Grooming Advice 5 Month Old Puppy

Daisy1015 said:
aw he is handsome! I have a 5 1/2 month old too. She looks like a fox. Lol. What has worked for me is short sessions daily (or nearly). More for practice than grooming. She still wants to eat the brush and has the attention span of a flea. I try to do a little each day and end it with not getting the brush eaten. I introduced water bottles, scissors (i do feet and browns and chin but not yet in the same day), nail trim too but not daily and just as much as she will sit still for at this age. I also brush teeth nightly- this she can chew in. It is mostly socialization to the routine and tools. I also recommend not at night time or whatever time yours is too silly.
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This makes me think of a little girl sheltie we ran into a couple weeks ago. Her name was Wilma. She was so sleek looking compared to him! They are 10 days apart. but since she was a lovely golden sable she did totally look like a fox! we tired to get them to sit together, but this was the best we got.
 
Diana Mccly said:
No, he's just itchy. I can't find anything skin wise to account for it. I am keeping an eye on it though because I am worried about allergies. I'll look specifically for flakes tonight though. thanks
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Perhaps it's the brush? Doubtful seeing as how little coat he has but cheap brushes can scratch the skin. I use Chris Christensen pin brushes...they don't even scratch my skin (they advertise this so I tried to see if they would)...very good long lasting brushes.
 
Diana Mccly said:
This makes me think of a little girl sheltie we ran into a couple weeks ago. Her name was Wilma. She was so sleek looking compared to him! They are 10 days apart. but since she was a lovely golden sable she did totally look like a fox! we tired to get them to sit together, but this was the best we got.
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So cute! Our breeder told me that sables tend to take longer to coat up, Finnie is 2 1/2 and still doesn't have a full coat!
 
I agree with Chris. Kester should be brushed regularly with a soft pin brush. Brushing will help remove his puppy fluff and help a healthy coat grow in. Always spritz his coat with water when you brush.

It’s also a good idea to bathe him regularly. Puppies do get dirty and it will help avoid skin issues if he’s clean. Oatmeal shampoo is good if you can find some for puppies; otherwise, a good gentle puppy shampoo is fine.
 
Piper's mom said:
So cute! Our breeder told me that sables tend to take longer to coat up, Finnie is 2 1/2 and still doesn't have a full coat!
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Oh that's so interesting! I wonder why that would be. I am waiting for the shampoo and everything to arrive (should be today). I am ashamed to admit, particularly in this forum, but I have done almost nothing with brushes! we play with his feet and mouth, but I simply hadn't thought to buy any grooming brushes yet. So they will be here today and we'll see how it goes. :hide
 
Diana Mccly said:
Hey all! It has been awhile since I've popped on and I have a ton of sheltie posts to catch up on (yay). My question is that 1) I had read somewhere that other then introducing the puppy to the grooming tools there isn't much to do with a puppy coat (is this true?). However, we're starting to see some adult fur on Kester (he has a mow-hawk down his back :biggrin2: ) and he is all the sudden really itchy. I am not seeing anything on his skin and he is treated for fleas so I am wondering if maybe he just needs a bath with some conditioning solution for hair/skin? I am SLOWLY introducing water because he is not a fan, but do you guys have some products you could recommend or advice on what is going on?

Here is a recent picture for reference.
Kester's Classic Sheltie Pose

Thanks all! I am going to go back and rewatch the grooming videos on the sheltie nation home page now! :notworthy::brb:
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So cute. All I did at that age was make sure Minnie didn't have knots around her ears, I also glued them. I'd run a brush over her but that was about it, just letting her get used to the brush and comb
 
