Quote:
Originally Posted by Meggie  I've always been told not to bath a coat that has tangles in, so do I have to get them out before I bath her & can use the products in the bath? If so how do I get them out?
It seems a bit of a chicken & egg situation, this first time, & I'm not sure how to tackle it. |
The puppy coat will grow out eventually and the adult coat will be somewhat easier to manage, normally.
I spray the coat lightly with a grooming spray, there are thousands to choose from, my favorite is Groom Aid. Work the mats out before wetting the coat. You can experiment with ways to do this but I use a pin brush, starting at the end of the coat and working back toward the skin. When I have a "pull" (strand of hair winds itself around other hairs and pulls) the pin brush will work ok. For matts I use a slicker brush, after spraying directly with grooming spray, I put my hand under the matt and work the slicker brush from the top with a circular motion until the matt loosens. Then I go back with the pin brush to work it out. If it's not a show coat you can use a "matt breaker" which is much faster but does more damage. Once you can brush the coat against the grain with your pin brush you are ready to bathe. Dilute the shampoo and rinse well, condition and rinse again. If you wish, you can dilute some conditioners and use them as grooming spray for daily brushing. If you are gentle and can convince your baby that you are not getting frustrated.....he will learn to enjoy the grooming and it will become much easier....I actually enjoy it most of the time.