 Luckily Andrew is a professional dog groomer but I love grooming the boys as well. Therefore, it only seemed right that Andrew should write this section, at great cost to myself I might add!!
Don’t be afraid of the coat, be patient and gentle and you will have no problems. The best way to get your dog use to grooming is to start when they are a puppy. For us we found a little everyday was far easier than once a week. By not grooming regularly it ultimately takes longer and the dog can get fed up and upset.
When grooming your puppy treat it as a game. Lots of praise, love and rewards. Do what is best for you and your dog. We groom the boys on a grooming table. Other people groom their dogs on their laps.
Grooming your dog is a great way to bond with your dog. Grooming keeps the coat healthy and in good condition. It also gives you the opportunity to observe any potential problems, fleas, ticks, grass seeds in the coat or skin conditions.
A matted Bolognese is a very unhappy dog – ignoring your dog’s grooming needs may result in them suffering.
Equipment you will need
* Don’t feel you have to spend a fortune on tools – the basics will do.
* Wide toothed comb
* Gentle pin brush
* Small facial comb
* Small scissors with rounded blades
* Nail clippers/nail file
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 I like to groom the upper body first, always using a comb. The comb should be able to gently glide through the coat. Don’t tug at the coat. Products are available on the market that can be sprayed onto the coat to help the comb deal with any mats.
I can’t stress how important it is to comb from the root through the complete shaft of hair. Gently hold small sections of the hair and work through the coat. Holding sections, whilst combing the hair will prevent pulling of the skin. Remember to comb the underneath of the body. Next I do the tail, legs, ears, head and face.
Problem areas where mats can appear:
* Root of hair
* Base of tail
* Under arms
* Legs
* Groin
Interestingly, all 3 of our boys hate having their front legs done. They will start dancing around!! |
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—Bathing—
 Make sure before you bath your dog, it has been combed out completely – no mats present. We don’t bath Alberto and Paolo too often – only if they get really dirty. Grooming them on a regular basis will keep them clean.
There are lots of shampoos available for dogs. Some people will use whitening shampoos but remember to dilute or you may have a blue dog! Johnson’s Baby shampoo is very gentle and we use this on Paolo who has sensitive skin. It doesn’t hurt it if accidentally goes in their eyes.
Whilst shampooing, don’t over scrub the coat, this can cause matting. Rinse off in the direction of the hair growth. Whilst the coat is wet, I will gently comb through it.
If using a hair dryer to dry the coat, make sure it is on a low setting so as not to burn the skin. We allow our dogs to dry naturally. Be prepared for them to go mad! They will fly around the house at such speed and then roll and throw themselves around on the floor!! |
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—Nails—
Don’t let the fur grow long around the pads, trim it back. Don’t allow the nails to grow too long. Clip or file a little at a time, holding the foot firmly.
—Ears—
Don’t allow hair to grow in the ears. It will easily come out by plucking; using your thumb and first finger, the fur comes out freely. Or you can use tweezers. Clean the ear with a good ear cleaner.
—Teeth—
If you can, clean once a day, or at least 3 times a week. It will be easier to do, if your dog has been use to having its teeth cleaned as a puppy.
—Eyes—
If I had a pound for every person who asked about how to keep the eyes free from stains, I would be a millionaire! It is a lot of trial and error and finding what works best for you.
When a puppy is teething, this is when staining can start. Be patient and it often clears up. Keep the eye area dry and wipe with a cotton wool disc. Blocked tear ducts can also be a problem, obviously you would need to see your vet. Infected ears could also be a cause.
In the corner of the eye, brown sleep can also cause staining. Remove the sleep and keep the eye dry and clean.
Staining could also be caused by the food that is fed. Our dogs also only drink bottled water which is better than our tap water.
Alberto can suffer in summer from hay fever and this can cause his eyes to run.
There are numerous products out there and everyone has different results with each. |
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—To trim or not to trim?—
A show Bolognese should never be trimmed. The only thing that should be trimmed is the hair in between the pads.
If you are finding it hard to deal with the coat, then obviously you may make the decision to trim the coat off. It is better to do this, than have a matted Bolognese. I would recommend you take your dog to a professional groomer.
Paolo hated being groomed and after he retired from showing we made the decision to trim his coat off. He is so much happier and relaxed without his coat. I must point out, that once you have decided to remove the coat, the texture of the coat does change, therefore you must keep taking your dog on a regular basis to see the groomer. If you have an older Bolognese, again it may be easier for the dog to have a shorter coat. The decision should be yours. If you can manage the coat, then try and keep it as it is because the coat certainly makes the dog!!
Please make sure you worm and treat your dog for fleas as well. |
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