# Home grooming



## kafkabeetle (Dec 4, 2009)

We're thinking about getting a non-shedding breed for our next dog, so I wanted to learn more about the possibility of grooming the dog myself. What specific supplies will I need to do it right and how much would the initial investment into these supplies be? Are there parts of a trimmer etc that would need to be replaced periodically and how much would that run?

Also, any information on the actual grooming process would be great as well.

Finally, I'm trying to come to a compromise with my bf to get a wire-coated breed instead because of the presumably less expensive upkeep. So any information on hand-stripping from home (basically answering the same questions as above for trimming) would be very helpful too. 

The breeds we are thinking seriously about are:
- Havanese
- Bichon frise
- Wirecoated dachshund
- Wirecoated mixed breed (from shelter)


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## Charis (Jul 12, 2009)

I alternate taking my dog to the groomers and doing the grooming myself. Although I can't help you on the cost of start up because we utilize a self-grooming salon that supplies all of the professional equipment and you do the grooming (which is my suggestion - find a self grooming salon for the equipment). 
As for technique because I don't show - I just care if it looks nice and that's it. I probably don't use perfect technique or technique you would want to copy but it gets the job done.
Home Equipment I own:
A cheap clipper
A pair of scissors
Slicker
Furminator
Pin Brush
Nail File

Professional Equipment wise I have access to grooming tables, baths, steps, brushes, dryers, etc at the salon. It costs $5-15 here for a self-groom depending on what extras you plan on doing (dip, just a bath/dry, clip, etc.)


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

I love wire doxies..they have the best personalities, and don't have the skittish temperments that the smooths and long hairs do. However, they DO shed..Any wirehair breed sheds to some extent..The undercoat needs carding out regularly (weekly) to keep it from being on your floor, and you will need to keep the dead hairs pulled (at least every 2 weeks, rolling the coat) those dead hairs often fall out on this breed, again, leaving hair on the floor. A mixed breed wire coat will be that same, but more unpredicable in the shedding, as it is a mixed breed...and often you don't know what the mixes are. For the bichon or Havanese, you will need clippers, brushes, combs, several different blades and attachments, and shears.


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## kafkabeetle (Dec 4, 2009)

Graco22 said:


> I love wire doxies..they have the best personalities, and don't have the skittish temperments that the smooths and long hairs do. However, they DO shed..Any wirehair breed sheds to some extent..The undercoat needs carding out regularly (weekly) to keep it from being on your floor, and you will need to keep the dead hairs pulled (at least every 2 weeks, rolling the coat) those dead hairs often fall out on this breed, again, leaving hair on the floor. A mixed breed wire coat will be that same, but more unpredicable in the shedding, as it is a mixed breed...and often you don't know what the mixes are. For the bichon or Havanese, you will need clippers, brushes, combs, several different blades and attachments, and shears.


I guess I'm not really too concerned with whether or not the dog sheds. My bf would prefer less shedding but as long as it's somewhat less than our current dog, who is a normal shorthaired shedding mixedbreed, I don't think it will be a problem for us.

What do carding and rolling specifically entail? And how do they differ from stripping the coat?


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Got ya. Your post said you were thinking of getting a non shedding dog, so just didn't want you to be deceived on the wire coats...many breeders of different breeds will say they are non shedding too, its a selling point for many, but in actuality, not always the case. Carding the coat is using a stripping knive to "rake" out the loose undercoat. Rolling the coat is the term that is used for keeping the coat hand stripped. A rolled coat has one single layer of blown/dead coat ready to be pulled, and other layers of live coat in various stages of growth and length. Depending on each dog's growth cycle, you may need to work the coat every 2-15 days in order to keep a nice rolled coat. Obviously, most pet owners cannot do this, or don't want to do this, but this is how show dogs are done, and it is the only way to eliminate shedding coat falling out of the dog. Plus the dog always looks nice too, and the coat will be optimal.


