Grooming your Chows Face

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

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Wollfie
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Grooming your Chows Face

Post by Wollfie »

How do you groom the fur on your dogs face, especially around the sides of the mouth. You know, the gross, impenetrable, semi-dried food and saliva that always accumulates there? I used to spend the longest time trying to comb it out with a variety of small combs/brushes, but would ultimately end up using the sissors.

He is just such a large and difficult dog to work on because it usually has to be on his terms and his schedule. I have been his sole groomer for 8 yrs. now, and have yet to finish his whole body in one day. I mean I can easily spend 2 to 3 hrs. alone just on one side.

If I had it to do all over again, I would gladly pay the $160.00/month that groomers charge here.
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Shane
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Post by Shane »

Well since the hair on krillan and Shadow face is some what short I use a bristle brush. Longer hair on the head; a comb. A round the mouth with the saliva and stuff that you said, I have no problems with that. Although they are some what messy eaters (sometimes) they don't drool (which I kinda find odd, but I don't have to mop up after them) and I have no problen wih that. Oh yeah and under the jaw I use a bristle brush since it is farly short.

Shane
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Post by Taz »

Gromming my Chows face?
Diego doesn't exactly have that much hair in his face tho.
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So I can say its very rare that I grom his face.
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Post by kiwani »

Re: "You know, the gross, impenetrable, semi-dried food and saliva that always accumulates there?"

---

Haven't had any Chows with that problem. You mentioned feeding five cans of "Mighty Dog" daily. Some of that brand's ingredients are like wallpaper paste: wheat gluten, soy flour, corn starch. You would either have to wipe the glue gravy slobber with a wet cloth after meals, or find another brand of canned food.

.
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ngraham
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Re: Grooming your Chows Face

Post by ngraham »

Re: How do you groom the fur on your dogs face, especially around the sides of the mouth. You know, the gross, impenetrable, semi-dried food and saliva that always accumulates there? I used to spend the longest time trying to comb it out with a variety of small combs/brushes, but would ultimately end up using the sissors.

Koda doesn't have any fur on his face to groom either. Neither did Sasha. Weird. I would suggest wiping his mouth/face off with a warm wash rag everyday to keep all of that from building up. I have to wipe off Koda's eye's everyday (tears from the entropian) so while I am wiping his eyes out, I just wash his face while I am at it. Does he like it? Nope. Do I care? Nope. LOL
Nancy and Tai

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Judy Fox
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Post by Judy Fox »

I have a whole pile of face-cloths - ordinary ones and I rinse one in warm clear water and then I wash Milly and Mabel's faces then I put the flannel in the washing machine and use a clean one next time. I have a bottle of liquid called "Pretty Eyes Lotion" produced by a firm called Shaws and I gently clean round their eyes with it. It is very good and cleans up tear stains. Milly and Mabel sit quite comfortably and let me do it.
I wipe the corners of their mouths with the warm, damp flannel and they then look pretty and they know it! :D
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Zhuyos mom
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Post by Zhuyos mom »

Put a bib on your boy when he eats. That will help alot. When my two eat something I know is messy, like when I serve canned Z/D or my California mix of Victory's recipe, I put bibs on them. They are extremely coopertive. I use plastic kitchen trash bags and discard them once they finish eatting and drinking.

Other than that, you just need to keep wiping after each meal so it doesn't get out of control. I use baby wipes.

Where have you groomed Wolfie? $160 sounds like a master groomer's fee. If you want a sensible place that loves chows, go to PetsMart in Daly City. They charge $40 for a bath and brush and $60 for a full groom. I always include an extra 20 minute brush to my two's session for an additional $5.00. Ask for Jennifer, Maria or Marvin (if they are still there). Make sure you are specific with them on your grooming requirements. They are asked by many chow owners for lion cuts. So if you don't want to bring home a hairless chow, make sure that's in your boy's records - no lion cuts and no shaving without prior autho.
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Wollfie
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Post by Wollfie »

Most groomers that I have spoken to here in Concord, Ca. won't even "do" a Chow. A few months ago my husband and I (I would not have been able to do it alone) brought Wolfie to a local vet to have his "nails done". Well, it was taking longer than the 5/10 minutes promised, so we drove down the street and just by chance found a groomer next to a 7-Eleven who could take him immediately, and would only charge $12.00. What a deal.

The biggest problem was trying to lift him (he weighs 65 lbs.) just a few feet up on the stainless steel table, trying to hold him still and keeping his muzzle on. The entire process took less than 5 minutes, but I think we were all glad when it was over.

