Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

104 •DOG OWNER’S HOME VETERINARY HANDBOOK
How often to groom depends on the dog’s coat type, breed, and the purpose
for which she is being groomed. Show dogs, for example, usually require daily
grooming. Longhaired dogs should be brushed frequently to prevent the coat
from tangling and matting. Certain breeds require braiding or tying up, plucking,
and clipping. For these dogs it is a good idea to consult a breeder or professional
pet groomer.
These are some useful grooming tools. The ones you will use most will
depend upon your dog’s breed and the nature of her coat.
• Grooming table. It should be solid with a nonslippery surface. Adjust
the table to a height at which you can work without bending. Use for all
grooming sessions that last more than a few minutes.
• Bristle brush. This is a brush for all breeds. It removes loose hair and
surface dirt and dresses the top coat. A brush with natural bristles produces
less static electricity.
• Pin brush. This brush has long pins protruding from a rubber cushion.
It’s especially effective for longhaired breeds.
• Slicker brush. This is a rectangular board with thin, bent wire teeth and
a handle. A slicker brush is used to remove loose hair. Brush in short,
deep strokes. This brush may be too harsh to use on shorthaired dogs.
• Hound glove (palm brush). Intended for shorthaired breeds, this is a
glove or pouch that you slip over your hand and then use to wipe down.
It may have small rubber nubs or a sisal pad that does the actual grooming.
The glove removes dead hair and gives a polish to the coat.
• Comb. A standard wide-tooth metal comb with smooth, round teeth is
used for areas where the hair is short and to hold up hair for scissors. A
fine-tooth comb is used to unsnarl fine hair. Many utility combs, such as
the Greyhound comb, combine both features: the teeth are one-quarter
inch (6mm) apart on one side of the comb and one-eighth inch apart
(3mm) on the other. A flea comb is a very fine-tooth comb with 30 to
36 teeth per inch.
• Scissors. These are used to trim the coat, trim long hair on the feet in
most breeds, and cut out mats. Dogs with long hair may need the hair
trimmed around the rectum. The tips should be blunt or rounded.
Thinning shears are scissors with spaces between the teeth that thin out
hair but don’t cut all of it.
• Rake. Long- and short-toothed rakes are used to remove loose, dead hair
during shedding. They will damage healthy hair if used too vigorously.
• Mat splitter. This single- or multi-bladed tool is used to break up mats
into smaller and smaller strands.