Wool is a kind of "calling card" of any dog. During walks, especially in bad weather, it often gets dirty, which negatively affects not only the appearance of your pet but also its health. In order for the dog to always look aesthetically pleasing, its coat must be properly looked after.
Generally, dog hair consists of 3 layers:
External. This is long, coarse hair, which is most often subject to various types of damage.
The middle layer is the dense undercoat under the outer layer. It is thanks to the middle wool layer that the dog can withstand severe frosts.
The bottom layer is thin fluff, a kind of "underwear" for your pet. This layer of wool is very delicate and requires special and careful care.
Each dog breed has a shedding period during which it sheds down and undercoats. During this period, the coat begins to fall out, sometimes gets confused, and remains on the pet in the form of tangles, thereby causing him a lot of inconveniences. In order for the animal to feel comfortable and have a well-groomed appearance, it must be freed from dead hair.
This procedure can be done using the following tools:
- Stiff short bristle brush and felt glove. This item set is perfect for short-haired dogs. Using them, you can easily rid your friend of dead hair.
- A double-ended metal comb is essential for long-haired dogs. On the one hand, the teeth on a double-sided comb should be sparse so that you can comb the coat along the entire length, and on the other hand, frequent, for a more thorough combing again. Moreover, the tips of the teeth should be round, so as not to injure the animal during combing.
- A massage brush with which you can tidy up the top layer of wool. This tool is needed for dogs of all breeds.
- Cord brush (wire). It is ideal for the final cutting phase. The cord brush fluffs up the dog's coat, giving it volume and splendor. Over time, the teeth of this brush are erased, as a result of which, while combing, the pet can be injured. To avoid this, the cord brushes need to be changed frequently.
- A one-sided metal comb is required for combing hair in hard-to-reach areas (groin, armpits, inner side of the ears).
- Special comb with several rows of metal teeth. This tool is needed for untangling tangles that are too dense.
- Pinching knife. This knife is usually used for trimming. You can do it yourself. To do this, a ten-centimeter piece of a hacksaw blade, rounded at the corners, must be planted on a wooden handle. In general, all tools should have wooden handles. This will help prevent the dog's hair from getting electrified.
- Scissors with long and sharp tips are needed for cutting long-haired dogs. Usually, they cut off the top layer of wool.
- Thinning scissors are used to thin out too thick wool layers.
- Miniature scissors. This tool is usually used to trim the hair around the eyes and near the claws.
Clipper for dogs. It is of 2 types:
Mechanical (It works silently, which does not attract the attention of the animal. But often this type of machine leaves furrows from the knives on the fur. Besides, it often gets clogged and jammed during clipping. And it is quite difficult to work with such a tool).
Electric (During operation, it makes sounds that often frighten the pet. However, it cuts very well and easily, and most importantly, it is painless for the dog).
Nippers. The tool is needed to remove claws. Nippers must be strong and sharp. After all, dogs' claws are usually hard and strong.
Remember to bathe your pet regularly. Moreover, the dog should have a shampoo that is suitable for its coat and a conditioner balm that makes it easy to comb the coat after bathing. And remember that the appearance of your animal is mainly up to you.