Grooming For Puppies
The Bouvier des Flandres is one of those non-shedding dogs. What that means is that their hair doesn't fall out on a seasonal schedule like so many other breeds. The Bouvier coat needs to be physically combed out regularly. In the fluffy puppy coat it is not obvious to see the undercoat and the overcoat that will be part of the adult's coat. The little guy combs out in two minutes, so you might ask, "What is the big deal?"
Be forewarned that it is very necessary to get that tiny pup used to being on the grooming table, maybe as often as twice weekly. He needs to be asked to 'stand', and with a hand under his belly, a short combing is given. The session may last two to three minutes at the beginning, gradually getting longer as the pup gets used to the process. Give lots of praise when the pup stands as he has been told to do. When he sits, lift him back up with your hand under his belly and repeat the command stand. Give no praise to a pup that is struggling or being bad. Be firm about getting him to stand, even if it is only for a moment in the case of a struggling dog. Try to end the session on a positive note, stopping when things are going well. This may require you to stop before you are finished. Come back to the job a little later if necessary.
You may be tempted to allow the pup to lie down while you comb him. Don't. That pup will become a big dog some day soon, a big hairy dog. Down on your knees on the floor is only good for a sore back. You cannot get him to move because he is so relaxed he wants to go to sleep. You tug and heave and the dog snores. No. Get that pup onto a table you can easily get around, that has a non-skid mat on the surface. Then get him used to standing while he is being groomed. You will be at your ease, able to clearly see what you are doing. When the first haircut times comes, the whole process will be entirely more pleasant with a pup who is used to standing. Since we usually do the first haircut, teaching you how to proceed as we go along, we cannot emphasize how exhausting the cut is on an untrained dog , versus the sweet pleasure of grooming a calm dog. That first haircut is not a family event, please could the master come by him or herself. Dogs know when they have an audience.
We try to set you up with appropriate tools to work with. A stiff,
long-toothed comb, a dematting rake, quality scissors and nail clippers. Then we
will show you how to use them.
It's cute to see the rolly, polly pup, but when you start to see his
tail, and his back, and his neck and throat area, and then his flat,
wide scull, there's no going back. The teddy bear becomes a Bouvier
with shape and proportion. It is one of the most exciting moments
for us to see the dog under the hair.
The hairdo makes the hair shortest at the bum and neck. Both are areas that could get matted and dirty otherwise.
Keeping the hair short between the pads of the feet also helps keep
mats from forming there (they can make the dog lame) and cuts down
on the dirt tracked into your home. The short cut across the back is
practical for easy combing out and shows off the dogs topline and
tailset. The short hair on the top of the head shows off the wide,
flat scull. There should be no reason for a Bouvier needing to be
shaved down all over. The hair protects the dog from the sun and the
weather. The Bouvier's beard and bangs are his signature look. They
are kept long, with only a bit of trimming around the eyes and
possibly some thinning of the beard. Let us do this together. It's a
bit tricky and the hair on the face is longer to grow back than
elsewhere. Nails also need to be cut regularly. There will be many
fewer scratches on the humans if they are kept short.
We'll try to give you the principles of doing the haircut so that you feel comfortable attempting it yourself. Grooming time is a pleasant and intimate time for the dog and his master. It is a great time to connect with your dog. You have a chance to examine your dog all over, and can catch any problems promptly. (Mats can cause the skin underneath them to turn into great weeping sores.) Usually when we have a dog on the grooming table, there's another one vying for position under it, in the hope of being the next one to get combed out. We love the one on one time with each of our dogs.
Grooming Kind of Feeling, -Getting Ready
Okay
today’s the day for the Bouvier’s haircut. You’re in the right
frame of mind, -relaxed with a good bit of time on your hands-, to
patiently work away, carefully combing out a hairy dog. Old clothes
are a must, and forget the knits that paws and combs get caught in
and ruin. Something cool is best because it’s quite the workout.
