Grooming Manual for the Dog and Cat

Sue Dallas, Diana North, Joanne Angus

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN:
  9781405111836
• eBook ISBN:
  9781118693278
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Veterinary Medicine

One of the responsibilities of every dog or cat owner is that of coat care. There are many and varied coat types and there is a vast difference between the time it takes to groom a Doberman and an Old English Sheepdog, a Siamese and a Persian cat. This book provides much needed guidance for groomers, breeders and owners. It will be invaluable for those taking the City and Guilds 775 Grooming exam and animal care students of all levels. Step by step grooming/clipping techniques are described for the more popular breeds of dog and cat and in each case the technique is illustrated with photographic sequences. The book also includes allied subjects such as skin care, commonly found skin parasites and basic first aid and handling.

Part 1

What You Need To Know

1

Breed Groups and Coat Types

DOGS

In this book we will be describing the specific pet and breed grooming styles for the commonest breeds seen today.

There are many different ways to categorise the dog breeds seen in the UK: by size, colour, characteristics or coat type. We shall be using two systems in this book, which have been cross-referenced to help you find your way through the many breeds.

• System one – Kennel Club breed groupings
• System two – Coat types

The breed groups

The Kennel Club categorises breeds into seven groups: Gundogs, Hounds, Pastoral, Terriers, Toy, Utility and Working. It helps while grooming a dog to bear in mind what it was originally bred for.

The Gundog group

Gundogs are quite natural looking, bred to work in the field or water. They are used to hunt, point and retrieve. In this group we find many of the commonest breeds seen today — Golden Retrievers, Labradors, Setters and Spaniels (Fig. 1.1).

Fig. 1.1 Springer Spaniel.

The Hound group

Hounds use either sight or scent for hunting purposes and therefore may be very independent. They vary hugely in their construction from the small, low to ground Miniature Dachshund to the giant Irish Wolfhound. Fig. 1.2 shows an Afghan Hound.

Fig. 1.2 Afghan Hound.

The Pastoral group

These are the shepherding and herding breeds that are used worldwide to keep flocks and herds under control. The Border Collie, German Shepherd (Fig. 1.3) and Old English Sheepdog are some examples.

Fig. 1.3 German Shepherd.

The Terrier group

Terriers are the ratters and vermin hunters, very keen and sometimes wilful. They are often easily categorised by their distinct harsh coats (Fig. 1.4) but there are some in the group who differ, such as the Bedlington and Kerry Blue.

Fig. 1.4 Wire Fox Terrier.

The Toy group

These are the companion dogs sought after for their ‘knee-warming’ skills but don’t be misled into believing that they do not have the same character as some of their bigger relations. This group contains breeds such as the Yorkshire Terrier, Bichon Frise (Fig. 1.5) and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Fig. 1.5 Bichon Frise.

The Utility group

This is a vastly mixed group of dogs each with their own character or working abilities. They range from the Poodle to the Miniature Schnauzer to the Lhasa Apso (Fig. 1.6).

Fig. 1.6 Lhasa Apso.

The Working group

The breeds in this group include the guarders and defenders. The commonest ones are the Dobermann (Fig. 1.7) and Rottweiler and then come the giant breeds such as St. Bernard and Newfoundland.

Fig. 1.7 Dobermann.

Coat types

For ease of reference we have categorised coats into five types: double coat, silky coat, smooth coat, wire coat and wool coat.

Double coats

A double coat consists of a dense, soft undercoat concealed by a longer topcoat. Several breeds of dog fit this coat type, so for the purposes of this book we have split this group into two:

• Double coat — one (untrimmed or tidied). The breeds with this type of coat are those that require much grooming and removal of dead undercoat with little or no trimming. Examples are the German Shepherd, Rough Collie, Samoyed, St. Bernard and Tervueren (Fig. 1.8).
• Double coat — two (trimmed). These breeds have a much longer topcoat, which in theory (and particularly for show purposes) should not be trimmed. However, for pet purposes a more practical, shortened style is far more appropriate. Examples are the Lhasa Apso (Fig. 1.9), Shih Tzu and Old English Sheepdog.

Silky coat

The most important feature of this coat is its texture and not the length. Once again, breeds with this type of coat may require a lot or a small amount of trimming. Breed examples include the Afghan Hound, spaniels such as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (Fig. 1.10) and Yorkshire Terrier.

Fig. 1.8 Tervueren.

Fig. 1.9 Lhasa Apso in teddy bear trim.

Fig. 1.10 King Charles Spaniel.

Fig. 1.11 Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

Smooth coat

This coat is easily defined by the length, being short and tight to the body. This coat type is the low-maintenance type in grooming terms. The main objectives of grooming these breeds is to remove dead coat and give a glossy finish. Breed examples include the Boxer, Dobermann, Weimeraner and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Fig. 1.11).

Wire coat

This coat has a harsh, dense topcoat with a softer undercoat. The coat should be ‘hand-stripped’ to maintain the correct texture and colour but many pets are clipped for the ease and cost of grooming — this is not acceptable in the show ring. The main breed examples here are terriers, e.g. West Highland White, Wire Fox, Border (Fig. 1.12) and Scottish Terrier although there are other breeds such as the Miniature Schnauzer and Wire Haired Dachshund.

