it seems like he's showing a lot of stress signals, stop the session a little earlier the next time. It's a tough thing to do when you have a dog with all that hair, but if you work on it a few times a day, you'll still get all the work done. And eventually he'll let you get it better and better. You just need to start slow.
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Apr 21, 2014 21:12
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For bigger dog brush-outs I actually really like having them on the table, I feel like brushing out bellies and chests would be kind of annoying to do while the dog's lounging on the floor. For feet I try to keep my thumb or the middle knuckle of my finger behind the big paw pad, depending on if I'm holding the foot out in front or underneath the dog. That way if the dog jerks its foot real quick I've got a good grip and their foot can't slide out of my hand. When you're doing Honey's feet it'll mostly be you finding interesting ways to keep a steady, firm-but-not-painful grip while simultaneously spreading her toes and shaving it all.
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Apr 22, 2014 03:03
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Fat Dio posted:For bigger dog brush-outs I actually really like having them on the table, I feel like brushing out bellies and chests would be kind of annoying to do while the dog's lounging on the floor. See, I really like it on the floor, because if a dog is nice and relaxed, they'll lay on their sides so you can lift a leg and be able to see in there and teach really well. I guess it all depends on preference.
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Apr 22, 2014 03:15
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I haven't got a table yet, that's just when I visit his breeder I use it. Oddly enough for such a thick double coated dog he is easy maintenance, he hadn't been brushed for about three weeks until Friday. He does come back to me unless he's really had enough as he can't resist food bribes
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Apr 23, 2014 09:14
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Hey Groomers, I have a question if no one would mind giving a bit of advice.  I need to groom one of my mother's older kitties soon as his (very long) fur has become a bit of a mess, but every time I've done so in the past he's gotten stressed and bitey...it doesn't really make either of us happy. He has albinism and poor eyesight, so I'm not sure if it's just that he has trouble tracking what's going on, hates the sound of the shaver, his fur pulls too much...it just really pisses him off and I usually sport a few bites and scratches no matter how gently I work with him. So without beating around the bush...is there any way to sedate a senior cat safely? He's about 12 years old and I'd estimate him to be about 8 to 9 pounds. He has no renal or other health issues save for partial blindness. I don't want to try anything without a vet's opinion, but I'd like some advice about what direction I should go in. I just figure that the stress is bad for him at this age- and nobody likes being bitten!! ((Do they make kitty muzzles?  I've never seen or needed one.))Thank you for any help!! EDIT: I've been grooming my cats and my mom's cats for about 3 years, now...but none of my own have never bitten or scratched; they're all super-chill about it. Warlord is the only bratty cat I've ever had to attempt to spruce up. Freakbox fucked around with this message at 09:52 on Apr 23, 2014 |
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Apr 23, 2014 09:35
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^^ I'd just talk to the vet about something to medicate him with, a muzzle might just make the stress worse and since he's old you really don't want to stress him out unnecessarily. I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here, but get your dog's nails trimmed and keep a close eye on the dewclaws especially. Had a shih tzu in the other day, matted tight to the skin and of course it all covered up the state of the rear dewclaws. I clipped the one nail and it came off fine. I thought I felt the end of the other nail, clipped it and it didn't budge - it was embedded in the toepad. See the stuff stuck to it near the sharp end? That's how far in it was. I pulled it out (should I not have? I didn't want to leave it there to wobble around in the wound) and told the owner to take the dog to the vet right away. 
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May 23, 2014 21:25
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I got to watch the groomer at work shave a standard poodle down to his skin today, then pull burs out of the dogs skin. Also I got a dog yesterday that would piss and then walk in the piss and then sit in the piss, after I bathed and dried it. 
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May 31, 2014 03:56
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Fat Dio posted:I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here, but get your dog's nails trimmed and keep a close eye on the dewclaws especially. Oh goooodddddd dewclaws. "Haha, I am a responsible person keeping my dog in decent trim without mats, weight or medical issues, or other problems. Oh, he's limping a bit, let's make sure he hasn't picked up a burr or soHOLY HELL I JUST CLIPPED THESE." Are you trying to corner the market in nail trimmings, Max? I know you have long quicks but this poo poo is getting ridiculous. So yes, check your dog's dews. Even if your dog is not a horrible matted mess.
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May 31, 2014 04:07
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I'm hoping one of you would be able to answer a question for me. We've got a long hair cat who loves to shed/mat and so we're trying to increase the frequency of brushing sessions. But we've noticed that we have more luck getting loose hair off her with a de-matting tool than with either the regular brush or the slicker. Are de-matting and de-shedding tools basically the same thing? And if not, can someone recommend a good one for us?
