# Long-haired dog tips?



## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

Watson has a long double coat. I've never had a long haired dog before (or any dog really) so I'm just kind of flying by the seat of my pants. With an excessive amount of help from the internet, that is. 

So, he gets brushed with a slicker about every day for a few minutes. Probably 5 -10 depending on his or my mood. I know that's not strictly necessary, but I'm trying to get him used to being handled every which way. Every 2 or 3 days, I give him a brush with the Furminator, usually about 20 minutes. He really seems to enjoy being brushed. Sometimes when I pull out the brushes, he just crawls into my lap and plops with a chew toy. *Is it going to hurt him if I brush him too much? *

He also has long foot-pad hair that gets trimmed reasonably short every week or so. I just do it with the scissors I use to trim my bangs.* Should I be shaving it short, or it it fine as long as it's not overlapping onto his foot pads? *

I've been giving him a bath about twice a week. Once with shampoo, and once without. The without shampoo one is just to get him used to baths. He's low to the ground so he gets dirty very easily. *How often do you normally wash a long haired dog? How much is too much? *

*Should I be trimming the hair in his ears? *

*How often do you take them to the groomer? Should I make it a monthly thing? *

And lastly, *what kind of magic products do you use? * I've just been using puppy Earthbath and conditioner spray.

I promise I tried to look all this stuff up first, but the interwebz didn't really have the specific answers I've been looking for.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

I, uh. Don't really do a thing for my longer haired two, at least nothing much.

Kylie's only now at 2.5 growing an undercoat, but even so - I regularly keep the hair out of her ear canals (that's plucking, not trimming the inside) and shave out between her paw pads and trim around her feet but the last is just because I hate the look of slippers. And sometimes I don't bother. I seriously bathe her about once every 3 months. 

Thud has a double, long coat. I brush him when he's shedding hard. I bathed him quite a bit when he had puppy coat, but since his adult coat has come in I bathe him when he's noticeably dirty or twice a year, whichever is more frequent.

I clipped Thud and Kylie's stomach down short over the summer and clipped Kylie all around for fun, but that's it. 

Neither one's prone to matting, though, and they both have harsh, dense, coats that shed dirt.


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

I have a long haired double coated dog.

I use the slicker on him once every two weeks... once every week if he's shedding (like now). I am very thorough with the slicker. I brush forward towards his head while separating the rest of the fur with my hands. That way I make his fur super voluminous and I take out all the dead undercoat 

As long as you are using a soft enough slicker, I don't think it should hurt him.

I also trim his butt hairs -- just around his.. ahem, butt hole LOL. Just to make sure he doesn't get poopy stuck around there if he DOES have soft stool (which rarely happens, but trust me, that's like the worst thing to try to clean...). His feet I do them if I feel like it.

Usually I just take him to the groomer's every 5-6 months and get it done, and then I kinda just let all his hair grow back whichever way lol if I feel like it I'll play "groomer" and try stuff at home but the toe hairs don't seem to bother him so the only thing I do is the anus.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. I *Do* do a sanitary trim on both dogs. It's really minimal and I'm pretty lazy about it. Kylie needs it. Thud doesn't really. His butt hair isn't as foofy, fortunately.


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

Butt fuzz. I've only ever had double coated dogs and they all shed ridiculous amounts around their hips and butt, you might want to pay more attention brushing there. 

Other than that, what everyone else said, bathe as needed and brush 2-3 times a week unless the coat is blowing then daily brushing is wonderful. 

I don't trim inside ears but I do wash them once a month. I don't use a groomer but I use to be a groomer in a small town and I've picked up a few tricks and bad habits lol.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

Lol. So, I'm being obsessive and I should probably just tone it the heck down? 

I will note though, that his hair is not coarse in any way whatsoever. I don't know if it'll get some coarseness as he ages, but for now he is definitely a fluffball. I think he's gonna have hair like a collie.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

chimunga said:


> Lol. So, I'm being obsessive and I should probably just tone it the heck down?
> 
> I will note though, that his hair is not coarse in any way whatsoever. I don't know if it'll get some coarseness as he ages, but for now he is definitely a fluffball. I think he's gonna have hair like a collie.


Thud had super, super soft hair as a puppy. It was replaced by a coat that was similar to a collie's - only shorter. That's still got a harsher outer coat that doesn't soak up things near as bad as puppy coat, and does tend to shed stuff. Coarse here just really means 'not fluffy and absorbent' not necessarily wiry.

