Grooming Supplies

[Kate]

Happy Turkey Day Everyone!!!

I'm picking up my new puppy from the Breeder on Dec. 10th. I think I have all of the supplies she will need, but I'm a little confused about grooming supplies. I have been reading of the Mars Coat King. How old will the dog be before this is needed, and also where do you all buy yours, over the net or at a pet supply store? Also, what type of brush do I need right off the bat? I've read a pin-head brush is appropriate, but at PetSmart today, they had a different type of bristle brush for terrier dogs. Also, what about the combs, nail clippers, etc. Any help will be appreciated - I want to have everything I need for when my little Mila gets here.

Thanks for your help.

Kate

[bradl]

How exciting. For a puppy you will scarcely need anything - maybe just a pin brush and perhaps a small metal comb. When the puppy coat dies out you can simply pull it out using your fingers. For grip I like to wear finger cots but some folks use a Dr Scholls callus remover or pumice stone instead.

You'll want a nail clipper. There are guillotine and scissor clippers, nail files, and even motorized tools. We use a dremel tool - if you talk to four different owners you'll get four different strategies on nails. One common thread though - much easier if you do it just a bit at a time, regularly. Handle your puppies feet frequently as you groom and play with her, to help her get used it.

You'll want a gallon of Nature's Miracle enzyme cleaner and a fresh case of paper towels for your floors. You may find a package or two of Wet Wipes (we use the kind that does have alcohol) useful for clean-up of the occasional 'cling-on'.

Mila is a great name. One site says it's Czechoslovakian for "industrious" - if so, oh my, what a lovely and appropriate name that will be for a Cairn puppy Have fun!

[Kate]

Thanks for your tips. I have already bought Natures Miracle and have a ton of paper towels - I'll pick up some wet ones.

One question about the dremel tool - is it one like you use for "garage" projects like my husband has or is it a special one for dogs? How do you do it, just grind off the tips? Actually I've thought about one of those for my nails!!!!!

Hopefully my little puppy will learn to let me inspect all of her areas and with patience and love I'll concour that obstacle, if only the next two weeks would hurry up.

Oh, one other question, when I went to pick her out last weekend, she looked like a little bear with all that fur - will it all come out as you have indicated? At what age shall the dog be stripped or plucked? I will get her at 8 weeks.

Thanks again for your help.

[bradl]

You'll know when it's time to come out .. it will literally come out in a clump when you tug on it and it will (typically) be black and straggly looking. I think we pulled Stella's coat around twelve weeks but some aren't ready to come out til later, I suspect. I'm probably not the right guy to ask as my grooming skillz are a scandal.

Dremel would be happy to sell you a "Pet" version for a few dollars more, but we've used the identical plain old Mini-Mite from the hardware store (battery operated, rechargeable, and nice and quiet) and currently use a louder corded power model with a long flexible shaft. Mostly because we've got four to do. We use the coarse sandpaper drum and just tap-tap-tap the nail, just to take off the end. You don't want the nail curving around like a hook - ideally the nails will not even click on the floor when they walk. In my view it's better to do just the tiniest bit very often (every couple of days) rather than try to 'catch up' (once a month) and do too much. Don't ask me if I follow my own advice

[Milopup]

Brad,

Hope it is okay for me to ask you a question in here.

As you may remember, my pup is about 14 months old. I never had his hair pulled/stripped, but instead had him groomed. Will this have damaged his hair and clogged his follicles? We do brush him every day (or every couple of days, though he still hates it!), so was hoping that would prevent hair issues.

Thanks.

[bradl]

Just my opinion here: clipping tends to leave the dead hair attached instead of giving room for new, live coat to come in. Does that guarantee a problem? I doubt it. Would it better to strip? Probably. Brushing will pull out some of the dead coat anyway. Whether enough to keep overall coat and skin healthy, I have no idea. Almost certainly it depends on the individual dog. I hear from people who claim to have great skin, no smells, and fine coats, all when clippered. Who am I to argue? Many breeders also stop stripping the old ones and start clippering, as a kindness to the geriatrics. I would say if you aren't having problems, don't stress about it. If you are having problems, then going to 'best practices' is a good place to start to seek improvement.

[Milopup]

Thanks Brad. I tried to get him stripped once, but the groomer said that since we were clipping his hair that it was too late to strip. Will definitely keep an eye on this, but so far his skin seems fine (I find one or two flakes of dead skin because of the dry cold weather) so keeping my fingers crossed.

[derecskey]

Bella is 23 weeks old and had her first real coat stripping this weekend. We only got her front half done (not including around the eyes and whiskers). It's amazing how the color changes when stripped and how much cleaner, refined, and better she looks. Her coat even feels smoother because we're not feeling all the fuzzy frayed dead hair on her front half. The back half still looks shaggy and fuzzy, so we'll have to finish her this week.

It's also amazing how easy it is to strip, and yet how much time it takes.