Grooming Long-Coated Dogs

Long-coated breeds can be divided into the following three categories: long parted coat, long-coated small dog, and long-coated large dog. Each type has slightly different grooming requirements.

Long Parted Coat

Dogs with a long parted coat have long hair that should be parted in a very straight part along their back. Many people say that parting this kind of coat is the most difficult part of the grooming process. After you have bathed a dog with a long parted coat, towel dry and then blow dry it to keep it free from tangles. Once the coat is dry, stand behind the dog and place the tip of a comb just over the nose. Then, moving very slowly, comb over the crown of the head, down the neck, and back to the base of the tail, moving the hairs to the proper side to form the part as you go along. Once the part is perfectly straight, spray the entire coat with conditioner to set it. There are only eight breeds that fall into this category:

Long-Coated Small Dogs

The long-coated small dog's hair is not parted along the back, but can still be quite challenging to groom. These breeds should be groomed daily.

After you've given your small dog a bath, towel dry his coat and then blow-dry it to avoid tangling. While blow drying, use a pin brush to continually brush and fluff. When the hair is completely dry, use scissors (or an electric clipper) to trim your dog's underside, clipping with the lay of the hair. Then, trim his paw pads and feet so the hair just reaches the ground around the paw. Finish by brushing and combing the hair on your dog's head and face.

The following are some popular long-coated small dogs:

Long-Coated Large Dogs

The grooming requirements of long-coated large dogs are similar to those of long-coated small dogs. The only real difference is that long-coated large dogs are more likely to spend time outside, so they will probably have more dirt and tangles in their coat.

To groom your long-coated large dog, give him a bath and then towel dry his coat. Then, thoroughly blow-dry his entire coat, working with a pin brush at the same time, brushing and fluffing, making sure not to miss any tangles or snags. Clip your dog's undersides and paws with scissors, and then brush and comb the hair on his face and head.

The following are some examples of popular long-coated large dogs: