Cleaning Dog's Coats

Types of coats: Even within pure dog breeds there is a wide variety of coat types. Each and every different coat type has its own unique needs and problems. Some things are fairly standard when it comes to coat types, for example, longhaired dogs normally shed more hair than shorted haired dogs (though this isn't always true) and the more dense the coat the more care it needs. Longhaired dogs usually need more grooming whereas the short haired normally aren't as problematic. When a dog's coat is not well looked after and kept clean there can be a number of resulting problems such as dander. Dander is a condition something like dandruff in humans but the problem is that some people are highly allergic to dog dander and this skin condition can on occasions be transmitted to humans.

Shorthair: Dogs with shorthaired coats generally need the least amount of care. It is best to use a grooming glove to clean this type of coat.

• Pass the grooming glove over the dog's coat but going against the lay of the hair. This will cause the dog's hair to stand up.
• Again pass the grooming glove over the dog's coat to finish up the job.

Semi longhair: These dogs need more care and their coats are more difficult to keep looking nice. How much work is needed to brush and comb dogs with semi longhaired coats depends largely on the breed and whether they are shedding or not. Some of these dogs also need to have their coats trimmed at least a couple of times a year. Some dogs with these coats only need certain parts of their bodies trimmed whereas others need to have their whole coat trimmed.

Longhair: Now dogs with long hair almost always require daily attention and care. With these dogs it is important that you dedicate sufficient time to grooming them and if you can't then it is important that you have a professional groomer do the job for you. Each different breed of dog with longhaired coats has its own special needs and also each breed has its own characteristic "look." It is a good idea to either take special classes or pay a professional to do your longhaired dog's grooming especially if you want your dog to maintain its particular breeds "look." These dogs often have hair that grows in between the toes on their paws and this hair also must be kept trimmed to avoid the hair becoming dirty causing your dog discomfort.