Grooming help/instruction desparately needed

Topics, guidelines and tips for coat and skin care and grooming Chow Chows.

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Babe

Grooming help/instruction desparately needed

Post by Babe »

What a mess! :cry: My black beauty girl just returned from 2months on the farm....unchecked, uncombed. Her fur is a disaster starting with two bald spots either side of her back where her tail lies, haunches and tail full of burrs, and residue, and of course, she is blowing her coat so what is left, is well beyond my experience.
I rescued babe 4 years ago from the SPCA, grooming has never been her strong suit, but she will tolerate brushing for up to 15 minutes....so I have to do it very regularly. Now that it has not been done, I'm not sure what to do, I don't want to hurt her but I expect that she feels very uncomfortable already.
I have called professional groomers here in Calgary and NO ONE will take a Chow, even with my commitment to stay with her through the entire process!
I do love my sweet girl, and want to help her feel good again. I expect she is about 9 years old, still very playful and absolutely committed to our family, seems very healthy other than her fur right now. If you need other information please post, and know that I would appreciate any recommendations.
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Judy Fox
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Post by Judy Fox »

Oh! Deary Me!
I don't have any experience of difficult grooming - Milly and Mabel are so good.
However, my suggestion would be - take a deep breath!
Get a cup of coffee!
Lay her on the floor on her tummy with her back legs tucked out!
Sit down by her (talking to her all the time - sure I don't have to tell you that, sorry!).
Then start with all the burrs and bits and with a comb gently tease them out!
Then brush where you have cleared and so on!
Repeat every day or twice a day or three times a day until she looks respectable!
Then a bath - a good quality coat conditioning shampoo and hey ho - it will be done.
Could take a couple of weeks or whatever but you will have done it and she will feel pretty.
Sorry, that is the best I can suggest.
Good Luck and chin up!

Purple kisses to your chow girl from Milly and Mabel. :) :)
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Juniper

Post by Juniper »

When I got my stray Chow who had been walking the streets for 1 year and 3 months she was a mess!

I got Sheena down on one side and leaned my body over her, away from her face, and used a comb that's called an Afro comb - it can be in either plastic or metal - 5 or 6 prongs about 2 inches long and anywhere from a quarter to a half inch apart between each prong. Any matting, stickers, burrs came out without any problem and Sheena didn't appear to mind that much. I then gave her a break and worked on her other side. Make sure you check for burrs between the toes. I was able to lift her tail while leaning on her and of course as Judy says talk nice, if that works. Sheena worked well with my not talking at all.

I did find that using a brush appeared to be painful initially and stuck with using the comb. I even needed to cut some hair out with a small scissor. Once I went through, inch by inch, (mind you it took hours and hours at different times of the day to complete the task), I then found I could use a brush. I actually use a human hair brush, rectangular with plastic bristles with a very small round ball at the end. Sheena doesn't particularly care for brushes and I also use a wide pronged comb that a person uses for long wet hair.

Hope this helps. Works for Sheena. I actually have never given Sheena a bath and she hasn't been to the groomers as of yet (except for nail trims). I've had her for 8 months now and she looks great. When she gets caught in the rain it seems to keep her coat in good shape. I do brush/comb her for about 10 minutes every day and once a week for at least 2 hours.

Good luck with your Chow. :D
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kingalls
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Grooming tips

Post by kingalls »

Oh, my! What farm was she at to get so many burrs? I hope she doesn't have other things like more fleas or ticks (I don't know if they happen in Calgary.)
So sorry you aren't able to find a groomer in Calgary. If you can slowly introduce her to grooming by you, perhaps that will be your first immediate option until you can find a professional groomer.
My preference is both a rake and a comb with rotating teeth. I got mine from http://www.dog.com. Although I haven't tried it myself, I know there are conditioning sprays that you can use which will help the comb or rake go through the fur easier.
Bathing is not an option for my two but if it is for you then that would be great to do the bath with conditioner to help with the tangles.
Treats might help pursade her to cooperate more.
Good luck!
Karen
debbie and bones

brushing

Post by debbie and bones »

We are in Calgary too!! Maybe we can meet some time! I brush Bones also with a rake and a comb and I work on mats (which seem to appear so quickly - if I miss a weekly brush, he has mats) by lying him on the floor beside me and brushing one side I try to hold the mat close to the skin (think long haired pony tailed child and holding the hair as close to theelastic as possible) and firmly starting at the end of the mat start combing and working downward toward the skin. Evenually it comes out for me and while I do this I talk nicely and complimentary "you are SUCH a good boy" and give him a few treats throughout the process. He likes to be brushed as he is so itchy, but if I get too close to a hotspot or I get too aggressive with a mat, he lets me know (growl or feeble attempt at a bite). Then I leave it and go to another area.

Let us know how it goes! Debbie and Bones :mrgreen:
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