Babara Bush
A beautiful and well-groomed dog is a joy for the owner. In order for it to always maintain an excellent appearance, it is necessary to take care of it correctly and in a timely manner. Clipping the claws, examining the teeth are only a small part of the hygiene procedures. One of the main ones is hair care. That being said, while some dogs can be easily trimmed, others need to be trimmed. What is trimming and who needs it?
Some dog breeds have lost the ability to shed during evolution and development. These include a number of terriers – for example, Scotch and Airedale; Schnauzers – Giant Schnauzer, Miniature Schnauzer, as well as many other breeds of dogs with hard coats. However, the hair of such dogs also has its own life cycle, so it must be removed in time.
Why not a haircut?
Wire-haired dogs are not recommended to simply be trimmed. The thing is that the hair after shearing in such animals becomes thin, sparse, brittle, and can get tangled. Sometimes the dog can even change color: black hair turns brown, gray, the coat lightens and fades.
Some owners are convinced that grooming a wire-haired dog is not necessary. This is a serious misconception. Matted wool forms a dense shell that prevents the skin from breathing and provokes the development of fungi on the skin. At the same time, the growing new wool under the “carapace” becomes soft, thin, and sparse. In this case, in order to restore the beautiful appearance of the wool, it will be necessary to completely shave it off, however, the process of restoring the hair itself will be quite long.
What is trimming?
Dog trimming is a procedure to remove dead hair by plucking. Many people seriously think that this is painful and unpleasant, but in fact, they are wrong.
Professional trimming is absolutely painless and does not give pets any unpleasant sensations.
Moreover, getting used to it, animals go through this procedure with pleasure.
When do you trim?
The first trimming for wire-haired puppies is carried out at the age of 4-6 months. And then it is repeated every six months. Much depends on the breed and individual characteristics of a particular dog, but the average life cycle of a hair is 4-7 months. Determining when it’s time to trim is easy: the dog takes on a messy appearance, the hairs of the coat become thin, knocked out of the general mass, bristling in different directions.
Trimming has a beneficial effect on the quality of the dog’s coat. New hair becomes stronger and stiffer, it shines. Therefore, show dog owners pinch their pets’ hair every 1–2 weeks in order to maintain the neat appearance of the dog and improve the quality of the hair.
Trimming types
There are two types of trimming:
- Mechanical with the help of fingers, it is called plaking;
- By means of a special knife – a trimmer.
Also, trimming can vary in intensity:
- Light trimming is done every 2-3 months. The specialist removes only dead hairs without thinning the outer hair;
- A full trimming is carried out 2-3 times a year – then the dead hair is removed completely. It is suitable if light trimming is not done regularly.
When choosing a trimming specialist, first of all, pay attention to his work. It is best if breeders, veterinarians, or acquaintances who have already used its services can give you recommendations.
It is important to pay attention not only to the result of the work but also to how the master behaves with the “client”.
Alas, often the dog is sheared and trimmed in the muzzle forcibly, not paying attention to the behavior of the animal. Needless to say, how can this affect your dog’s mental health?
Trimming on your own without experience and preparation will not work. There are many subtleties to how to pluck your hair properly. If you want to trim your dog without assistance, it is worth taking an appropriate grooming course.