Rainy season is upon us
Winter Coat Maintenance – what to do in the wet weather to keep your beautiful dog looking fluffy and mat free
Wet, matted fur ring a bell? now the winter is very much here to stay we have noticed a lot of our customers have been asking us for our help with keeping their curly haired pals mat free and still give them long walks in the woods.
At Rascals we like nothing more than welcoming a dog in who looks like he’s had a lovely long muddy walk, mainly because we love a real transformation groom. We aim to make the dogs look unrecognisable when they are collected from us.
Aside from the fact it would cost a small fortune to get a groom once a week for your dog. We thought it would be more cost efficient to give away some of our trade secrets so you can keep your dogs looking in tip top shape until their next groom.
TOP 3 PRODUCTS
1. The ProFlex (Dematting) Slicker Brush- Simpsons of Langley RRP £12.00
The absolute no1 product you need is a decent slicker brush, we only use and sell one brand of slicker, because it works like no other. The Simpson of Langley pro flex slicker for detangling. The ProFlex (Dematting) Slicker Brush is made for a variety of breeds and coat types that can suffer with mats, knots and tangles. This heavy-duty slicker brush has the lowest flexibility together with hard textured bent wire bristles. The reversible design features two identical pin pads for maximum working life.
FEATURES AND BENEFITS:
Heavy-Duty: Ultimate dematting and detangling brush.
Versatile: Caters for different coat types and textures.
Flexible: Helps prevent brush burn and hand fatigue.
Size: Larger pin pads make dematting quicker and easier
2. No More Knots Detangle Spray – Julie Harris Groomer RRP £9.00
The only detangler we use, and we have tried a few 100 over the past 12 years is the Julie Harris no more knots detangler. This spay goes a long way, you won’t need to use a lot to help remove any tangles or mats from your dogs wool coat. The best thing is it also smells so fresh with zero texture left on the coat. Spray the coat, leave it to work its magic, grab your slicker and comb and tease the mats out, without causing any stress to your pooch.
My Groomer Recommends - No More Knots is a dog grooming detangler spray, created especially for dog groomers and our customers. As groomers, you want to offer effective, professional-quality dog grooming products to our customers so they can maintain their dog's coat in between grooms. This product helps coat management, removing tangles and knots without product build-up. 'My Groomer Recommends' makes detangling any dog so much easier. It has a fresh Clean Cotton fragrance.
Don’t take our word for it, see the reviews below (www.julieharrisgroomer.com)
3. Groom Professional Black Anti Static Fine/Coarse Comb 20cm- Christies Direct RRP 8.95
The world of professional grooming equipment is a bit of a mine field. For a growing industry there are a lot of options out there for combs ranging from £5-£250 for a comb. The main selling points for us are its firm, doesn’t bend or loose pins and has a mixture of different width pins. This enables you to use the same comb on the entire body for fine to course hair. It helps if the comb is easy to hold as well as you might be using said comb for a long time during the wet months. Christies direct offer a range of combs but these groom professional black anti static 20cm combs really are a bargain and will still be in tact year after year.
Now we have covered what you will need to keep that gorgeous fluffy coat in order through winter, you now need the technique to go with it. At Rascals we pride ourselves on knowing how to really brush out your dog and fluff dry the coat. We emphasise that if the coats not dried and brushed out evenly then the groom will never look 10/10. Most of the time getting your dog to stand and be brushed will be the hardest part of the task. We recommend you do these 3 things to make it easier and more enjoyable for your and your dog. After all brushing your dog is proven to be a bonding experience for both of you, so why not make it a daily exercise you both learn to love.
1. Get your dog up high, onto a safe countertop in the garage, or kitchen. By doing this you replicate the grooming room, and your dog will instantly know what’s happening. If you attempt to brush your dog on the floor or sofa, they immediately thing it’s a game. Unless off course you have a dog like mine who is 16 years old and enjoys a brush whilst snoozing!
2. Ask someone to help you by holding the dog in place, potentially offering treats whilst you brush and comb them. If this isn’t an option you can also use your dogs collar and lead to secure them to the counter you have chosen. Always make sure you never leave your dog unattended whilst they are up high, there is a serious risk of them jumping and hurting themselves.
3. Try to brush your dog when the coat is dry, not wet. Wetting the dog is a sure fine way to make those mats even worse. The coat when matted and wet tightens and the mats get deeper and harder to remove.
When the coat is dry and you have sprayed your detangle spray into the mat, leave it to work for a few seconds and tease the mat with your slicker and then comb until it is removed. For a coat that isn’t especially matted but you want to give a good all over brush, work in an order around the dog starting at the neck, working down the front legs, body of the dog and front legs, doing the head and tail last. You work around the dog with the slicker brush first, noticing the hair that is coming out (this is the dead coat) and then follow round with the comb. The comb will enable you to see if the coat is in fact mat free, if it gets stuck then you have found a hidden mat that needs some work.