# Dumb grooming question?



## Rangers-mom (Jan 28, 2013)

Not sure where to put this question so I hope this is okay.

Ranger is blowing his coat right now and I have been brushing him every day. I do the same with my Australian Shepherd. My dumb question is ... Is it a bad idea to brush my dog every day? In other words will I be promoting fur growth and actually making the situation worse in the long run? As all of you probably know I could brush both dogs until the cows came home and the fur would keep on coming out. My front yard looks like something died there. But I am wondering if maybe I should brush every couple days instead of every day.

On a side note - any tips for keeping the fur from flying right back at me? It seems like wherever I stand, even upwind, the fur often flies right back at me. My Aussie is actually worse for this. His fur is like cotton balls and they are awful compared to my GSD.

Thanks.


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## ksotto333 (Aug 3, 2011)

I don't know the answer to your question, but I stand in the driveway hoping it will blow away...and it does right to my front yard. Hoping the birds will carry it away for nesting..


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Yes you can brush him daily.

Brush him really well with a pin brush and use an undercoat rake. Give him a bath, make sure to work in the shampoo, and wash well. Blow dry outside. Brush him again with brush and rake. Repeat once more in a few days. That will get rid of most of it.

The fur will come out one way or another - you can wait for it to clump and fall out on its own or help it along. This breed sheds - no two ways around it


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## DunRingill (Dec 28, 2007)

Brushing every day does NOT make the situation worse. Hair turns over when it's supposed to turn over, brushing just takes out all the stuff that's already loose. The change in the amount of daylight triggers coat change.

I groomed both German Shedders last week, with conditioner to help get out as much undercoat as possible. Best Shot Conditioner + a good HV dryer = a hair storm, but both dogs look great now.


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## Rangers-mom (Jan 28, 2013)

I used a rake and it seemed to get a lot out. Is that not good enough? Do I need to use another kind of brush?

He is terrible about a bath. Not sure I can handle that. The last time we tried to bathe him was a complete disaster. Any tips on that as well? Do you do it outside or in? If it is outside do you use a baby pool? When we tried to do it inside he would not sit in the tub and he is too strong for us to hold. I know we should have control over him in this situation, but i have no idea how to teach a dog to tolerate a bath. Now that Ranger is 11 months old I am afraid that boat has sailed since he is so big. I am really afraid to try again but I would love to be able to do it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

As DunRingill said, brushing will NOT make shedding worse. You can brush every day, twice a day if you want, you won't be pulling out hair that isn't already falling out. So brush away! If you have a Furminator, it can be very helpful in getting out the loose stuff. Just remember to use a light hand, like you are petting the dog, no need to use a lot of pressure with the Furminator. One 5-minute Furminator session twice a week is plenty. I just did two GSDs in my grooming salon yesterday, they were shedding like crazy, undercoat and guard hairs as well. A good warm bath, blasted them with the force dryer, and used the slicker brush & Furminator. Got enough hair out to make another dog! I Furminated my cat also, and today I can hold him without getting a thousand little hairs stuck to my shirt.

As far as the hair getting all over you... I haven't found a way to prevent it. All I can say is, try to stay upwind. If you have a force dryer, you can direct the hair away from you and blow it off you afterward.

What's a force dryer? We need a grooming sticky.  An entry-level Metro dryer will run you about $130. It's a very powerful blow dryer made for dogs, which blasts out fast-moving, room-temperature air (no heat). It is the best "brush" you can possibly use for a shedding coat. Get the nozzle right down to the skin and watch the dead hair slide right out. It's made for drying a dog after a bath, but works well on a dry dog to remove dead hair, dirt and debris.


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## Rangers-mom (Jan 28, 2013)

Okay, another dumb question.

If I purchase a metro dryer do I force the air in the direction of the fur or against the direction? i am guessing in the direction the fur is growing but just want to make sure. Is it tough to use that dryer? Will i need someone to hold him while I "dry"?

Thanks


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## Shaolin (Jun 16, 2012)

I started using a De-Shedding comb a week or so ago and I love it! He's been getting brushed every other day and there's a noticeable difference.

To keep the hair from flying back on me, I just stand on the opposite side of the one I'm brushing, but it works better with the de-shedder than a regular comb. It kind of flicks the hair out of the way and into the neighbors' yards... :blush:


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## Rangers-mom (Jan 28, 2013)

What is a de-shedding comb? I have a furminator and a rake and a pin brush. I like the rake and use that the most. I guess i will take him out and use the furminator. Do I still need to use the pin brush?