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May 31, 2014 17:21
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The dematting tool is going to have a blade that's made to cut into the mats to break them up. It's pretty likely you're damaging the coat, but if the mats are already there, it's a good option. I personally find using a metal comb with a slicker works best. Anything too tough for the comb, you break up a bit with the brush. After brushing, you comb everything to the skin until the comb glides through with no resistance. If you're still getting stuck, you aren't done.
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May 31, 2014 22:55
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I hand scissored column legs for the first time today, I'm kind of proud of myself! It was a lot of fun, the dog stood like a statue for me and the coat was wonderful to shape. I did sort of a Bichon head on the dog too, but I don't know if it totally counts since the owner wanted sort of longer ears?
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Jun 1, 2014 02:36
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I wish you had pictures! It's so nice to get some variety now and then. My boss just did a dog the other day with a mohawk down her back, haha! I took way longer than I should have on the dog I was doing just because I kept watching the progress while we cracked up.
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Jun 1, 2014 20:13
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We had a kid get a mohawk all the way down his dog's back, he asked for a "DinoHawk" Well since my work is officially allowing/encouraging photos and stuff on the job, here's the dog. Didn't get a real photo of the head and face though since just as I took this photo his owner came in to pick him up and he got all "omg omg omg going home" excited.  I am figuring out twitter and I think I followed you on there?
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Jun 2, 2014 01:55
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He's really cute! Looks like difficult hair for legs and a head like that, too, you did a good job. I have NO idea about the twitter thing, I only joined it for SPARCS last year. So you probably are! I think I got an email that someone new was following me, haha.
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Jun 2, 2014 13:15
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My girlfriend did this to my Border Collie/Jack mix just the other day. I've been away so I haven't seen him in the flesh, but she did send me this picture. He's got a really wirey jack coat but smooth like velvet underneath. The girlfriend says its kinda like an airedale.
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Jun 2, 2014 13:41
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 I'm not sure how you would take care of a coat like that though. Strip? LITFA?
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Jun 2, 2014 15:02
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I read in the OP and well the thread title about not shaving down your Lab but... I was planning on taking my lab mix in for a shampoo and a nail trim is there anything I could have them do to thin out his coat some? I live in S TX and it's hot and he's got black fur so I was hoping to try and offer him some relief from the heat. He lives inside in the AC but still. Super 3 fucked around with this message at 18:44 on Jun 2, 2014 |
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Jun 2, 2014 16:13
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A furminator might not be a bad choice. Groomers, what say you? Removing as much undercoat as possible via a furminator and a thorough blow-out is probably the best option.
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Jun 2, 2014 16:22
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Yeah, ask them if they've got nice powerful dryers that can blow all that undercoat out, and the furminator conditioner is really nice for loosening it up. Today this elderly man dropped off his one-eyed ShihTzu for me, when he came to get him he yelled back to me "HOW'D YOU LIKE MY ONE-EYED MONSTER?"
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Jun 3, 2014 02:19
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Artie after I bathed and dried him on Saturday    I wish he'd start blowing his coat though, get that undercoat out is next to impossible all I get is wispy strands
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Jun 3, 2014 12:21
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I need to bitch, and this seems to be the appropriate place. My boyfriend's parents have a German shepherd. A few weeks ago when we were visiting, they were talking about taking her in for a shave down because she's blowing her winter coat and is shedding massive clumps of hair. I pointed out that a furminator would help immensely, and was told, "Yeah, we had one of those, but you still had to brush her like once a week, or something." Apparently brushing their dog once a week is a ridiculous amount of effort. 
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Jun 4, 2014 07:56
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NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Tell them to just give me their dog instead. Who the hell gets a GSD and doesn't think about the shedding?
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Jun 4, 2014 12:29
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^^Idiots You tell those idiots that shaving their dog will make more and thicker undercoat grow than before, it will get matted and disgusting and overheat the dog, they'll get stuck with worse/more coat to maintain than what they have now. If they're willing to spend money shaving it they may as well spend the same amount of money getting it properly bathed and blown out at a groomers. Or at least bring it in to the groomers and have them run the force dryer on her for like a half hour.
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Jun 5, 2014 03:07
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Fat Dio posted:^^Idiots I'll keep trying, but they don't really listen to me because "you're not a dog person" and "you don't know what being a real adult is like!"  No, I'm not a dog person. There are currently two living dogs that I actively like and a handful that I don't mind. Doesn't mean I don't know about it. My first dog was a GSD mutt and the best dog ever. She died because of owner negligence* (I was 12) and I feel a moral obligation to do whatever I can to prevent that from happening to other animals.*Failure to get all her shots, if anyone is wondering. She got parvo and mom didn't tell us because we were at camp, so we couldn't try to nurse her through it. She held on long enough to say goodbye to my sister and I, then went off into the pasture to die.
