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Writer's pictureTara Martin

Combination Coat Grooming

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All images of dogs are provided by the owner with permission to use within this blog.


The Combination Coat consists of both long coat and short coat, in specific areas of the body. Generally, this means there is a short coat around the face and on the front sides of legs. There can be a shorter coat on the body, with longer coat sections on the undercarriage, rear sides of the legs, and on the tail. Combination Coat breeds also experience something groomers call “Grinch feet”, where long hairs grow between the toes, and need to be trimmed. Seasonal shedding, depending on climate and environment, may loosen the coat, causing it to collect and stay on everything. Combination Coat breeds tend to be much more tolerant of exposure to wind, cold weather, and other environmental conditions. Combination Coat breeds include the following:

Sporting Group

Toy Group

Brittany

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Flat-Coated Retriever

Chihuahua (Long Coat)

Golden Retriever

English Toy Spaniel

American Water Spaniel

Japanese Chin

Sussex Spaniel

Papillon

Hound Group

Non-Sporting Group

Dachshund - "Long Haired"

Tibetan Spaniel

Borzoi

Herding Group

Saluki

Australian Shepherd

Working Group

Belgian Sheepdog

Kuvasz

Belgian Tervuren


Border Collie

Frequency

We recommend brushing daily, and bathing every 6 to 12 weeks. The longer sections have a tendency to create mats, and will need more brushing than the Smooth or Short coat types. Of course, your dog's opinion on water and their recreational activities will help determine how often they need to be groomed.


Lewis, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Brianne R

Brushing

For Combination coated dogs, we recommend focusing your brushing on long haired areas, like the furnishings on the back of the front legs, and the feathering on the hind legs and tail. It is normal for your brush to remove a lot of hair in these areas, especially when brushing with a Slicker Brush. We recommend the WAHL Slicker Brush which comes in Large, Medium and Small sizes, to best fit the size of your dog.


After you’ve gone over the whole body with a slicker, we recommend using a comb to tidy the hairs behind the ears, the neck, the sides of the body and the rear end. The comb’s narrow teeth will help find any small tangles, as well as help all the fine hairs lay flat. We recommend the Master Grooming Tools Greyhound Comb, but if the teeth make it hard to hold, you can always get a Wahl Grooming Comb with a handle.


Bathing

Use a regular shampoo, followed by a skin conditioner, unless your dog has allergies or requires a hypo-allergenic shampoo. Our recommendations for gentle shampoos and conditioners are:


If your dog has sensitive skin, allergies or other skin issues, we recommend:


Check out Why 2-in-1 is ½ As Good for details about why two separate products are better.


Drying

Drying the coat can be done a number of ways, starting with towel drying. Squeegee off as much water with your hands before using a thick towel to gently, but firmly pat your dog’s coat. Repeat until there is very little moisture left in the coat. We recommend keeping a dedicated towel for your dog, but whether you use microfibre or terry towel is truly up to you. Either one works well for Combination Coat dogs, so pick what you prefer.


After the towel drying, you can use a hairdryer to blow out the loose coat on a light heat setting, never hot. Always keep one hand on your dog when drying, to help stabilize and calm your pet. Be sure to hold the hair dryer far enough away from the coat that it does not cause the hair to roll around on itself, known as “whip knots”. Use your slicker brush to brush the long parts of the coat out, which both helps to dry the coat and ensures the hair lays flat.


Regardless of the method you use, drying is not complete until the coat is completely cool and dry to the touch. There must be some sort of active drying, whether you use a professional dryer or a hair dryer.

Blossom, Brittany Spaniel, Jen K

Need to get your dog groomed? contact us at (403) 304-7296.

Questions or comments about this blog post? email us at info@pawsclawswings.com

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