Gizmo HATES to be brushed!

Great news!! Sounds like progress!!!

I say 110% no to the furminator! I do not like it at all! All you need to remove their undercoat is a rake, or a greyhound comb...and trust me once you start combing it comes out in clumps and you look at it and go OMG where did all this fur come from!?!?!?!:lol:
 
Two years ago, I would have said yes to the Furminator, but now that both my dogs are going into their adult coats, I'm against it.

The only time I would say ok to a Furminator is if you use it exactly like a pin brush, and line brush. NEVER use a furminator on a Sheltie like they show on the video (i.e. brushing over the guard hair or over coat!).

A rake or a slicker brush is much gentler way of dealing with the thick undercoat. Granted, it takes patience, but the end result is better.

p.s. always spritz your dogs hair with water or leave-in conditioner while you are brushing, otherwise you might break the hair.

Brushes are very personal choice and you'll get 100 opinions here, but I find the softer the better for Shelties. I have 3 slickers, and the only one I use now is from Lawrence. It's very soft, but gets down close to the skin. I find if the rubber or wires are too firm, I can't get close enough. My pin brushes are all CC, but there are many brands equally as effective. Like I said, its a personal choice.

You'll find too, that the older the dog gets, the longer the pin brush you might want. I'm now using a 35mm as my favourite. I rarely use my shorter pin brushes now.

All to say, don't invest too much in brushes while pup is still a pup. All you need to do right now is get him comfortable with the process.

Once the coat finally starts coming in, then you'll be wanting to know about scissors, and what other brushes and grooming tables, etc. As you perfect your grooming style, you'll ultimately learn whats right.

Hope this helps.

p.s. I was going to give advice on how to get pup used to grooming, but seems like you've now got this under control. Great job!
 
Yeah, i was told by the breeder's assistant to line brush with the furminator, if i use one, because it will damage the top coat. We have one, but haven't used it yet. We want to get him more used to us brushing him before we try it. We may just wait until next spring because it is finally starting to cool down here some. And i dont want to use it now, or in the next month or, and end up with him not having any/much undercoat for the VERY cold winter. if we Do use it, how often is ok? couple times a year (like when they are shedding heavily in spring and fall), once a month, more often (though i dont think we would do it that often even if it were ok)?
Oh, about how old are shelties when their adult fur comes in? when does it get all nice and fluffy? :biggrin2: He is 7 months now, and im just wondering if it will be like in the next couple months or in like a year or so:smile2:
here are a few pics of our little guy (and my daughter :biggrin2:) the day we brought him home.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1502859908949.44466.1757781533&l=082b119a94&type=1
let me know if the link doesnt work. im not sure exactly how to post them on here.
 
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snkoyle15 said:
Oh, about how old are shelties when their adult fur comes in? when does it get all nice and fluffy? :biggrin2: He is 7 months now, and im just wondering if it will be like in the next couple months or in like a year or so:smile2:
here are a few pics of our little guy (and my daughter :biggrin2:) the day we brought him home.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1502859908949.44466.1757781533
let me know if the link doesnt work. im not sure exactly how to post them on here.
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It really depends on the dog's pedigree. Some dogs have all their fur at 1 year, and some wait until 3 years old to really get their adult coat.

And darn, your link doesn't work. Check your FB privacy settings. You may just need to make that album public.
 
k thanks for letting me know about the link, i think i fixed it. the first couple pics are my daughter having fun with Gizmo's bed. right before i took them she was actually laying in the bed. then the others are waiting for Daddy to bring her puppy home.
 
snkoyle15 said:
Yeah, i was told by the breeder's assistant to line brush with the furminator, if i use one, because it will damage the top coat. We have one, but haven't used it yet. We want to get him more used to us brushing him before we try it. We may just wait until next spring because it is finally starting to cool down here some. And i dont want to use it now, or in the next month or, and end up with him not having any/much undercoat for the VERY cold winter. if we Do use it, how often is ok? couple times a year (like when they are shedding heavily in spring and fall), once a month, more often (though i dont think we would do it that often even if it were ok)?
Oh, about how old are shelties when their adult fur comes in? when does it get all nice and fluffy? :biggrin2: He is 7 months now, and im just wondering if it will be like in the next couple months or in like a year or so:smile2:
here are a few pics of our little guy (and my daughter :biggrin2:) the day we brought him home.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1502859908949.44466.1757781533&l=082b119a94&type=1
let me know if the link doesnt work. im not sure exactly how to post them on here.
Click to expand...

I use a furminator but mostly only when they're really blowing coat. I don't find that it does any damage as long as you spritz with water or coat conditioner while you're grooming. It can be a great tool if used properly, however I don't think I'd use it on a dog under a year of age and not until he's comfortable being brushed. That being said, as BarbV pointed out, never use it like they show in the grooming videos, you need to be gentle.
 
The link works for me.

He's got a nice coat for his age. I expect he will end up alot like my Indy (also a Tri) with a very thick undercoat that you'll need to stay on top of.

The key thing with undercoat is not let it get matted or clumping. I had this problem with Indy this summer. He swam fairly often this summer, so each time he got wet his undercoat clumped. I spent the better part of 4 hours over the last 2 weekends getting all those clumps out. That would have bee a good time for the furminator, but I didn't have it with me.

But it's obvious that you understand the principles. I think you are well on your way. I would only use the furminator once or twice per year, if at all. Kinda a last resort even if you line brush with it. Learn to use the rake and slicker and longer pin brushes first.
 
tofu pup said:
Pink or purple are both fine, firmness-wise.



Please, please consider getting a grooming table. If it's not something you can buy right now, then try another sturdy table with a towel over it. I would bet that your dog has never in his life been brushed on the floor - but has spent a significant number of hours up on a grooming table. This is just the reality of how we groom show dogs. (It will also be so much easier on your back than sitting on the floor for the hour-plus that it takes to properly brush him out.)

Here's the other thing: your dog is training you. Think about it: every time he gets uncomfortable around the brush, you give him a treat. If he really flips out when the brush appears, you'll give him more treats! In your most recent post, you're even hunting around for more- and more-delicious treats to give him when he pitches a fit. What a lucky dog! :wink2: I know you only mean the best, and that you're using the treats to try and distract him, but in his clever little Sheltie brain, he's learning that bigger fits bring more cookies.

Brushing is not an inherently-traumatic event. Even if (God forbid, and I'm not at all proposing that this is the case) the poor dog was beaten to within an inch of his life with a ball-tippy pinbrush back in the day, you're going to teach him that brushing is OK and normal by having brushing be OK and normal.

Get him up on a table (preferably with an arm, so he can't go far) and let him know, gently but firmly, that brushing is going to be the order of the day and that you, the human, get to brush him until you (and only you) decide that you're done. Be calm and confident. If you need a buddy to help you hold him, that's fine. Cookies are fine too - if and when he holds still (go ahead and set the bar low at first on that one... even a few moments of composure on the dog's part are a good start). However, the dog no longer gets to define when brushing ends OR when he gets a cookie. Remember, he's probably spent his whole life with humans who are calm, confident, and fair but firm when it comes to grooming - because grooming is just an everyday reality for these dogs.

But - I'd try a grooming table first, and see if that doesn't make a difference.
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Ryder hated being brushed!!! I bought a grooming table about 5 months ago. He now stands like a gentleman. He even lets us clip his nails with out a fuss! I love it!! I had to tether one dog while brushing the other on the couch. Which also really hurt my back. Now with he table they just sit by and watch each other being brushed. I take them to the groomer every 3 months instead of two which in itself paid for the table. It was $165 with shipping and I am very impressed with how well it is made.
 
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