Brushing dog has benefits for coat, skin

Features

November 21, 2009

PAWS Corner

Anonymous The McAlester News-Capital Sat Nov 21, 2009, 03:53 PM CST

Brushing a dog’s coat eliminates mats, burrs, and tangles and it removes dead hair, distributes oils in the coat, and stimulates the blood supply to the skin. Severe matting can prevent the skin from doing its primary job of protecting and regulating a dogs’ body temperature.

Sometimes we think we’ve done a good job brushing the hair, but if we only touch the outer layer, we may be leaving thick matted hair underneath. If your dog isn’t trained to be groomed, you may not be able to tackle this job yourself. You may need to enlist the help of a professional groomer. It can be time-consuming, expensive, and a very unpleasant experience for your dog. If the matting is excessive, the only alternative may be to have the coat clipped down below the mats.

Regular brushing and combing with the right tools will keep the coat shiny and free of mats. According to the Original Dog Bible, there are different types of brushes for different kinds of dogs. For all dogs except the smoothest single-coated breeds and their mixes, a slicker brush should be the ﬁrst tool in your grooming kit. Slicker brushes come in different sizes and shapes, but all contain hundreds of short wires embedded in a ﬁrm rubber backing. The gentle slicker has softer wire bristles, either straight or curved and works best on puppies and tiny breeds. The larger version is the workhorse of grooming. Its curved bristles are made for pulling dead undercoat and packed fur from most breeds. Use the slicker gently but ﬁrmly, especially when it’s new. A heavy hand, especially on sensitive spots where the coat is sparse, can cause slicker burn, a skin irritation that sometimes results in a second-degree burn. With regular use, the slicker becomes more ﬂexible. When its bristles have worn soft and start falling out, it’s time for a new one.

For ﬂuffy coats and those that are long and ﬂowing, you will need a double-sided stainless steel comb with wide teeth on one end and ﬁner teeth on the other.

Double-coated dogs or those with ﬂowing coats should be brushed with the lay of the coat. Other breeds with curls, such as the Poodle, the hair should be brushed against the grain to give it a fuller look. For shorthaired double-coated breeds like Labs, its best to use a slicker and a rubber curry brush.

Mats often form on and behind the ears, in the armpits, and on the tail, so don’t neglect brushing these areas. After brushing, check your work with your comb to see if you have missed any tangles.

Introduce your dog to the comb and brush as early as possible. Brush our way around his body, starting at the same place each time to lessen the chances of missing an area. Work the coat in small sections, brushing all the way to the skin. For large dogs, with the dog standing, lift the legs carefully without twisting so you won’t overextend ligaments as you brush them on the inside. For small and medium-sized dogs, hold the front paws with one hand, stand the dog facing you, and brush the chest and belly with your other hand, taking care not to irritate tender parts.

If you are interested in adding a loving pal to your family, check out the Pittsburg County Animal Shelter at 1206 N. West Street, or call PAWS at 470-7497. You can also call PAWS to schedule a spay or neuter for your pal. You may be entitled to ﬁnancial assistance.

Make that call today!

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