Many Shelties, like your Kester (who is really cute), are not fans of water at all. One way I have found to introduce them to actually liking water is to take a large, low edged container (I typically use one of those little tots plastic swimming pools) and put about an inch of water in the pool making sure the water is a comfortable temp(once they easily walk into the 1" of water you can gradually increase the depth of the water by a couple of inches). Then drop tiny pieces of baked chicken or cooked steak into the water having let them sniff the meat held in your closed fist so they know what is "at steak" but can't grab the treats from your hand. The meat will sink to the bottom and Shelties who are food motivated will "bubble fish" to get to the food. They are world class bubble fishers!!! You can also do this after a heavy rain if you have a good sized puddle in your yard to drop treats into. The puddle or container has to be big enough that there is no way they can reach the the majority of the treats unless they totally walk all 4 paws into the water to get to them...but putting a few of the treats within easy reach is a good way to entice them the first time you try this. I have never had a Sheltie, even ones what HATED getting wet, pass up the opportunity to get to the treats. Some will start by standing outside the container or puddle and barking at the treats, but eventually they figure out that the only way they will get any treats is to walk into the water. Make sure you do this when they are really hungry, not when they have just had a meal. Shelties are super smart and they quickly learn that getting wet can actually lead to some very yummy things.
Trini
 
trini said:
Many Shelties, like your Kester (who is really cute), are not fans of water at all. One way I have found to introduce them to actually liking water is to take a large, low edged container (I typically use one of those little tots plastic swimming pools) and put about an inch of water in the pool making sure the water is a comfortable temp(once they easily walk into the 1" of water you can gradually increase the depth of the water by a couple of inches). Then drop tiny pieces of baked chicken or cooked steak into the water having let them sniff the meat held in your closed fist so they know what is "at steak" but can't grab the treats from your hand. The meat will sink to the bottom and Shelties who are food motivated will "bubble fish" to get to the food. They are world class bubble fishers!!! You can also do this after a heavy rain if you have a good sized puddle in your yard to drop treats into. The puddle or container has to be big enough that there is no way they can reach the the majority of the treats unless they totally walk all 4 paws into the water to get to them...but putting a few of the treats within easy reach is a good way to entice them the first time you try this. I have never had a Sheltie, even ones what HATED getting wet, pass up the opportunity to get to the treats. Some will start by standing outside the container or puddle and barking at the treats, but eventually they figure out that the only way they will get any treats is to walk into the water. Make sure you do this when they are really hungry, not when they have just had a meal. Shelties are super smart and they quickly learn that getting wet can actually lead to some very yummy things.
Trini
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What a great way of getting them used to water!
Of course Piper and Finnie love the sprinkler (I know they're just herding it lol) but trying to get them into a kiddie pool was an exercise in frustration! They'd go in it but jump out right away...gave that pool away! If I were to try again I'd definitely try your method!
 
trini said:
Many Shelties, like your Kester (who is really cute), are not fans of water at all. One way I have found to introduce them to actually liking water is to take a large, low edged container (I typically use one of those little tots plastic swimming pools) and put about an inch of water in the pool making sure the water is a comfortable temp(once they easily walk into the 1" of water you can gradually increase the depth of the water by a couple of inches). Then drop tiny pieces of baked chicken or cooked steak into the water having let them sniff the meat held in your closed fist so they know what is "at steak" but can't grab the treats from your hand. The meat will sink to the bottom and Shelties who are food motivated will "bubble fish" to get to the food. They are world class bubble fishers!!! You can also do this after a heavy rain if you have a good sized puddle in your yard to drop treats into. The puddle or container has to be big enough that there is no way they can reach the the majority of the treats unless they totally walk all 4 paws into the water to get to them...but putting a few of the treats within easy reach is a good way to entice them the first time you try this. I have never had a Sheltie, even ones what HATED getting wet, pass up the opportunity to get to the treats. Some will start by standing outside the container or puddle and barking at the treats, but eventually they figure out that the only way they will get any treats is to walk into the water. Make sure you do this when they are really hungry, not when they have just had a meal. Shelties are super smart and they quickly learn that getting wet can actually lead to some very yummy things.
Trini
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Oh thanks for the tip. I will def try this and I know plenty of people who will let me borrow a kiddie pool :)
 
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