I do think you're going to find when he loses the puppy coat and gets an adult one it'll still feel soft but it won't be necessary to bathe him nearly as much.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

CptJack said:


> Thud had super, super soft hair as a puppy. It was replaced by a coat that was similar to a collie's - only shorter. That's still got a harsher outer coat that doesn't soak up things near as bad as puppy coat, and does tend to shed stuff. Coarse here just really means 'not fluffy and absorbent' not necessarily wiry.
> 
> I do think you're going to find when he loses the puppy coat and gets an adult one it'll still feel soft but it won't be necessary to bathe him nearly as much.


God, I hope so. His coat just soaks up dirt. And we go out and about a lot, and I let him romp, so there's always dirt to soak up. I even went so far as to thinking about picking him up something like this when he get older: *Corgi Apron*. And I'm not a person that's terribly fond of clothes on dogs. But the fur on his belly, his butt, and his feet is a tad coarser, so maybe that's what he'll grown into.

Also, if I don't slicker brush him ever 2 days or so, the fur by his face and on his elbows gets kinda ringlet-y, almost like it's crimped. Is that normal?


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

It might hurt him, in that it might irritate his skin depending on what kind of brush you use. Run a slicker brush over your skin a few times and see how comfortable it is. But I've found out it will hurt just as much if you _don't_ brush frequently. Snowball doesn't matt, but he does form awsome knots and gnarls that are a pain in the butt to get out if I don't brush him regularly, so I've taken to brushing the most easily tangled parts daily. He's far more tolerant of be brushing him for 5 minutes every day than 45 minutes once a week.

I just trim his foot-hair with scissors. The biggest concerns are slipping on hard floor, and ice-buildup in the winter; I don't think it has to be trimmed super duper short.

Washing depends more on the breed than having long hair, as different breeds have different coat-types beyond just being double-coated, long-coated, etc. It has to do with the oils in their coat (which I think also affects how "doggy" they smell). Some long-haired dogs probably would do well with a bath once a month, but we bathe Snowball a few times a year; when he gets groomed, if he rolls in something nasty, or when he starts looking really grey-ish. Washing too often removes the protective oils from a dog's coat and can cause itchy, dry skin.

I don't bother trimming his ear hair; I've never noticed it trimmed after he's been to the groomer's either, but that could be an individual dog thing.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

gingerkid said:


> Washing depends more on the breed than having long hair, as different breeds have different coat-types beyond just being double-coated, long-coated, etc. It has to do with the oils in their coat (which I think also affects how "doggy" they smell). Some long-haired dogs probably would do well with a bath once a month, but we bathe Snowball a few times a year; when he gets groomed, if he rolls in something nasty, or when he starts looking really grey-ish. Washing too often removes the protective oils from a dog's coat and can cause itchy, dry skin.


And that's the problem I'm having. There isn't a standard for a long-haired corgi. They're flukes that run the gambit from a coarse med-long coat to a soft long coat. I have no real idea what his skin it supposed to be like now, or what it's going to be like in the future. But I guess that's the same problem you have with any mutt shelter dog as well. Guess I'll just have to play it by ear and try not to get to obsessive. It's hard. I'm slightly obsessive over this poor dog.


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

chimunga said:


> Watson has a long double coat. I've never had a long haired dog before (or any dog really) so I'm just kind of flying by the seat of my pants. With an excessive amount of help from the internet, that is.
> 
> So, he gets brushed with a slicker about every day for a few minutes. Probably 5 -10 depending on his or my mood. I know that's not strictly necessary, but I'm trying to get him used to being handled every which way. Every 2 or 3 days, I give him a brush with the Furminator, usually about 20 minutes. He really seems to enjoy being brushed. Sometimes when I pull out the brushes, he just crawls into my lap and plops with a chew toy. *Is it going to hurt him if I brush him too much? *
> 
> ...


I own two Aussie boys. Mason is still a baby so he has not grown into his coat yet. Jasper on the other hand has a TON of long hair and undercoat. Hair fur is around 10 or so inches long I believe. 

1. I would not use a furminator on a long coated dog with undercoat as it can ruin the coat. Which in turn can make shedding worse. I brush my boys every other day for about 5- 10 minutes or so. I use a undercoat rake and a slicker brush. It keeps their coats nice and healthy and well groomed. Undercoat can get impacted and turn into mats and that causes a whole other issue. Once a week I do really good brushing that last about 30 minutes or more. 

2. During the spring and summer I just trim around my dogs feet and any hair between the toes with round tip shears/ scissors. In the fall and winter I use clippers and shave between their toes. They will get burs, ice and snow packed up in between their toes if I don't.

