Ultimate Dog Grooming

Chapter 1: COAT TYPES\ Many people think grooming is all about clipping Poodles, but it is much more than that. Grooming is the act of keeping the skin and coat in a healthy, clean, balanced state. It also involves the maintenance of teeth, ears and nails.\ Grooming is an integral part of dog care. Not only does it keep the animal clean and looking good, but it is also a social act that strengthens the relationship between handler and dog.\ How you groom a dog depends on the breed, coat type and the owner's personal preferences. Anyone can put a dog on a table and brush its coat up and down for a few moments, but with a little thought and hard work, both dog and owner can enjoy the experience and, who knows, you may be a future Groomer of the Year as a result!Buying a Dog: Coat Considerations\ Among the many breeds of dog, there is a tremendous difference in the types of coat. Certainly, one should take this into serious consideration before taking on a breed of dog.\ \ Can you cope with the hair?\ Will the dog require professional grooming help? (See Chapter Four.)\ Can you afford the outlay of regular trips to the grooming parlor?\ Are you, or any of your family, asthmatic or allergic to shedding dog hair or dandruff or both?\ Could you cope with all those long curls that get covered with mud during a wet walk?\ \ These are just a few questions that need to be considered before deciding on the right breed for your family. It is wise to speak to owners of your shortlisted breeds before making your final choice.\ Your national kennel club will be able to put you in contact with breed clubs of those types of dogs you might beinterested in. The club representatives can tell you how demanding the coat care is for their particular breed so you will know exactly what you will be taking on.\ It is a good idea to consult a groomer to inquire about the cost of grooming sessions before making a final decision on which breed is right for your family. Additionally, groomers, who have worked with dogs of many breeds for many years, often have valuable knowledge to impart about the characteristics of different breeds.\ For full information on grooming different coat types and the equipment needed, see Part Three.Puppy Coats\ Puppies of all breeds have a softer coat than they will have on gaining maturity, and it is easy to underestimate the grooming that is required as the dog matures.\ Poodles, for instance, have a soft, fluffy wool coat that is easy to keep until they are about 7 months of age, when the coat will thicken. Unless it is properly groomed, the coat will mat or felt against the skin, especially if the coat gets wet and is left to its own devices to dry.Basic Coat Types\ There are many different types of coats. Part Three of this book is organized into the following categories:\ \ The short coat (example: the Whippet)\ The long coat (example: the Yorkshire Terrier)\ The corded/curly coat (example: The Curly-Coated Retriever)\ The medium/silky coat (example: the Irish Setter)\ The thick coat (example: the Finnish Lapphund)\ The stripped coat (example: the Airedale Terrier)\ The trimmed/clipped coat (example: the Bichon Frise)\