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## Rangers-mom (Jan 28, 2013)

Okay, just took Ranger out and furminated him. It worked really well on him. Got a lot of extra fur out. Then I tried the furminator on my Aussie and I didn't like it as well as the rake. Does the furminator work better on certain breeds or did I need to give it a little more time on my Aussie? I only did a few passes on him and I was disappointed with the results compared to the rake.


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## DunRingill (Dec 28, 2007)

Yes, the furminator works better on breeds like GSDs, labs, pugs, border terriers. NOT so good on shelties, collies, long-coated GSDs or anything with a soft coat.

and you use use an HV dryer to get under the guard hairs....you hold the nozzle close to the skin but not right on the skin. Hair and dander will fly! 

A grooming table is your friend. OR you can hook the dog to a chain link fence so you have 2 hands to work with. But like anything else, most dogs have to be taught how to be groomed. A pocket full of really good treats will help.

One other thought....one of the self-serve car washes on my way home from herding has a self-serve dog wash. Raised tub with a ramp, you walk your dog into the tub and there's a place to hook them up, put your money in the machine and get to work. Shampoo, rinse, blow dry, it's all there. Not super cheap but very convenient!


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## Rangers-mom (Jan 28, 2013)

Thanks so much. I really appreciate the grooming advice.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Rangers-mom said:


> Okay, another dumb question.
> 
> If I purchase a metro dryer do I force the air in the direction of the fur or against the direction? i am guessing in the direction the fur is growing but just want to make sure. Is it tough to use that dryer? Will i need someone to hold him while I "dry"?
> 
> Thanks


For your purposes, with a GSD it doesn't matter too much whether you dry with direction the hair grows or against it. The main thing is, you want to get down close to the skin with it so that it blasts out anything close to the skin, ie mats, dead undercoat, debris, etc.

Most dogs learn to accept the force dryer quite well once you get them accustomed to it. For a dog that's never been force dried before, I first turn it on and let them get used to the noise (it's very noisy--you may want earplugs, and you can put cotton in the dog's ears as well). While it's on, I will scratch the dog on the back right at the base of the tail, where most dogs love to be scratched. Then I put the nozzle right where I'm scratching, mimicking the scratching motion. If he's okay with that, then I'll start gradually moving forward and downward. 

Most dogs, especially large dogs, eventually realize "Oh, this is a massage tool!" and will often lean into it as they realize it feels GOOD. Some dogs will get a bit panicky though, as it's a very new and different sensation. For them, I start very slowly and gradually, starting at the rear, and if he starts to stress out, I'll retreat a bit until he's comfortable again. If you have a low speed on your dryer, start with that. Be careful around the ears and face, most dogs don't like that part.

If you can afford the outlay for a grooming table and arm, that is the best way to keep your dog under control while force drying. But if you can clip his collar to something sturdy, that will help a lot (be sure to use a collar he can't slip out of). It's actually better NOT to have another person involved in the process if you can help it.


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## Rangers-mom (Jan 28, 2013)

Freestep, thank you so much for the advice.


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## gmcwife1 (Apr 5, 2012)

ksotto333 said:


> I don't know the answer to your question, but I stand in the driveway hoping it will blow away...and it does right to my front yard. Hoping the birds will carry it away for nesting..


Our neighborhood birds love our yard and all the Samoyed hair!!


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

one thing about using the dryer - MAKE SURE THE DOG IS WET!!

brush the dog. Wet the dog. Blow the dog partially dry. Bathe the dog. Blow dry the dog completely. Use the slicker brush to finish up.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

April through September or so i brush my dog 3 to 4 times
a week. i use an under coat and a pin brush. i coat him with
the under coat in all directions. i use the pin brush on his head,
legs and underneath him.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Rangers-mom said:


> Is it a bad idea to brush my dog every day?


Nope.



> On a side note - any tips for keeping the fur from flying right back at me? It seems like wherever I stand, even upwind, the fur often flies right back at me.


Stand so the wind is blowing BETWEEN you and the dog. If you stand so it's blowing at your face - you get hair. If you stand so it's blowing at your back - you get the swirl effect and get hair.

If you stand so the wind is blowing between you and the dog it will take the hair in that direction.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Rangers-mom said:


> I used a rake and it seemed to get a lot out. Is that not good enough? Do I need to use another kind of brush?