3. I wash my dogs once every two weeks. I brush really well before hand and after once they are completely dry. I use a good shampoo and conditioner and ear cleaner while they are in the bath. I wash them this often because they work so hard in the fields and they sleep in my bed. I want clean dogs in my bed. lol I also force dry them after their bath so that any loose undercoat from the bath get Blowed out!  I don't think there is a too often, as long as you are using a goof shampoo and the dogs coat is not dried out.

4. I do not trim the hair in my dogs ears, I know some people do but my boys have never had a problem with it.

5. I have never taken my boys to a professional groomer, I do all of my grooming myself at home. Its cheaper and I see no reason to have someone else do it when I can. 

6. I am allergic to some of the shampoos and conditioners people use so I get Tropiclean Aloe Moist Deodorizing Pet Shampoo, and Nature's Miracle Supreme Odor Control Hypoallergenic conditioner.




chimunga said:


> Also, if I don't slicker brush him ever 2 days or so, the fur by his face and on his elbows gets kinda ringlet-y, almost like it's crimped. Is that normal?


This could just be what his adult coat will look like in those spots. My Aussie boys both have crimped looking hair beneath their ears. It can get matted REALLY easy so I have to make sure it stays groomed well.

You will find as he ages his coat will change. A lot of doulbe coated dogs will not have their adult coat for a few years. Take Aussies for insentience some do not get their full coat until they are 3-4 years old.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

Damon'sMom said:


> 1. I would not use a furminator on a long coated dog with undercoat as it can ruin the coat. Which in turn can make shedding worse. I brush my boys every other day for about 5- 10 minutes or so. I use a undercoat rake and a slicker brush. It keeps their coats nice and healthy and well groomed. Undercoat can get impacted and turn into mats and that causes a whole other issue. Once a week I do really good brushing that last about 30 minutes or more.


That's really interesting. I've never actually heard that before. Would the slicker brush be sufficient to make him not shed everywhere all over the place? Cause he sheds all over the place. I know that's something that can't be avoided, but I would like to control it a little.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

chimunga said:


> That's really interesting. I've never actually heard that before. Would the slicker brush be sufficient to make him not shed everywhere all over the place? Cause he sheds all over the place. I know that's something that can't be avoided, but I would like to control it a little.


And.... I did about 5 seconds of searching to find that it's actually pulling out the undercoat. Huh. I thought it was just getting out the stuff that he was just gonna shed anyways. Good to know. Thanks for telling me.


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

chimunga said:


> That's really interesting. I've never actually heard that before. Would the slicker brush be sufficient to make him not shed everywhere all over the place? Cause he sheds all over the place. I know that's something that can't be avoided, but I would like to control it a little.


Yes a slicker brush and an undercoat rake are the best tools for dogs with undercoat. It will pull all of it out for you. I would use both because the rake will really get the undercoat out even better than a slicker. I have multiple different rakes. Here are the links to the ones I have. This, This, and This. They all work really well. I always use a rake, some times two different ones and then a slicker afterwards to pick up any loose undercoat that the rakes missed.

And I would suggest a good food, and maybe some fish oil. It does great things for coats and helps reduce shedding!  But remember if you give fish oil you have to give vitamin e as well becuause the fish oil will deplete their natural vitamin e. Or you can use a good all in one product like this.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

Damon'sMom said:


> Yes a slicker brush and an undercoat rake are the best tools for dogs with undercoat. It will pull all of it out for you. I would use both because the rake will really get the undercoat out even better than a slicker. I have multiple different rakes. Here are the links to the ones I have. This, This, and This. They all work really well. I always use a rake, some times two different ones and then a slicker afterwards to pick up any loose undercoat that the rakes missed.
> 
> And I would suggest a good food, and maybe some fish oil. It does great things for coats and helps reduce shedding!  But remember if you give fish oil you have to give vitamin e as well becuause the fish oil will deplete their natural vitamin e. Or you can use a good all in one product like this.


Awesome. He's on holistic select puppy food, which was suggested by the breeder and has a 4.5 on dogfoodadvisor. Still not sure what I'm gonna have him eating as an adult. Haven't done too much research on it yet.

I was wondering about fish oil. Supplements always make me a little nervous, because they have a reputation for being pretty unregulated. I'll talk to his vet about it, because I've seen a ton of shining reviews online for it. 

Links are my favorite thing ever. I love it when people actually give me links to the things they suggest.


