lilibee
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Feb 25, 2004, 7:03 PM
Post #13 of 16
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Re: [cavey] Grooming a shih Zhi
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Hi Cavey, That sounds just like my Yoda. He's about your puppy's age and an Australian shihtzu. I used to get annoyed as well when his hair kept getting unruly despite my constant brushing. My other shih tzu however has fine, straight hair and needs only a twice-weekly grooming. Basically, like human beings, dogs come with different characteristics as well. I'm not sure what you meant by "curry" but looking at the picture I'm guessing that she has natural kinks or curls in her hair. When you bathe her does her hair look curly and "stuck together"? Here's what you can do if you want to homegroom your pup: 1. Buy a good metal-bristle brush. I used to use a fine-tooth comb but I find now that the paddle brush works best. Every groomer has a favorite brush. Just avoid the wire-mesh brushes (that look like the type that you would use to scrub plates!)--those are mostly suitable for short-hair dogs. 2. Starting from your pup's head, form a middle parting. Brush hair down from head down, following the middle parting--it looks neater that way. Brush her paws and underneath last. 3. If you want to avoid messy paws, you can always keep the hair there short. Buy a pair of grooming scissors and trim the fur underneath and around her paws every few weeks. You should also trim the fur near her backside so her feaces doesn't get stuck there. 4. Have you considered keeping her fur shorter rather than longer? The longer her hair is the more you're going to need to groom. When the hair on her head gets long, you can tie it up in a top knot. 5. You can also try buying a spray for her coat, such as Glossy Coat by Top Dog. It tends to reduce the curliness. I bought mine for about 20 ringgit and it's worked for me. The good news is that your puppy will get her adult coat soon, which will be easier to handle. Good luck! Lils
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