Our furry friends come in all shapes and sizes, including their coats. It’s their coat type that tells you how much of your time is going to be spent wrestling them into the bath, scaring them with the blow dryer, and patiently working out any knots and tangles.
Here’s a guide to grooming every type of dog coat so you can pamper your pet the right way.
If you know you dog's coat type, skip to their section:
Smooth and short-haired dogs include breeds like Greyhounds, Dalmations and French Bull Dogs. Dogs that rock a smooth coat have short, silky hair that lies close to their body. Short-haired dogs normally have short, coarse hair.
As you’d expect, their grooming needs are very low. Simply give them a quick brush every few days or every week. This will help remove excess hair and dirt and also distribute natural oils over their coat to keep it shiny and healthy. A rubber brush is the ideal tool for smooth and short-haired dogs.
You don’t need to bathe smooth and short-haired dogs that often as they don’t tend to have that ‘doggy’ smell. Every few months should be fine, with dog shampoo and conditioner. After washing, gently towel dry then let them air dry. You might find that these types of coats shed a lot because the hair is continuously growing. Deshedding tools can help remove this excess hair.
If your pup has a lengthy mane, you’ll spend more time grooming them. Long-haired dogs might have coats that are a few inches long, all the way to floor-length coats. Some long-haired dogs, like Pomeranians and Schnauzers, have a soft undercoat. While others, like Maltese and Cocker Spaniels, don’t.
Whether your long-haired dog has an undercoat or not, you’ll need to brush them every single day. Otherwise their hair can become easily tangled and matted, which isn’t good for your dog. However, unlike short-haired dogs, long-haired dogs don’t shed all the time - they tend to only shed seasonally.
It’s best to use 2 grooming tools for long-haired dogs. Start with a slicker brush or a pin brush to gently detangle their hair and get rid of knots. You might have to go over the same area multiple times until the knots are gone. If your dog has a mat that you can’t brush out, don’t cut them out - take them to a professional groomer. Finish off the grooming session with a soft bristle brush that’ll smoothen their coat.
When washing them, use shampoo and plenty of conditioner to keep your long-haired dog’s coat strong and shiny. Dry them with a pet-friendly blow dryer and give them a final once-over with the bristle brush when they’re dry.
Double-coated dogs have a soft, thick undercoat that keeps them warm in winter and cool in summer. This is topped off by another coat that’s designed to withstand the elements. Double-coated dogs can be both short- and long-haired, and include Huskies, Corgis and Labradors. You’ll notice double-coated dogs ‘blowing their coats’ in autumn and spring. This is when they shed their undercoat. In spring, they shed their old winter undercoats to make way for a lighter summer one. In autumn, they shed their lighter undercoats and grow thicker, warmer, winter-ready ones.
Double-coated dogs need to be brushed every few days, starting with the undercoat and moving onto the top coat. You’ll need to comb their entire body, including their head, neck, legs and tail. Again, watch out for mats. Avoid cutting them out and instead get a professional groomer to remove them.
For short-haired double-coated dogs: starting from the skin outwards, use a slicker brush or pin brush on their undercoat to remove tangles. Then brush their top coat in the direction that it grows.
For long-haired double-coated dogs: divide their fur into sections then brush each section from the skin outwards with an undercoat rake. Use a wide-toothed comb to get rid of any loose undercoat. Finally, brush their top coat in the direction that it grows.
After washing and drying your double-coated dog, make sure their undercoat isn’t hanging onto any moisture which can lead to knots and tangles.
Poodles, Bichon Frise and Labradoodles are all breeds with curly hair. This hair lies close to their bodies and can be in tight spirals, soft curls, or waves. Although curly-haired dogs aren’t known for shedding a lot, their shed hair can get caught in their coat. You’ll need to regularly groom your curly-haired dog to get rid of this trapped hair before it becomes knotted or tangled.
To do this, part your dog’s fur until you can see their skin. Then use a slicker brush to brush their hair from root to tip. This makes sure you get all the loose hair out. After you’ve washed your pup with shampoo and conditioner, towel dry them, then blow dry them while brushing their coat.
You might rope a professional groomer in to wash and dry your curly-haired dog because they need regular trimming anyway, to stop their hair from growing too long and getting knotted.
As the name suggests, wire-haired dogs have a coarse, wiry, bristly coat that’s normally rough under your hands. Underneath their weather-resistant top coat, wire-haired dogs have a soft, thick undercoat. Breeds of wire-haired dogs include Border Terriers, Jack Russells and Schnauzers.
Wire-haired dogs have high grooming needs because you have to hand-strip their coats - their wiry hair doesn’t shed naturally. Hand-stripping is normally done twice a year in spring and autumn, and it can be time-consuming. It’s usually done by a professional groomer who is experienced with hand-stripping.
In between hand-stripping, you can brush them weekly. Start with a pin brush to remove some dead hair and undercoat. Then use a comb to remove tangles - be sure to get down to the skin. Finish off with a slicker brush over the whole coat.
Don’t fancy grooming your dog at all? Get a hairless dog, like a Chinese Crested! Although they have very little or no hair on their body, they might be covered in a fine down instead. You’ll probably notice a build up of dead skin cells and natural grease on a hairless dog - it’s more visible than on their hairy dog fellows. This can lead to more skin problems too.
The fix is regular bathing to keep their skin healthy. Use a sensitive skin shampoo and a soft sponge and make sure all the product is properly removed - leftover product can irritate their skin. Plus, hairless dogs need more protection from the sun. Stock up on SPF15 or higher pet sunscreen before going outside.
That’s it - a complete guide to dog grooming, whatever coat type your pup has! If you need any further help or have a question we haven’t answered, contact our friendly Pet Direct Customer Care team on 0800 200 240 or email support@petdirect.co.nz.
Shop Pet Grooming