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## kafkabeetle (Dec 4, 2009)

Ok, I think I understand all those terms now.  So, how long would you say it takes to card the coat of a small dog each time? Would it take, say, less than an hour once a week? I'm just trying to gauge whether or not this is something I have the time and money for. Sounds like the tools aren't going to break the bank and it will more come down to the time involved, whether or not this is something I can handle.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

kafkabeetle said:


> Ok, I think I understand all those terms now.  So, how long would you say it takes to card the coat of a small dog each time? Would it take, say, less than an hour once a week? I'm just trying to gauge whether or not this is something I have the time and money for. Sounds like the tools aren't going to break the bank and it will more come down to the time involved, whether or not this is something I can handle.


Carding will only take 10-15 minutes on a WH doxie. Stripping will take an efficient groomer half an hour to an hour, weekly. Of course this is not required to have the dog as a pet. I have WH that come in every 3 months, and I spend 2 hours pulling them down to their "undies" and then do the same thing in another 3 months. It is time consuming, and expensive for a groomer to do (IF you can find a groomer that knows what they are doing in the first place) so most pets are NOT kept in show coat shape, and that is ok.  Worse case scenario is the dog always looks scruffy, or you let the coat go to long and its all dead and you have to pull em out to the undies (almost naked) and it grows back and then you can start rolling the coat again. My airedale puppy is a hairy mess right now, and I have about 4 hours or more of work to do on him, and the plan is to get many areas as bald as I can..lol Its all blown coat and needs to come out. Been to busy at work to keep up with it. lol


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## kafkabeetle (Dec 4, 2009)

Since wire coats do shed, does that mean that if you didn't ever pull out the dead hairs they would just shed on their own like a normal shedding coat? Or would that be harmful in some way (aside from possible matting)? I'm just curious, really.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

kafkabeetle said:


> Since wire coats do shed, does that mean that if you didn't ever pull out the dead hairs they would just shed on their own like a normal shedding coat? Or would that be harmful in some way (aside from possible matting)? I'm just curious, really.


Yes and no. Eventually, some of the dead coat will fall out, be rubbed/scratched out, etc. It usually occurs in spots, not even at all. The neck and mane area almost never..so the dog has tons of hair on the shoulders and neck...and patches of shorter, good color/textured hair in areas on the body. The leg coat usually turns soft and wavy/curly and fades in color, but rarely falls out on its own. With wire haired breeds, new hairs do NOT grow until the old dead hair is pulled. This opens the folicle up and a new, brightly colored, wire textured hair grows in its place. This is why when wire coated dogs are clipped rather than stripped, you see the colors fade, and the coat turn soft. This is because the wire hairs were cut, and the end of the hair stays in the folicle, and a new wire hair never grows back. What does grow back is undercoat only, lighter and softer in color and texture. Depending on how many times and how short the dog is clipped, you may never be able to bring back the dog's correct coat. Sometimes, its only a tiny shard of the the wire hair that is in the folicle, under the skin, and there is no way of pulling it at that point. This does not harm the dog, though it can cause ingrown type hairs on occasion and is responsible for what are commonly referred to as "schnauzer bumps", which look like tiny pimples all over the dogs back. Some dogs have skin conditions that are helped by stripping the coat rather than clipping it, but not always does that work on wire coated dogs with skin issues. Most wire coated pets are clipped, with no health issues, but it "ruins" the coat, just like clipping a doublecoated breed like a golden, husky, etc. does in many cases.

Oh, forgot to add, that the dead coat falling out, it can take a very long time...6 months, a year, etc before you see patches of missing coat..Its not something that happens within week's time.


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## kafkabeetle (Dec 4, 2009)

Wait, sorry to be reduntant, but what is the difference between carding and stripping?


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

kafkabeetle said:


> Wait, sorry to be reduntant, but what is the difference between carding and stripping?


Carding is removing the undercoat only, using a stripping knive as a comb basically. I have a video of me doing this on a golden retriever on youtube. Search Graco2200 and you will find the videos. Stripping is using a stripping knife to grip the wire hairs between the knife and thumb, and pulling them out of the folicle.


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