Dog Grooming for short- and medium-coated dogs

 by Margaret H.Bonham

Dogs with short or medium coats are the wash-and-wear dogs of the canine world. They’re the least dog grooming intensive, needing almost no clipping and minimal brushing when compared to long-coated breeds.

Now, I said these dogs have shorter coats, but I never said they were low shedding or low maintenance. When pondering a short coat, you may think your troubles are over when it comes to shedding. After all, less fur on the

dog means less hair on your pants and couch, right? Wrong. If you’ve ever owned a short-coated dog for any length of time, you know that hair is simply another condiment and that these dogs can shed profusely. Only hairless dogs won’t shed; nevertheless, they do lose hair in some ways. If you’re looking for a low-shedding dog, try a Poodle, Kerry Blue Terrier, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, or any one of the single-coated breeds. Be forewarned, however, that low-shedding dogs still need a considerable amount of dog grooming to keep their coats looking good.

In this article, you find out everything you need for grooming your dog’s short or medium coat so that it looks its very best.

Short coats

Short-coated dogs are relatively easy to care for. In most circumstances, these dogs can get away with a quick brushing once a week. The only time you really need to brush them more often is when they’re shedding. If your dog sheds year-round, well I’m sorry, you’re probably going to have to brush him more frequently, unless you really don’t mind dog hair everywhere.

Here’s how to brush your short-haired dog:

1. Give your dog a good rubdown using a hound glove.

2. Using either a curry brush or Zoom Groom, brush your dog’s coat with the grain of the hair (the way it grows).

            You generally don’t backbrush short-haired breeds because there isn’t enough hair.

3. Go over your dog’s coat with a flea comb to look for fleas.

4. Use a hound glove to finish the brushing.

Medium-length coats

Dogs with medium-length hair are a bit harder to care for than dogs with short coats; however, they aren’t as much work as the longer-haired and double-coated breeds. Medium-coated dogs usually need a brushing twice a week and more when shedding or when they’re adolescents  changing from their puppy to adult coats.

Here’s how to brush your medium-haired dog (single or double coated):

1. Look for any tangles or mats and first try removing them using detangler solution and a medium-toothed comb.

            You may find more mats on a medium coat than a short coat. If this           method doesn’t work, try using a mat splitter or mat rake.

2. Backbrush (or brush against the lay of the hair) first using a slicker brush and then again using a fine- or medium-toothed comb.

            Using a slicker brush removes the loose hairs, and using a comb helps         you make sure no tangles are present and removes more hair.

3. Brush your dog’s coat with the lay of the hair using a slicker brush.

4. Go over your dog’s coat with a flea comb to look for fleas and to make

sure there are no tangles forming unusual in a short coat but a necessity with a medium coat.

5. Assuming you don’t plan to show your dog (or your dog is shown in an untrimmed coat), use electric clippers with a No. 10 blade to trim hair that grows between paw pads and any other excessive hair for a finished look.

Sources: Dog Grooming For Dummies

sourece: dog grooming for Dummies