Rear end

[Jetti]

Hallo Bradl,

Just cannot get over it how much your piece about gtooming of the head is helping me to get Paco look like a real

Cairn. I have trouble with the rear end too. Can you help?

I am a new Cairn owner and live in Portugal where Cairns are practically unknown. Looked to purchase one for

nearly 5 years and the breeder has no clue how he should be groomed. Said Carns shouldn

[bradl]

Wow, you've done very well with Paco's head! Two important disclaimers - I didn't write the article I only posted it for the author Lisa Tuttle. The article appeared in our national club newsletter and she graciously gave me permission to share it more widely. The other disclaimer is that I, personally, am a terrible and lazy groomer. So you probably want advice from someone more knowledgeable than me! Until someone writes another article, our club has a small but excellent booklet specifically about grooming the Cairn. You can order it from this link: Cairn Terrier Grooming - From Start to Finish.

You can also study the pictures of dogs you like. I often look for inspiration in the gallery, here: Cairn Gallery.

Hope that helps a little bit.

[Abbie]

Wow is right Jetti. Paco's head looks like I dream of Abbie's looking. She is one year and has never been too excited about me pulling the hair on her head (she lets me work on the neck, back, etc). So, needless to say the hair on her face is much too long and in bad need of grooming. Now that I have seen what you have done for Paco, I have printed out the instructions that Bradl posted for Lisa Tuttle, and I will get to work. Thank you for the inspiration, and Bradl for posting the instructions.

[Jetti]

Thank you for the compliments. I do have the booklet you mentioned Bradl but unfortunately it doesn

[Aimfor]

Hi there,

I will try to explain as best I can as Ive grromed a pet for someone who had contacted me via my website.

Ok what you are seeing when you stroke his fur backwards is the thick soft undercoat. This should be almost fluffy in texture. The top coat is harsher and longer then this.

To keep this coat in good condition you can do what is called 'rolling the coat'

To do this take a small pinch of the top coat in your fingers.

With you other hands fingers (this is where I use my latex gloves to gain grip) pull out the longer hairs. These are dead and should just pull out easily from the root. this is done all over the body. Everyday just do little bits while your dog is either on your lap or on a grooming table.

The undercoat doesnt need to be touched, thats like his pajamas!

To do his rear end you just need to do this procedure in the shape following his outline.

Just reread your last post again, what you are probably seeing is 'blown coat' the coat has grown too long and needs to be pulled out. This will give either a flyaway or straggly look to the dogs coat.

Youve done a beautiful job with his head btw!

i am going to try to get pictures for DIY on my site next to my explaintions..its so hard to explain

Hope some of what Ive written helps??

[Cairnmania]

The undercoat doesnt need to be touched, thats like his pajamas!

The undercoat does need to be touched - meaning combing or brushing it out so loose hairs are removed.

[Cairnmania]

Thank you for the compliments. I do have the booklet you mentioned Bradl but unfortunately it doesn

[Jetti]

Hi Cairnmania.

You just explained EXACTLY how Paco's body looks at the moment. Since I have done my homework before I bought him, I had a pretty good idea of what I was supposed to do. So I rolled his coat from the beginning but now I am at a point where I am afraid to pluck more because he may be left with only his underwear.

I would say he has about 15% of his body with the type of hair you discribe; less coarse and lighter in colour

and over 2 inches long.

To pluck or not to pluck that is the question. Can you tell me?

I also have to do something about his legs.....for the time being I have only gotten a little bit of very long hair

off them because I read that the hair sometimes is much too thin there and one should be carefull. Right??

He does not seem to mind the trimming and I have never ever taken the scissor to him.

[Aimfor]

The undercoat doesnt need to be touched, thats like his pajamas!

The undercoat does need to be touched - meaning combing or brushing it out so loose hairs are removed.

I mean as in stripping it...

[Cairnmania]

Hi Cairnmania.

You just explained EXACTLY how Paco's body looks at the moment. Since I have done my homework before I bought him, I had a pretty good idea of what I was supposed to do. So I rolled his coat from the beginning but now I am at a point where I am afraid to pluck more because he may be left with only his underwear.

I would say he has about 15% of his body with the type of hair you discribe; less coarse and lighter in colour

and over 2 inches long.

To pluck or not to pluck that is the question. Can you tell me?

I also have to do something about his legs.....for the time being I have only gotten a little bit of very long hair

off them because I read that the hair sometimes is much too thin there and one should be carefull. Right??

He does not seem to mind the trimming and I have never ever taken the scissor to him.

Coat that is over 2 inches long definitely needs to be pulled out. Paco may have a thin coat. My Abby does not have a very heavy top coat - Rudi's coat is so thick there seems to be no end to it! With Abby I pull her coat little and often. I have to be extra careful because it's very easy to pull a "hole" in her top coat. So, my advice is to pull all the top coat out that is over 1-1/2 inches in length. In three weeks time check his coat again and do the same - any outer coat more than 1-1/2 inches long pull out.

If you find that you are leaving holes - then be brave and strip all the outer coat. Start from the beginning to build his coat up - meaning pulling little and often. Starting as soon as the coat reaches just over an inch in length. For a pet, every three weeks is more than enough to keep a dog looking great. What you are aiming for is an outer coat with hairs at different lengths.

As to the feet - I cheat because I do not show my dogs. Below the "knee" I use scissors - the kind that do not have a straight edge so the hairs do not look cut. Above the knee I pull the hairs just as I do the body. I also use scissors for the hair nearest to their underside and I use scissors up the back of their legs - in other words - I use scissors in all the most sensitive areas of their body. On the chest, Rudi does not mind so I pull. Abby *really* minds, so I use scissors and a stripping tool (Mars Coat King). Under the chin on both of them I do a combination of pulling and scissors. With a pet you can be a bit more relaxed

[Jetti]

Thank you very much Cairnmania, that was really helpfull! I have done what you sugested and Paco and he looks

fantastic. He thanked me today by rolling in somes really nasty smelling stuff so I had to give him a bath too,

something I do not do easily. I believe brushing daily id enough.

Once again; Thank you very much.