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

chimunga said:


> Awesome. He's on holistic select puppy food, which was suggested by the breeder and has a 4.5 on dogfoodadvisor. Still not sure what I'm gonna have him eating as an adult. Haven't done too much research on it yet.
> 
> I was wondering about fish oil. Supplements always make me a little nervous, because they have a reputation for being pretty unregulated. I'll talk to his vet about it, because I've seen a ton of shining reviews online for it.
> 
> Links are my favorite thing ever. I love it when people actually give me links to the things they suggest.


When I worked as a vet tech we sold that particular fish oil a lot. Its great for the skin and coat. It is also great to use with an antihistamine for dogs that have allergies (the fish oil and antihistamine work together). Holistic Select is a good puppy food. I like that brand a lot. I use it in Damon, Sophie, and Gingers rotation diet. They always do very well on it. As for an adult food they have a good adult selection as well. Other good brands are Orijen, Acana, Earthborn, Taste of the Wild, Wellness, and there are so many more.  It all comes down to what your dog does best on. Dog food advisor is a good place to start your research. 

Haha I also love when people include links, so when I recommend something I always try to give links.


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## Foxes&Hounds (Jun 7, 2014)

I have a six month old borzoi. Different coat type, but still long-ish 










He gets a quick going over with a ball pin brush every day after walks, special attention paid to behind his ears (fine tooth comb) and the feathering on his tail (wider tooth comb).
None of my dogs have ever been to a groomers and I don't think Sam will ever go either lol; he's not a breed that needs clipping and I'm fully capable of washing him myself... that said, Sam has only had about two baths in his whole life!
I personally don't like washing dogs too frequently - especially those that shed their coat naturally. If they've rolled in really horrible things like poo or dead things a bath is definitely on the way, but with just mud and general muckiness, I prefer to let it dry then just brush it out.
I like to use PetHead dry (spray on) shampoo on mine after we've been to the beach, just to get a bit of the salt out of their fur.

Sam barely sheds at all... for now at least lol. What does Watson eat?


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

I would call a corgi (even a fluff) a double coated breed, not long haired. Long haired is more like the long drop coats on lhasa apsos, or afghans, or even some spaniels. Coat care is going to be the same as other double coated breeds pretty much.

No, it's not really possible to brush too much, but it's possible to overuse certain tools. Furminators are basically clipper blades on a handle and can really damage top coat. I would ditch the furminator and get an undercoat rake.

Trimming the fur on the bottom of the foot even with the pads is the right thing. You can use thinning shears to shape the top of the foot, but simple straight shears are fine for the bottom. You don't want to cut the fur up into the pad or between the toes, just across the bottom. You can use clippers with a #30 blade to kind of scoop out some of the hair, but it's not necessary if you don't already have clippers around.

Dog show pepople will bathe dogs multiple times a week. As long as you are using good quality shampoo and conditioner and rinsing it all out very thoroughly, it's not a problem. It's really not necessary though unless you are trying to grow coat on a show dog, or your dog is getting really really dirty for some specific reason (like running through swamp mud on a daily basis). You probably don't need to bathe nearly as much as you think. Waterless shampoos can be great for spot cleaning certain areas between baths.

What ear hair are you trimming? It's really just personal preference. The corgis I know don't have their ear hair trimmed at all.

Why do you want to take him to a groomer? A professional groomer is uneccessary for dogs who don't require clipping, unless you want the groomer to get out shed hair or something. Even for a breed like a poodle once a month is probably excessive. For an easy care coat like a corgi, I wouldn't go at all, personally.

I'm currently using Chris Christensen shampoos, but I've liked the cheaper stuff from Drs Foster and Smith too. There aren't any magic products, especially if you aren't showing a dog with a lot of coat. Just find a shampoo that works for his coat and is easy to rinse out.

ETA: My Watson's coat is pretty long now, I do show him occasionally, and he gets bathed about once every 6 weeks. I brush him once a week unless he's covered in burs. I think you're doing way too much work!

Also, puppy coat is a PITA. It's soft, everything sticks to it, and at a certain age it sheds out like crazy. The coat he has now is not going to be what he has a year from now, so you'll need to adapt.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

elrohwen said:


> *I would call a corgi a double coated breed, not long haired.* Long haired is more like the long drop coats on lhasa apsos, or afghans, or even some spaniels.
> 
> No, it's not really possible to brush too much, but it's possible to overuse certain tools. Furminators are basically clipper blades on a handle and can really damage top coat. I would ditch the furminator and get an undercoat rake.
> 
> ...


