Softening and Detangling a Dust Mop

[4DogsSake]

Pixie isn't purebred, so I don't know if her coat is quite the same. Her coat picks up everything it touches, and it holds it like Velcro. Pixie is in the dense woods, chasing through the underbrush, rolling in pine needles, and so on every single day. She's always covered in pine needles, bark, seed pods, dry moss, etc. every time we go outside.

I brush her 2-3 times daily, and have to at least rinse her of mud and so on (no shampoo) 1-3 times per week, but I think her coat is suffering from it. I've had her 2 months, and I can't be sure, but I think her coat is rougher and tangles more easily now than when she first arrived. Could all that brushing be damaging?

This is probably the opposite of what you want in a show dog, but I'm looking for ways to soften her topcoat, and keep it from picking up so much debris and tangling so easily.

All my dogs are on a combination of raw, homemade, and premium commercial foods (Evo, Merrick, Solid Gold, etc.), and they get vitamin supplements including zinc, fish oil, DHA and EPA. My other dogs' coats are like mink or silk, so I don't think Pixie's coat has gotten rougher due to diet. I'm happy to hear diet/supplement suggestions though since one can never know whether there is something better.

I've had long haired dogs before, but none were ever such dust mops.

I'm using a regular pin brush and a comb. Is there a better brush for her coat type? She loves brushing, and except for burs and sticky seed pods, everything brushes out easily and quickly.

Edited July 8, 2013 by 4DogsSake

[kjwarnold]

In my experience, the harsher the coat, the less it picks up and the more it stays clean.  I had my first Cairn groomed and his coat turned very soft.  He needed more baths and tended to pick up grass and dirt more easily.  With Packy & Kirby, I strip them and they rarely need baths.  They do pick up some stickers periodically, but for the most part, they don't pick up as much as the groomed dog did.  Brushing shouldn't damage Pixie's coat, and neither should just rinsing her with plain water.  How old is she?  If she's young, maybe she's just getting her big girl coat.

[Idaho Cairns]

I agree with Jandy--the harsher the outer coat the easier it is to remove the debris with a good wire brush.  The softer inner coat is most likely to jam up with stuff and knots than the outer coat. 

Perhaps it is merely your increased activity with the new dog that is misleading you into believing the coat is becoming damaged--the more you get out the more the need to groom becomes.

Most Cairns have enough natural oils in their skin to keep the hair healthy but at any given time, depending on how much mud, weeds, and water the girls get into, they can look pretty scraggly.  I understand that supplements like fish oil can help dogs with dryer lighter hair--might want to try that before clipping the dog down.

[Hillscreek]

The harsh top coat with the soft undercoat protect a cairn. Harsher the better on the outside as easier to clean off. Angus's coat was dry when younger and I used salmon oil added to his food for six months or so. It is fine now.

I use bristle brush, slicker and comb and my fingers for grooming. 

That said, different cairns have different coats. You may have to experiment. As Pixie's new coat comes in you get a better idea of what she really has. 

[4DogsSake]

Pixie is around 1.5 years old judging by tooth wear, plaque, nails, and behavior, but she's a rescue, so I can't be sure. At what age do cairns get their adult coats? It should probably be right around now, no?

Nothing ever reaches her undercoat. That Velcro topcoat of hers snags it all before it goes any deeper. Her undercoat is thin, fine, and really soft, but only 1/2 - 3/4 inches long.

It might just be the increased activity, and/or maybe there is more junk to get caught in her coat just because of the season and drier air (the sticky weed seeds are pretty new). I'm so glad she likes brushing or we'd be in a world of trouble.

Edited July 8, 2013 by 4DogsSake

[Idaho Cairns]

Yep, if you are going to let your Cairn run in anything more than a manicured lawn, you better be prepared to use the brush but that's pretty much the case with any longer haired breed of dog. 

She should be fully coated at 18 months so what you are looking at is probably what you will get except for color--that can change from a little to a lot as the Cairn ages.