Featured breed: Afghan Hound -- Bearded Coffie ; Briard ; Chinese Crested (Hairless and Powderpuft) ; Coton de Tulear ; Havanese ; Japanese Chin ; Lhasa Apso ; Maltese ; Old English Sheepdog ; Pekingese ; Polish Lowland Sheepdog ; Shih Tzu ; Skye Terrier ; Tibetan Terrier ; Yorkshire TerrierMEDIUM-LENGTH COATED BREEDSFeatured breed: Shetland Sheepdog -- Australian Shepherd ; Australian Terrier ; Belgian Sheepdog and Belgian Tervuren ; Bernese Mountain Dog ; Border Collie ; Borzoi ; Cavalier King Charles Spaniel ; Chihuahua (Long Coat) ; Clumber Spaniel ; Dachshund (Longhaired) ; English Setter ; English Toy Spaniel ; Flat-Coated Retriever ; Glen of Jmaal Terrier ; Golden Retriever ; Gordon Setter ; Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen ; Irish Red and White Setter ; Irish Setter ; Irish Wolfhound ; Kooikerhondje ; Large Munsterlander ; Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever ; Otterhound ; Papillon ; Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen ; Pyrenean Sheepdog ; Saluki ; Scottish Deerhound ; Silky Terrier; Spinone Italiano ; Sussex Spaniel ; Tibetan Spaniel ; Welsh Springer SpanielSHORTHAIRED BREEDSFeatured breed: Greyhound -- Affenpinscher ; Australian Cattle Dog ; Basenji; Basset Fauve de Bretagne ; Basset Hound ; Beagle ; Beauceron ; Belgian Malinois and Laekenois ; Bloodhound ; Boston Terrier ; Boxer ; Bracco Italiano ; Bulldog ; Bullmastiff ; Bull Terrier ; Chesapeake Bay Retriever ; Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) ; Chinese Shar-Pei ; Collie (Smooth) ; Dachshund (Smooth and Wirehaired) ; Dalmatian ; Doberman Pinscher ; Foxhound (American and English) ; French Bulldog ; German ShorthairedPointer ; Great Dane ; Hamiltonstövare ; Ibizan Hound ; Italian Greyhound ; Labrador ; Lancashire Heeler ; Manchester Terrier ; Manchester Terrier (Toy) ; Mastiff ; Miniature Pinscher ; Neapolitan Mastiff ; Pharaoh Hound ; Pointer ; Pug ; Rhodesian Ridgeback ; Rottweiler ; Sloughi ; Staffordshire Bull Terrier ; Swedish Valihund ; Vizsla ; Weimaraner ; Welsh Corgis (Cardigan and Pembroke) ; WhippetSTRIPPED BREEDSFeatured breed: West Highland White Terrier -- Airedale Terrier ; Border Terrier ; Brussels Griffon ; Cairn Terrier ; Dandie Dinmont Terrier ; Fox Terrier (Wire and Smooth) ; Irish Terrier ; Lakeland Terrier ; Norfolk Terrier ; Norwich Terrier ; Parson Russell Terrier ; Schnauzer (Miniature, Standard and Giant) ; Scottish Terrier ; Sealyham Terrier ; Welsh TerrierTHICK, DENSE-COATED BREEDSFeatured breed: Chow Chow -- Akita ; Alaskan Malamute ; Anatolian Shepherd Dog ; Canaan Dog ; Collie (Rough) ; Estrela Mountain Dog ; Finnish Lapphund ; Finnish Spitz ; German Shepherd Dog ; German Spitz ; Great Pyrenees ; Greenland Dog ; Hovawart ; Japanese Spitz ; Keeshond ; Kuvasz ; Leonberger ; Maremma Sheepdog ; Newfoundland ; Norwegian Buhund ; Norwegian Elkhound ; Norwegian Lundehund ; Pomeranian ; Samoyed ; Schipperke ; Shiba Inu ; Siberian Husky ; St. Bernard ; Swedish Lapphund ; Tibetan Mastiff CLIPPED AND TRIMMED BREEDSFeatured breed: American Cocker Spaniel -- Bedlington Terrier ; Bichon Frise ; Black Russian Terrier ; Bouvier des Flandres ; Brittany ; Cesky Terrier ; English Cocker Spaniel ; English Springer Spaniel ; Field Spaniel ; Kerry Blue Terrier ; Lowchen ; Portuguese Water DogTHE POODLEDifferent trimsINDEX OF DOG BREEDS

\ Akron Beacon Journal\ - Connie Bloom\ Teems with hints from top dog groomers and talks about all types of coats, diets, training, equipment and how to turn out a show dog.\ \ \ \ \ \ Modern Dog\ - Chistine Adkins\ The many illustrations... are sharp and well chosen and contribute greatly to the appeal of the book.\ \ \ \ E-Streams\ - Lara Ursin\ Hundreds of glossy photographs and sketches of grooming techniques... and excellent addition to any pet collection.\ \ \ \ \ \ Booklist\ - Brad Hooper\ Large-format, colorfully illustrated handbook... a good, general instruction manual for grooming one's own pet... text is to the point and attractively arrayed.\ \ \ \ \ \ Groomer to GroomerSpecific information for 170 individual breeds... grooming procedures for every type of coat.\ \ \ \ \ \ Vancouver North Shore News\ - Terry Peters\ Geeson has done a service to the dog loving community... excellent guide... impressive detail... a valuable reference for any dog lover.\ \ \ \ \ \ Pets QuarterlyTakes the guesswork out of grooming with its step-by-step guide... the ideal reference for understanding and learning.\ \ \ \ \ \ Library JournalWhile dog owners are often attracted to a specific breed's outward appearance (especially its hair or coat), few consider the time and effort required to maintain that appearance. Geeson, who has actively shown and judged one of the most grooming-intensive breeds (the poodle) for over 40 years, offers a three-part introduction to grooming for both owners and professionals. In Part 1, she briefly addresses what an owner needs to know about grooming as well as how to choose the right groomer. Part 2 is geared toward those who want to become professional groomers. As in Part 1, the information is quite basic; someone who is seriously considering going into the business would require more detail. The bulk of the book offers well-done profiles of 170 dog breeds arranged by coat type that include worthwhile tips and hints. Supplementing the text are more than 500 color illustrations, ranging from detailed drawings to photographs. Sturdily bound and stitched to lie open for easy use, this large-format book is highly recommended for any library that needs a solid overview of the subject. Edell Schaefer, Brookfield P.L., WI Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.\ \