Fig. 1.12 Border Terrier.

Fig. 1.13 Standard Poodle.

Wool coat

For the purpose of this book we have used this group to include a multitude of breeds whose coats perhaps fit better here than under other coat types, although Breed Standards do not specify ‘wool coat’. These breeds require specific drying techniques and trimming styles. Examples are poodles (Fig. 1.13), Irish Water Spaniels and Bichon (Fig. 1.5).

Irrespective of breed or coat type, all dogs should be groomed on a regular basis for many reasons:

• Promotes good handler—dog relationship.
• Promotes health, cleanliness and well-being of the dog.
• Provides an opportunity to inspect the dog for any skin, coat or health problems.

Always remember that when you are grooming a dog you are the one in charge and not the dog. Learn to make grooming a pleasurable experience for both you and the dog. Further details of handling are covered in Chapter 4.

Cross-reference system

The breeds are in alphabetical order with their breed group represented as follows:

Gd = Gundogs	To = Toy
Ho = Hounds	Ut = Utility
Pa = Pastoral	Wo = Working
Te = Terriers

The coat types will also be abbreviated as follows:

Dc1 = Double coat — one	Dc2 = Double coat — two
Si = Silky	Sm = Smooth
Wi = Wire	Wo = Wool

Gundogs (Gd)

English Setter	Si
Gordon Setter	Si
Irish Setter	Si
Italian Spinone	Wi
Retriever
Flat Coat	Dc1
Golden	Dc1
Labrador	Dc1
Spaniels
American Cocker	Si
Clumber	Si
Cocker	Si
English Springer	Si
Field	Si
Irish Water	Wo
Sussex	Si
Welsh Springer	Si

Hounds (Ho)

Afghan	Si
Dachshund	Sm, Wi or Si
Deerhound	Wi
Irish Wolfhound	Wi

Pastoral (Pa)

Bearded Collie	Dc2
Border Collie	Dc1 or Sm
German Shepherd	Dc1
Old English Sheepdog	Dc2
Polish Lowland Sheepdog	Dc2
Rough Collie	Dc1
Samoyed	Dc1
Shetland Sheepdog	Dc1

Terriers (Te)

Airedale	Wi
Bedlington	Wo
Border	Wi
Cairn	Wi
Dandie Dinmont	Wi
Irish	Wi
Kerry Blue	Si
Lakeland	Wi
Norfolk	Wi
Norwich	Wi
Parson Russell Terrier	Wi
Scottish	Wi
Sealyham	Wi
Soft Coated Wheaten	Si
Welsh	Wi
West Highland White	Wi
Wire Fox	Wi

Toys (To)

Bichon Frise	Wo
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel	Si
Griffon Bruxellois	Wi or Sm
Lowchen	Si
Maltese	Si
Papillion	Si
Pekingese	Dc1
Pomeranian	Dc1
Yorkshire Terrier	Si

Utility (Ut)

Chow Chow	Dc1
Lhasa Apso	Dc2
Miniature Schnauzer	Wi
Poodle	Wo
Schnauzer	Wi
Shih Tzu	Dc2
Tibetan Terrier	Dc2

Working (Wo)

Bernese Mountain Dog	Dc1
Bouvier des Flandres	Dc2
Boxer	Sm
Dobermann	Sm
Giant Schnauzer	Wi
Newfoundland	Dc1
St. Bernard	Dc1

Of course there are some exceptionally different coats in the world of dogs, which we felt needed a mention, such as the corded coat of the Hungarian Puli and the unusual look of the Chinese Crested. However, specialist knowledge is required for maintaining the coats of these breeds and therefore these are not covered in this book.

In Chapter 2 the breed names are followed by the group and coat type’s abbreviated name so that you know which tools and equipment are relevant for each, for example:

• Bernese Mountain Dog (Wo-Dc1) = Working dog with Double coat — one.
• West Highland White (Te-Wi) = Terrier group with a wire coat.

Working with this book should be easy, as specific details for trimming each breed are given on a designated page (see Chapter 11). There are sections on grooming out, and bathing and drying in Chapters 4, 6 and 9, and these are reinforced in the checklists in Chapter 10 and the breed profiles in Chapter 11. In cases of breeds with similar trimming requirements, cross-references have been provided to the other breed(s).

CATS

A cat’s fur is its most admired feature, and it is also an important part of its body. It is not just the basis for cat breed identification but on a functional level it:

• Provides a barrier between the cat’s skin and its environment
• Protects the cat from injury and infection
• Helps to regulate body temperature
• Insulates the body in cold weather
• Is a general guide to health
• Protects against excess sunlight and chemicals

The coat hair may be:

• Long
• Short
• Hard
• Soft
• Silky
• Coarse
• Thick
• Wavy

Fig. 1.14 Cat hair types. From left to right: guard, awn and down hair.

Selective breeding a...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Contents
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• About the Author
• Part 1: What You Need To Know
• Part 2 Getting Started
• Associations and Events
• Grooming Competitions
• Reading Material
• Index