Watson's a genetic fluke. He's a fluffy corgi, so he's going to have long hair like a collie. Here's a thread with pictures: http://www.dogforums.com/dog-pictures-forum/331850-watson-fluffy-corgi.html


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

chimunga said:


> Watson's a genetic fluke. He's a fluffy corgi, so he's going to have long hair like a collie. Here's a thread with pictures: http://www.dogforums.com/dog-pictures-forum/331850-watson-fluffy-corgi.html


I edited my post to include fluffs. I still wouldn't consider a fluff to be a long coated breed anymore than a samoyed or keeshond or sheltie would be. Maybe long double coat, but the double coat part is the important part when it comes to coat care. A fluff corgi will require much different coat care from a long drop coated breed like an afghan.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Well long hair varies a lot. I've had shelties and papillons, very different coat types and also need different tools. The paps use a pin brush (though I know others use a slicker) and a comb, some thinning shears for tidying and also some regular shears for feet. I bathe them and brush them probably twice a monthish (more like every 3 weeks). The brushing takes like... 5 minutes. Once every 4-5 weeks I do a full groom on them where we do nails, thorough combing, feet, etc. Basically when I look at them one day and realize they look scraggly. I'd estimate I spend around an hour a month on their grooming- and that's for two of them. I really don't do much! They don't mat at all. 

The shelties were bathed less and brushed more. They had a harsher coat and a thick undercoat. I brushed them a couple times a week usually (if I remembered, sometimes they'd go weeks without), with more care going during shedding season when they were blowing undercoat. They didn't get the Grinch feet as fast as papillons do so barely ever trimmed their feet hair. With them I used shears for feet, thinning shears to tidy up, a slicker brush for brushing, and an undercoat rake. I don't like the furminator much, it just seemed to pull out tons of undercoat and also slice the long guard hairs. I prefer a regular undercoat rake. I bathed the shelties 3-4 times a year. They didn't get as greasy as the papillons do and they also seemed to repel dirt a bit better. 

I would think coat care for a fluffy corgi would be similar to a sheltie.

I've never ever done anything to the ear hair, and paps have tons of ear hair.  I have used a groomer one time with my sheltie and he came back with a weird haircut. So... I never have used a groomer again. It's not really necessary with fluffy dogs. It could be good to get the dog blown out when he loses undercoat though. I'd rather go to the DIY dog wash and use their force dryer though. It's cheaper to do it yourself and there's nothing complicated about grooming shelties or papillons so why not do it myself?


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## GrinningDog (Mar 26, 2010)

I use an undercoat rake and slicker brush on Gypsy once to 3x a week. The rake, followed by the slicker, quick and easy. The ONLY trim I do is the butt fluff and not regularly. I leave paw tufts, ear floof, everything else alone. Gyp has never been to a groomer.

I wouldn't worry too much about grooming. I'm thinking your corgi's coat will be fairly low maintenance.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

Lol. General consensus is that I go overboard. I'll tone it back a bit. 

Thanks guys.


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## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

I agree with everyone else. Toss out the furminator and get an undercoat rake. If shedding is an issue then I would do a good brush out every 2-3 days. You may also want to try misting the coat with some water before you brush. The water will help make the dead coat stick your brush and will also help prevent coat damage caused by brushing.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

As far as products go I use whatever shampoo smells good on a given day. We use Tropiclean, Earthbath, or Buddy Wash most often. Right now it's John Paul pet or something. 

It's real scientific lol.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

I agree with the others -- Undercoat Rake is MUCH safer than a Furminator. 

I personally like using a high velocity blow dryer (groomers use them and some DIY stations have them as well) to blow all the hair out after baths. It takes some desensitization to get them used to it though, because they are loud and scary. I started with a hand dryer without the heat on to get my puppy used to a loud noise with air blowing on her. I give baths every month or two, depending on how bad my dog is shedding. 

Your dog shouldn't need any trimming except for feet.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

ForTheLoveOfDogs said:


> I agree with the others -- Undercoat Rake is MUCH safer than a Furminator.
> 
> I personally like using a high velocity blow dryer (groomers use them and some DIY stations have them as well) to blow all the hair out after baths. It takes some desensitization to get them used to it though, because they are loud and scary. I started with a hand dryer without the heat on to get my puppy used to a loud noise with air blowing on her. I give baths every month or two, depending on how bad my dog is shedding.
> 
> Your dog shouldn't need any trimming except for feet.


:/ We don't have any DIY stations here. Which is super lame, and surprising since there's a pretty large dog population. Watson's used to a normal dryer and has no problems with the as long as he has something to nom on.


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