Hello all. I have a question regarding grooming for working dogs. I recently adopted a hardworking Border Collie, and while he loves his job, keeping him clean and well-groomed has become a bit challenging. His fur tends to get matted, and I want to ensure he's comfortable during long days of activity. What grooming routines or products do you recommend for working dogs? Are there any specific techniques to prevent matting or to make the grooming process more enjoyable for my furry friend? Your insights and experiences would be greatly appreciated.
You gave us a whole 3 minutes! I'm sorry you didn't get an instant response, but members have normal life events to deal with, we are not sitting at our keyboards waiting for online traffic. It would also be useful to know which country you live in as products vary a great deal across the world. If your dog is matting, you are not grooming him regularly enough. You will need a decent steel comb, and a pair of tapered hair scissors to cut out mats - or a mat splitter to cut through them lengthways in order to tease them out. A grooming spray will help with this process. Once your dog is mat free I would bath him and use a conditioner. Blot with a towel and comb him thoroughly with your steel comb while he is still damp, and before you blow dry. Do not rub heavy coats dry - try to follow the direction that the hair lies as much as possible. Coat textures vary enormously and each will need different products and grooming techniques. If you buy your tackle from a specialist they will recommend what is best for your dog's coat. There is a vast range of products available but to be frank, many of them are OTT if you don't exhibit. ps. If you are in the UK, Petcetera is a company I would recommend, and they produce a fab catalogue. Johnsons products are cheap and cheerful, maybe a little over-scented but they do what they say. Look for Groom Spray to give a slight gloss, or Velvet Coat for an oily coat. A wire pin brush will deal with loose hair and remove all the bits of twigs and leaves that stick to dogs. Honestly I could go on all evening, this is a big subject. Ask again if you have any specific problems.
@dianeburms I think I may have misunderstood the intention of your second post. Unfortunately it was too late to edit my reply. I am sorry if I have offended you.