Upon leaving, I asked her 3 questions: 1) Do you do Chows? - Yes
2) Would you do him?- Yes
3) How much? - $80/hr. 2 hr. min.
And this was contingent upon me being nearby -- say parked in my car in front of the shop, in the event that things didn't go well.
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Post by Zhuyos mom »

Take a trip to the peninsula... make it a day. Drop your boy off, stay in the store for as long as you need to. The groomers give me free reign in the shop because I ask. So, if you want to stay with him for a while you can. When you think it's okay, go shopping and browse in the complex. There's a Ross there, a Circuit City and a SportsMart close by. Party City is right next door. Check back with the groomers and ask them how he's doing and maybe you'll feel confident enough to drive away from the complex and go to the Beach with your girls, have lunch at The Cliff House or somewhere closer in Pacifica or just across the street at the Serramonte Mall. That way your gas expense for the day trip offsets in your mind the cost of bringing your boy down just for the groomers.

What I would suggest is to make an appointment just for a brush. See how he feels with others pampering him. If you feel that he's done well, then make a follow-up appt. for something more extensive like a bath and brush. Once you get him groomed or bath-n-brushed, it'll start you with an easier slate in terms of your home grooming.
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Post by kingalls »

I probably am paying the higher price for Mr. N. The groomer charges $80 but I usually give her $90 for hazard pay. I do stay during the entire visit (mandatory). Mr. N does not like being groomed :evil: by someone else but I can't do it - he's not cooperative in the sense that I can only brush the side that he's not laying on. Mr. N doesn't do baths - never had one. It is strictly 2+ hours of brushing, raking, some shaving the rear area. I usually take care of any of the mane area just under his chin...I bring my own brush & rake and do that while the groomer takes care of the rest. Mr. N is muzzled but it just works better for me to brush him there.
He doesn't have his nails trimmed...the sidewalk walking & running seem to keep them in check...I just don't know how he would react if the groomer tried to do his nails...he gets quite wild-eyed looking when she touches his paws...
When the session is done..he is a happy boy with happy feet...when he sees that I'm getting his harness & leash his tail is wagging and he's doing his front paws dance on the table \:D/ . Oh, yeah - it does take two of us to lift Mr. N up on the table...he's about 65+ lbs, too.
We go every 6 weeks... :lol: my groomer blocks that day out as she only has the energy to do Mr. N in the morning and maybe one dog in the afternoon....
Hopefully, it will work out for Wollfie at PetSmart as Lou suggests.

Best of luck! Karen
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Wollfie
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Post by Wollfie »

Thanks for all of your replies, but isn't 2 hrs. to long to have a dog muzzled?
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Post by kingalls »

Not sure how to describe the muzzle - it's two panels joined in the middle with a mesh...he can move his jaws, pant, etc. Two hours is a long time but there isn't a choice if I am to have him groomed.
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Post by Jeff&Peks »

If you remember Lou I was also having a hard time in the Bay area trying to find a groomer that did Chows . When I finely did find someone, in Albany, it was a 6 hour nightmare, over $300.00 and a completely bald, down to the skin Pekoe plus I had to go back even though I warned them and told them I would stay. When they called me 4 hours later I found her in a cage all butchered with hair wrapped around her legs and ankles.
My advice, never leave your Chow alone with a Groomer until after a few visits and you trust them. Which reminds me I just met a lady down the street that has a Chow that looks exactly like Pekoe, that's how we met she thought I took her Chow. She was asking me all the old standered question we discuss on here then we got to grommer talk she said her Chow suffered back sprains and injuries at the last groomers so be real careful who you leave your Chow with. I have met a few Chow owners the last couple of days I keep referring them to this site.
I know Lou likes pet-smart but everytime I watch them groom they are really rough and pushy with dogs a Chow would never tolerate that. Not the pet-smat in Lou's town but some of the others around the bay area and in Southern Ca.
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Post by Judy Fox »

I read - and I take it in - and I still groom M & M myself! Correction Fred and I groom M & M.:)
We bath them twice a year - extra if really needed. We comb them, brush them, trim them, clip their nails, wash their faces etc.
It is very easy and I think M & M look very nice.
They are a bit scraggy at the moment but as soon as the weather warms up a little they will have their spring bath.
We actually enjoy it.
Fred and I put an old pair of short and shirt on - canvas shoes - we are soaked by the end but both girlies are clean and happy.

:D

p.s. It costs us the price of a bottle of good shampoo!! :wink:
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DUDLEY

Post by bluechowlover »

DUDLEY DOES NOT HAVE THAT PROBLEM. BUT I DO USE BABY WIPES ON HIS FACE AND DOGGY WIPES ON HIS BODY SINCE HE HATTTTESS WATER.
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Post by willowchow »

Dudley is awesome! I use a damp towel to wipe Willow's face and mane after eating and exercise or whenever needed.

Also, if you get sick of photobucket, you can try http://imageshack.us/.

Here's a Willow pic---

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