On my long coat I use a rake, a pin brush and a slicker. I would NOT recommend the Furminator. It breaks hair and if you are not careful you can do alot of damage to the dogs coat.



> He is terrible about a bath. Not sure I can handle that. The last time we tried to bathe him was a complete disaster. Any tips on that as well? Do you do it outside or in?


When I give a bath it's really more like a very low shower. The dog is not immersed in water. So, if I'm doing it outside all I need is a hose, shampoo & conditioner and lots of towels (for me AND the dog).

I start getting my guys used to the tub by getting in with them, just running the water while they stand there (coming out the faucet, not the shower head) and give lots of high value treats.

For dogs that are really bad about bathes I go to the local DIY dog wash place. We have a couple near us. One is at a dog groomers place (you poay to use the equipment) and there are a couple attached to car washes! Check your area and see if there are any. Putting a dog up off the ground makes them less likely to try and leave the tub.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Rangers-mom said:


> Okay, another dumb question.
> 
> If I purchase a metro dryer do I force the air in the direction of the fur or against the direction? i am guessing in the direction the fur is growing but just want to make sure. Is it tough to use that dryer? Will i need someone to hold him while I "dry"?
> 
> Thanks


Both, no and maybe.



I blow against the coat to get the base dried and then with the coat to get it to lay correctly.

The dryer is very easy to use. I LOVELOVELOVE mine!!!

It all depends on how your dog reacts to the dryer. I like to get mine used to it before I actually 'dry' them. Lots of high value treats, time and patience.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Freestep said:


> The main thing is, you want to get down close to the skin with it so that it blasts out anything close to the skin, ie mats, dead undercoat, debris, etc.


A dryer will NOT blow out mats or debris. In fact, with some types of coats you will just make matters MUCH worse if you don't remove those things before you bath and dry your dog.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Dainerra said:


> one thing about using the dryer - MAKE SURE THE DOG IS WET!!


I use mine on Mauser all the time while he's dry. It's great for blowing out the dust that gets created when the mud dries on him.



> brush the dog. Wet the dog. Blow the dog partially dry. Bathe the dog. Blow dry the dog completely. Use the slicker brush to finish up.


I have NEVER blown a dog dry in the middle of bathing. I wet the dog, shampoo, rinse, condition, rinse, rinse, rinse, towel dry then blow dry.

I've been doing this with my Cresteds (who get bathed weekly) and never had a problem.


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## Mooch (May 23, 2012)

I don't know how I ever lived without a force dryer  Best thing EVER 

I use it at least twice a week, it's great for getting dust out of the coat too, mine get washed less since I can just blow them out every now and then


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Lauri & The Gang said:


> A dryer will NOT blow out mats or debris. In fact, with some types of coats you will just make matters MUCH worse if you don't remove those things before you bath and dry your dog.


As a professional groomer, I must beg to differ. A good, powerful force dryer WILL blow out mats and debris on a GSD--provided the "mats" are simply made of dead, packed-in undercoat and not long, tangled topcoat. A dryer won't remove mats from a Maltese or Chinese Crested, though, unless you've done some prep work beforehand.


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## MichaelE (Dec 15, 2012)

I've had pretty good results with a slicker brush for the last 30 years and five GSD's.

I did add a pin brush for the fur on her heine. It just keeps it from getting matted and tangled. The slicker brush would work too, but it's harder to get through fur that thick.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Dainerra said:


> one thing about using the dryer - MAKE SURE THE DOG IS WET!!


You will get the best results with a freshly bathed dog that is still wet, but you can use the force dryer on a dry dog. It will blast out dirt, dust, debris and dead hair. The only thing you must be careful of is heat. The dryer itself does not usually have a heating element, but the motor will heat up the air, and on a hot day, the air coming out of the nozzle can become quite hot after prolonged use. If you are using the nozzle up close to the skin, and you notice your dog getting anxious or squirmy all of a sudden, check the temperature of the air coming out of the nozzle.

Chris Christensen makes a product called the "Kool-Dry Mister" (basically like a garden sprayer) that you fill with water or conditioning solution. You attach it to the dryer nozzle and it will spray out a fine mist. If you find your dryer getting too hot, this is a good solution. I find it quite useful for dematting before the bath if you use a conditioning solution; saturate the matted areas with the mister, let the dog sit in the solution for at least 20 minutes, then bathe and force dry again. It really helps break up the mats.


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