How to groom a double coated dog – Dog Grooming demonstration
This is Rio, a ten year old Siberian Husky
and a typical example of a double coated breed.
He’s about to have a grooming makeover in
the hands of a real expert.
Jitka Krizova is one of Europe’s top dog groomers.
Sasha is enjoying herself.
Originally from Slovakia, she now lives and
works in Britain. She’s been showing and grooming
dogs for 20 years and has won an impressive
array of awards. British Groomer of the Year
Award 2006, Eurogroom winner three times in
a row and in 2011 she clipped and snipped
her way to the World Championships as a member
of Groom Team England. Jitka’s sharing her
champion tips and techniques to help you keep
your dog in pristine condition.
With double coated dogs it’s important to
stick to a regular grooming schedule.
Other breeds with coats like Rio’s include
German Shepherd, Akita, Alaskan Malamute and
Shiba Inu. So the grooming techniques are
similar.
Double coated breeds have harsh top coat and
very soft, dense undercoat. Some of the double
coated dogs can produce body oil which can
smell, and this is why they should be bathed
on a regular basis.
Double coated dogs need to be bathed between
once a week and once every three months depending
on the dog. Today Jitka is using a waterless
spray which helps prevent shedding while moisturising
the coat at the same time. This is a shampoo
that sprays directly onto the coat and works
by removing any excess dirt or dead fur. The
best thing is you don’t need to wash it off
– as the name suggests it’s waterless and
leaves your dog’s coat smelling nice and fresh.
Waterless spray is a nice and easy option
to bathing, especially with a bigger and lively
dog, like we have here. She’s never been groomed
by a professional groomer, but I think she
is doing really well.
The outer coat is harsh to touch, while the
undercoat is thick and dense to protect the
dog in extreme weather conditions.
Compared to other breeds, double coated breeds
are quite easy to look after. They don’t need
to a see a professional groomer on a regular
basis, and they can be brushed at home.
Jitka is using a Les Pooches brush which has
a flexible head and is especially for removing
the undercoat. A good alternative to the Les
Pooches brush is a harsh slicker brush which
you can buy in most pet shops. Both work in
the same way by loosening and removing the
dead hair which otherwise will end up all
over your furniture.
When brushing double coated breeds, we have
to pay special attention to collar area and
back end of the dog. The reason for that is
the undercoat is much thicker around the neck
and back end of the dog.
When you bath your dog use a good quality
shampoo and conditioner or detangling solution
to make it easier to brush and comb through
the dense coat.
Never leave your dog wet after bathing. In
humid weather, mildew can build up causing
odour and skin infections.
And in the summer when it’s hot don’t shave
your dog – especially when he’s shed his undercoat.
The top coat helps to keep him cool and if
you shave it off he’ll be at risk of heat
stroke.
Now Rio is finished. The whole brushing took
about 10-15 minutes. If you want your dog’s
coat to keep beautiful like Rio’s here, you
have to brush your dog about once a week.
Huskies completely shed their undercoat twice
a year so you’ll need to brush your dog more
often when he’s going through a shedding phase.
As well as regular brushing, it’s important
to trim your dog’s nails every four to six
weeks and to check his ears for infection
weekly. This coupled with a good diet and
plenty of exercise should ensure you have
a happy, healthy dog.
