Grooming Tips

• All dogs should be clean in the show ring. A bath about a week prior to the show will give the dog time to shed excess hair post bathing and for the natural oils to return to the dog’s coat.
   
• All dogs should be well brushed, no mats anywhere in the dog’s fur.
   
• Teeth should be clean. No excessive tartar buildup. Dog’s teeth should be brushed daily. Giving the dog a bone on a regular basis will help reduce excess tartar buildup.
   
• Bring waterless shampoo to show with you, in case of muddy conditions, or other accidents. It works great for a quick emergency clean up. (Bring towels)
   
• Avoid brushing the dog’s fur when dry, it breaks the hair, and it may give it an un-kept appearance. Spray dog’s coat with water or diluted conditioner such as Suave Humectant™ conditioner, then brush dog.  Brush “backwards,” if desired, spray again, and then brush in place.
   
• Trim hair around dog’s feet. No “hare’s feet” or “snow shoe feet” in the show ring. Use small scissors to trim hair even with pads on feet. Use thinning shears to trim hair between toes. To do this, use finger to bring hair between toes up, trim excess hair with thinning shears. The thinning shears give a more normal appearance to dog’s feet. They don’t look like they’ve just been “cut” Use thinning shears also to cut hair around entire foot, if hair is too long. Hair shouldn’t be longer than dog’s toes.
   
• Trim hair on dog’s hocks, so that they’re even. Use thinning shears to give it a natural look.
   
• Trim excess hair behind front legs for evenness. Use thinning shears for a natural look.
   
• Use thinning shears to trim hair around dog’s ears, if the dog has long, fly away fur. To prevent mats behind ears, sprinkle baby powder to area, and then brush it out. If not comfortable trimming around ears, ask a more experienced person prior to show.