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Jun 5, 2014 06:20
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Could someone link to a good "how to" on brushing out double coated breeds? I feel like I'm not doing it right(shiba owner). We have been using a greyhound brush per recc of her breeder. She isn't blowing coat or anything(should happen soon, she's almost 7 months, right?), and not shedding much at all anyways, but just want to be prepared for the inevitable. I figure there's more to it than front-to-back brushing, right?
Psychobabble! fucked around with this message at 11:00 on Jun 5, 2014 |
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Jun 5, 2014 10:54
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Usually hilighting the extra work and hair and dead skin and awfulness that comes with having a shaved double-coated dog helps convince people they're creating more problems than they already have, but if they won't listen to you maybe just try to get them to talk to a groomer? But there's a good chance they'll just get a groomer who'll be happy to take their money and not bother educating them... Psychobabble what makes you think you're not doing it right? An undercoat rake is usually pretty good for getting down to the skin and pulling undercoat out when the furpocalypse starts. I usually work in sections starting from the bum and moving forward rather than moving from the shoulders or neck back, so you're finishing up the brush stroke on fur that's already been run through. I haven't actually had too many Shibas, but in general a lot of shed hair gets clumped right around the base of the tail and at the shoulders. If you find a clump try breaking it up to pull out in pieces rather than combing the whole thing out at once, for her comfort. Use your free hand to steady her and stretch the skin just a bit so you don't make it roll and run the brush over bunched up skin.
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Jun 5, 2014 16:06
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I asked you guys at some point last year about using dog clippers on my goats and ended up going with the andis 2 speed and some ceramic edge #10 blades and now I'm totally in love with them. I've gotten through 2 shearing seasons with tidy ups in between and they always leave my goats looking amazing and the fleece I get off of them is fantastic. I can even use them on squirrely little kids and don't have to worry about cutting them accidentally like I did with my sheep shears. Last weekend I even did a whole flock of sheep with them! I keep them clean and lubricated and they just keep on going. Just wanted to say thanks for the advice grooming thread! All my creatures and my clients' creatures appreciate it.
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Jun 5, 2014 20:25
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Do you guys have a recommendation for a good shampoo for a dry, flaky coat? I know with dry skin I don't want to overwash, but I would like to give Vastra a bath and I want to make sure I'm using shampoo that won't make the problem worse. Also, is there any benefit to leave-in conditioners? They're all marketed as detanglers and her fur is too short for that to be a concern. The vet did a skin scrape and determined it's not mites, so we're hoping she's just prone to dry skin and a combo of diet and supplements will make her coat nice and lush.
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Jun 20, 2014 03:09
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Oster Oatmeal Shampoo. Pre-soak, massage in the shampoo, leave it in for a few minutes (like 3 or 4), rinse thoroughly. Really, any oatmeal shampoo would probably work, I just remeber using bulk Oster stuff the most. Have you discussed oil supplements with the vet? I have a friend who gives her dog a tablespoon of olive oil with his meal, it glossed his coat up like a charm.
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Jun 20, 2014 04:10
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What's the coat like, do you have a picture? Is the hair itself dry, or is it a skin issue? Does the flaking make him feel gunky/greasy/filmy? For a COAT that's dry, I like Fresh n Clean Oatmeal. I use this a lot on double coated dogs that need to keep moisture and oils in their hair. Bonus that they sell it EVERYWHERE. I'm guessing this is similar to the Oster one Suspect Bucket is talking about, but I've never used that one before. For SKIN that's dry, I specifically like this conditioner. It's a little heavy, and isn't fantastic as a detangler, but it's pretty great at putting oil back in the skin. If the skin flaking is causing buildup, and the dog never really seems or stays clean, we just started using this. It says 2 in 1, but I'd still use a conditioner. We ordered this stuff on a whim once, and it's seriously becoming our new favorite for dogs where the regular oatmeal shampoo is too heavy. It works really well to get out that gunky buildup from flaky or combination skin, but it also really helps to condition the skin, too. But if the dog's skin doesn't seem like it needs that deep cleaning, you'd be better off with a heavier oatmeal. For this one, I'm talking one of those dogs where after you pet them for a second, you feel like you need to wash your hands.
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Jun 20, 2014 11:47
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Both the hair and the skin seem dry. I can't get a good picture that really shows what's going on. She's not greasy feeling at all, in fact her hair feels super dry and brittle to the touch, and has rubbed off almost completely under her collar. She has a lot of hair loss overall, but that's fairly common in track dogs so I'm waiting to see if it worsens or not. The flakes brush away easily, but are always back a few hours later. It's a bit like dandruff. The vet and I did discuss supplements, and he recommended fish oil. I've been doing a little olive oil with her dinner, and I ordered a pump bottle of liquid fish supplement since I hate dealing with capsules. I might do the oatmeal shampoo and that first conditioner Wolfenstein suggested, then give it a while to see if the combo of diet+bath+supplements makes a difference. The vet said he wants to wait before doing any other tests, but that it's entirely possible she has something medical going on. It's not mites for sure, but it could be something like thyroid issues (although she is very young for it to be any of those things).