Comfortable shoes will make you more resilient and protect your feet
if scissors get knocked off the grooming table.
There
are basic indispensable tools for grooming the Bouvier. Although
the initial purchase might entail spending $600 to $700, the
investment will quickly bring you healthy returns. At $80 to $100 a
grooming at the salon you may find that within the first year of the
dogs life, you would already have been ahead to purchase you own
tools. Quality tools will serve you for the lives of many dogs.
You will have control over the outcome of the process, can do a bit
of a touchup in between the big jobs, do the cut at your own
convenience, and have wonderful one on one time with your dog. You
will be able to closely examine your dog all over for any problem
and nip it in the bud.
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The Necessary Tools
Include:
1. Comb; stiff,
long-toothed, 1 ½ inch teeth, to get through the undercoat
to the skin;
2. Dematting Rake; razor
-like serations on blades cut through matts, saving coat and
effort;
3. 8 inch straight scissors;
long blades for cutting a big surface;
4. Curved, blunt-nosed scissors;
for delicate work around eyes, between foot pads, and
around feet;
5. Thinning shears; thin beards,
give finished look all over;
6. Nail trimmers; keep nails
cut;
7. Pin brush; long-toothed brush
(forget the one with the knobs on the bristles) for fluffing up
the hair;
8. Clippers; an inexpensive set
of adjustable clippers, either cordless with rechargeable
battery or plug in, does a finished job on the skull and ears;
for them to work
properly blade lubricant/cleaner is essential;
9. Grooming table; 4 foot-long,
non-skid rubber
work surface, folding legs for storage, grooming
arm for second set of hands and control; sets the work tone of
the moment, saves your back and knees, brings the dog up to eye
level for clear viewing of the work to be done.
I
insist, get the dog on the grooming table and make him stand while
you work. You cannot work properly on a flopped dog. As you groom,
you will be moving around and looking at every aspect of the dog as
a whole. Keep that in mind. Lift and position the dog as many
times as it takes for him to understand, each time repeating the
command “Stand”. He will understand what you want of him when you
insist on it. Those who have taught their tiny pups to stand for
grooming will be proud to easily proceed through combing out their
dog.
Good lighting is a big asset for working on a black dog.
Choose a sunny day and set up near a window. Extra
lights to clear out the shadows make that dark blob into a
reality you can begin to take a critical look at. Although
we all
adore our dogs, good grooming requires
standing back and noting the dog’s strong and weak points. Be
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Long-toothed comb & dematting
rake
8.5" Straight shears,
blunt-nosed curved scissors, thinning shears
Nail chippers, cordless
chippers with adjustable blade, pin brush
Grooming table |
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honest. Is he long in the
body? Too tall? He’s got a great topline and tailset. To make the best of what he’s got a good
groomer hides the faults and highlights the qualities. |
If the
dog has been sorely neglected and is matted you’ll need to greatly
lower your expectations about the final product. (One woman proudly
told us how she had removed all the dog’s hair in one piece, just
like at a sheep shearing, and how jubilant the dog was
afterwards!!) You may have to cut out a great deal to get the
situation back under control. Many groomers are stuck in this
situation with Bouviers that for months have been only partially
combed out. The surface of the dog looks great, but underneath is a
solid impenetrable matt. They are left with no choice but to shave
the dog. To avoid this situation the long-toothed stiff comb must
regularly be put through the coat with strong, steady tugging,
getting right down to the skin on every inch of the dog’s body.
A superficial combing out will catch up to you sooner than later.
After
the thorough combing out a nice bath, rinse, conditioner and rinse
out will work wonders. Clean hair cuts very nicely, and your tools
(especially those used on the feet) will stay sharp much longer,
saving you much time, energy and money. Now get the dog dried out,
briefly combed out again and you’re ready for the haircut.
Prepared by Susan-Parker Blair for Nobleair Kennels
There are very clear diagrams on grooming to be found in the book:
Bouvier
Des Flandres
The Dogs of Flandres Fields
By James R. Engel
