# Papillon Ear Fringes



## strawbrykiwicake (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi! I'm just wondering if someone can help me out... I have a Papillon she's 2 1/2 now and I have trouble with her ear fringes. They look good after a bath but in a few days not even brushing can get them to look soft. They end up separating in sections like human hair when it's greasy. Her coat apart from the fringes looks great, nothing like those ear fringes! Is there anything I can do to help keep them looking better?


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## Raggs (Jan 10, 2007)

Unfortunately no. You can bathe her as much as you need to during the week (assuming you aren't using a harsh shampoo) If anything, just wash her ears. It's hair, every human and dog. Hair when dirty will stick to itself and separate into chunks. (that's how coat cording came about)


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## strawbrykiwicake (Dec 29, 2007)

gotcha! Ok, I was just wondering if I was doing something wrong but was confused because the rest of her coat looks great!


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## Pai (Apr 23, 2008)

Here is a show breeder's page on maintaining ear fringe. They mention some shampoos/etc that may help you keep her fringe pretty. =)


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## strawbrykiwicake (Dec 29, 2007)

Pai said:


> Here is a show breeder's page on maintaining ear fringe. They mention some shampoos/etc that may help you keep her fringe pretty. =)


Thank you!! Lots of great stuff on there!


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## Nargle (Oct 1, 2007)

Wow, I had no idea that you could bathe a Papillon as often as once a week. I was thinking of monthly baths, which I thought was pushing it! I guess I'm used to reading about more breeds that have a water-resistant coat, and it's pretty much a sin or something to strip the oils from their coats!

This will come in very handy, since Basil tends to get his pants (Is that what they're called? You know, butt hair XD) dirty when he uses the bathroom. Also his fringes are very pretty after a bath! =D


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## strawbrykiwicake (Dec 29, 2007)

Nargle said:


> Wow, I had no idea that you could bathe a Papillon as often as once a week. I was thinking of monthly baths, which I thought was pushing it! I guess I'm used to reading about more breeds that have a water-resistant coat, and it's pretty much a sin or something to strip the oils from their coats!
> 
> This will come in very handy, since Basil tends to get his pants (Is that what they're called? You know, butt hair XD) dirty when he uses the bathroom. Also his fringes are very pretty after a bath! =D


I'm no pro at the trimming, but Belle gets her "pants" (that's such a cute term!!) dirty too so most of the time I trim the hair that gets gross when she piddles. 

Also Belle gets baths about every week because we go to the Horse Rescue and she gets really dirty and stinky and so she gets a bath when I get home.


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## Raggs (Jan 10, 2007)

Yes, you can bathe a dog as much as you want. As long as you are using a mild shampoo. If you're using a harsh shampoo, then no you don't want to bathe your dog more than every other month. But then the dog will stink and be dirty and that can be harmful to the dogs skin and coat as well. 

Skin oils can build up and in some cases I've seen it cause damage to the dog. Just imagine if you don't wash your hair for a month. Think of how itchy and greasy you would be. That in turn can cause dander. You don't want your dogs skin to be to dry either. It's entirely up to the owner on how often they want to bathe there dog.

You can always trim your dogs pants around the pee pee spot and the doody spot. he he... I do it a lot at work. I had a Pap in the other day. (retired show) gorgeous girl. I shave small area around her bum bum to keep the poop from sticking. It's known as a sanitary trim.


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## Best*In*Show (Mar 14, 2009)

I don't know about Paps, but thought that I would share that Ruby's leg fur separates and gets stringy if I don't use grooming spray. I've been brushing her out with a grooming spray every other day in between baths and it works well and keeps her fluffy (and soft).


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

I bathe my paps quite often. Rose gets greasy fringe too after a couple weeks. My lighter red and white doesn't grow fringe very well at all, she's almost entirely american plus being a lighter color means generally less fringe. Beau has the least amount of fringe and it was a pain to get him to grow some when we were showing him! I remember seeing a Forevr dog a few years back that had had their ear fringe on one ear eaten off by another dog while they were playing. I often have people ask about Beau's fringe because it is significantly less than when we showed him. We just don't care about maintaining it as much now that he's just a pet. 

I clip a bit around their bums to keep things cleaner when they go to the bathroom, especially the two with the really long coats. 

They call the 'pants' britches usually.


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## strawbrykiwicake (Dec 29, 2007)

New oddity: 

Belle's right ear fringe is now thinner and shorter! What happened? Anyone have advice? Should I shorten the other? or just hope they even out again?


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