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Jun 20, 2014 20:59
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Yo, thread. This is Lee.  This is 1% of the horrible contiguous mat on his rear end.  I've finally gotten him on good enough terms with the "Stay still while I gently caress around with your butt and youll get a treat every 30 seconds" concept, so I'll be able to spend a few hours just hacking his mats away one of these days when I have the time. My question is: will scissors go through a 2 inch thick mat and any other fur that's in bad shape better with the fur wet or dry? Should this grooming adventure go down in the closet or the bathtub?
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Jul 17, 2014 03:55
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Wulfolme posted:Yo, thread. Someone more experienced can chime in and correct me but afaik getting it wet first will cause the mats to tighten. Also the OP has advice on some tools that might be more helpful to getting rid of the mats, like a mat breaker. Might be worth it to invest in one of those or a slicker brush at least. Psychobabble! fucked around with this message at 05:49 on Jul 17, 2014 |
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Jul 17, 2014 05:43
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What fur types shouldn't have a furminator used on them? I've heard that you shouldn't use them on certain coat types, but I'm not really sure what that looks like in comparison to coats it's safe to use on. (My pit/¿hound? mix is a shedbeast and I want to make sure I don't wreck her fur by attacking it with a furminator. )
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Jul 17, 2014 17:05
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Psychobabble! posted:Someone more experienced can chime in and correct me but afaik getting it wet first will cause the mats to tighten. If the mats are TRUE mats, this is correct. The hair will get way worse, it's better to get them off or break them up first. If it's really that the mats are just tight clumps of undercoat, then a bath with a lot of conditioner is better to do first, because the undercoat is usually trapped at the root and the water and conditioner help loosen it up. That picture does look just like matting, though, so you definitely would want to break up anything like that before getting in the tub. A word of warning, though, Be absolutely certain that if you're cutting out mats you can see unmatted hair before you hit the skin. Anything closer than that is dangerous to cut with scissors and will need a clipper to shave out. If you are trying to cut mats and accidentally hit skin, it will open up BAD. If the matting is that close, you're better off breaking it up and pulling it apart until you can start working it apart with a hard, curved slicker brush. However, this is very time consuming and stressful for a dog, so you either want to work at it in small bursts every single day until you get it out, or resort to the clipper. (Or a professional grooming, if you think your dog will tolerate it!) Like Clockwork posted:What fur types shouldn't have a furminator used on them? I've heard that you shouldn't use them on certain coat types, but I'm not really sure what that looks like in comparison to coats it's safe to use on. You have a picture of the coat? From the sounds of it, at the very least you won't do any damage, but it's possible the coat's so short it won't even get anything off! It's also possible you have the one type of coat where a Furminator is actually useful. If you already have one, that's great, just give it a shot. If you need to buy one, though, see if there's somewhere you can test it out first. Maybe if you ask at a chain store with a grooming section they'd have one they'd let you test out. Just remember to always brush in the direction of the hair growth and you should be good to go!
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Jul 19, 2014 12:00
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WolfensteinBag posted:You have a picture of the coat? From the sounds of it, at the very least you won't do any damage, but it's possible the coat's so short it won't even get anything off! It's also possible you have the one type of coat where a Furminator is actually useful. I have a close-up of her back fur here (her leg fur is much shorter and her belly fur is really thin, so I doubt a furminator would help more there than a plain old comb). I haven't bought a furminator yet (I didn't want to drop a load of cash on a something that might not work!), but I'll be sure to keep that suggestion in mind next time I swing by the local chain store.  
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Jul 19, 2014 21:24
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My boyfriend's family has a German shepherd. They do the absolute bare minimum to take care of her. She's still got winter coat on her legs and tail. The undercoat is about 2" longer than the guard hairs and I'm afraid to attack it too hard with the undercoat rake because it's matted and I don't want to hurt her. Can I take a pair of hair cutting scissors and trim the fluff down without messing up her coat?
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Jul 20, 2014 04:03
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You're better off using a hard, curved slicker brush to break up the undercoat. The rake is going to stick and tug like you're saying, but if you do light, quick strokes with the brush you'll take the undercoat down in layers. MUCH easier on the dog. After it's all broken up well, the rake might go through easier.
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Jul 20, 2014 05:19
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I asked about a slicker brush and got looked at like I'd sprouted a second head. I'm not particularly surprised. This is the same family that refuses to buy a good brush because they'd still have to brush her "once a week," which they think is unreasonable. I just want to make her feel better because she doesn't have anything good in her life. Her basic needs (medicine, etcR) are provided for and she's fed good food, but beyond that she's an accessory, not a pet. They won't fence in the yard because then they'd have to clean up poop. She only gets taken out to do her business.
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Jul 21, 2014 02:31
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