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Grooming Tips by Breed and Coat Color

Written By Kassidy Emmerson

Whether your dog is a purebred show dog or a mixed breed mutt, being a proud, loving dog owner means you want to keep your pets looking their best. Dogs' coats are just like people's hair - there are many different colors and all kinds of types. One type of shampoo doesn't suit all humans. Nor can it be used on all dogs. Read this informative article and find out some dog grooming tips by breed and coat color!

1. White Dogs
I had a mixed breed dog who was mainly West Highland White Terrier. When her hair was long, it was soft and thick. When it was trimmed short, as during the hot summer months, Lady's coat was curly and somewhat wiry. I groomed her every week to keep her coat shiny and healthy. When her hair was longer, I brushed it thoroughly before bathtime. This way, you can locate and remove the mats. Here's a grooming tip to remember: once those hair mats on your dog (any color) become wet and get shampoo on them, they shrink and become tighter to their skin. That's why you want to remove them beforehand.

Another tip, when it comes to grooming white dogs is, to use a shampoo, and conditioner, if needed, that's specially formulated for white fur. These products will brighten your dog's light coat and make it shiny.

Besides the West Highland White Terrier, other breeds that have light coats are American White Shepherds, Polish Tatra Sheepdogs and White Boxers.

2. Black Colored Dogs
Black dogs are naturally harder to groom for two reasons: 1) It's difficult to check heir fur for flea or lice, and 2) the quick on their black toenails is invisible. White or light-colored dogs have a dark line across their nails. When you're trimming them, you can easily tell how far up to trim their nails, which is below the quick. It's tricky to trim black toenails on a dog. You must carefully only trim a little bit at a time.

A grooming tip for all dogs is, when you're trimming their nails, if you accidentally cut into the quick, you can stop the bleeding by using a styptic pencil. Or, you can apply ice to the cut and apply a little pressure. The bleeding should stop in a few minutes.

Breeds of dogs that are black include the Black Russian Terrier. They have a wiry, tight fur coat. To groom this dog properly, the hair inside their ears needs to be removed. The fur that grows under their paws needs trimmed too.

3. Yellow/Red Colored Dogs
The Redbone Coonhound generally has a soft coat full of fine, reddish hair. This breed sheds very little, so a light brushing of their coat occasionally should do the trick. These dogs do need their ears checked and cleaned on a regular basis though.

Yellow Labrador Retriever
Did you know this is the most popular breed of dog in the world? (Wikipedia.com) This yellow/reddish dog has a short, thick coat. Labs only shed twice a year, but they can shed like crazy. If this describes your dog, you can use a short-hair rake to remove much of the dead fur. You should then use a wire slicker brush to collect any remaining fur. And finally, a wide-toothed comb helps remove clumps of matted hair.

The Chinese Shar Pei
This breed of dogs has a short, hard coat that needs regular brushing. According to the AKC standards, a Chinese Shar Pei that has a soft or wavy coat, or a coat that is longer than an inch at the withers, or, has a coat that's been trimmed are "major faults."

Irish Setters
The Irish Setter, or Red Setter, as they are often called, have soft, flat, medium-length coats. You need to brush this breed every day to keep its fur tangle-free and looking great.

Miscellaneous Grooming Tips for All Dog Breeds and Colors
1. Give your dog a bath only when it is needed. Over-bathing causes a dog's skin and fur to become dry. When this happens, your dog will scratch like s/he has fleas.

2. Check your dog's ears on a regular basis. Look for ear mites, fleas, signs of infection and inflammation.

3. Never try to trim a dog's fur before giving him/her a bath. The dirt will dull your clipper/scissors blades.

Resources

1. www.bestfriendspetcare.com/dog_grooming/
2. www.petgroomer.com/groomingbasics101.htm
3. www.canismajor.com/dog/groom1.html

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