Grooming my 5 month old

I have a 5 month old poodle/chihuahua mix who has very thin fuzzy hair. I was talking to a groomer yesterday and she suggested that I shave her. She says the coat will grow in thicker. Is this true? I really don't like the look of shaved dogs, but if it would be better for her coat, I would probably do it.

Also, I had her show me around. I asked her how she grooms a dog that doesn't like to be combed (mine hates it!), so she showed me this table where she attaches a leash to a choke chain so the dog won't move. Is this normal practice?? I would never even consider using a choke chain on my baby!!!

 

From what I hear, cutting the dogs hair down does not make it thinker, I mean they still have the same amount of hair follicles as before. With poodles their coat goes thru a change, the toys, minis between 6 months and a year, and standards take up to two years. I have two poodles. My 8 months old, is getting her more corded coat coming in thru out the coat. Its a more wirery hair that helps hold it in good form. But with yours its a mix so, you just don't know exactly what to expect. Even the gal on this site that is a long time groomer told another gal to find another groomer if she is telling you to clip the dog down to thicken the coat.

Oh I also groom my own. I have never brought them to a groomer. But from what I see, they all use some sort of tether around the dogs neck to keep them on the table.
With your pup, you will need to do short little grooming seccions at home, try to do this on a daily basis, make sure you don't brush tooo hard, Make sure also the brush is not too stiff and hurt him. I use a slicker brush, a pin brush is good too, The one without the little nubs on the ends of the metal bristle. Nubs will break the hair.

 

Clipping can make the coat appear thicker, because the hair is blunt rather than tapered. If the dog is double coated, clipping can also make the coat appear thicker because the long outer coat is clipped back to the same length as the undercoat.

In some large double coated dogs, clipping can indeed make the coat more dense. While the number of hair follicles remains the same, then number of hairs growing from the follicle increases. But the hairs that increase are the undercoat, not the longer outer coat. And it's actually more common for the hair not to grow back at all, a condition known as post grooming alopecia.

If your pup's hair is scraggly, having it trimmed might improve it's appearance. But if you're satisfied with the way it looks, just keep puppy clean and combed, and maybe have the occasional sanitary trim, so stool doesn't get caught under the tail. And don't forget the nails.

For combing at home, I think the biggest mistake people make is trying to groom puppy all at once. You don't have to do that. Just sit down, watch tv, and run the comb down puppy's back a couple of times. Call it good, and do a little more in a half hour. Do a leg the next night. Give puppy plenty of praise for being patient, and give a cookie (the doggy kind, of course) if puppy really behaves well. It won't take long to get puppy thinking that combing is a good thing.

 

My old Cocker Mix had very fuzzy hair as an adult and I switched his diet to APD (lamb and rice with a load of skin and coat conditioners in it) It worked great for him and a few other dogs that I know switched over to it. The difference was very noticeable over just a short period of time. Another thing I used to use was a specific shampoo and conditioner although the company stopped making them (not because there was a problem with them, bad marketing etc and they downsized the company) that conditioner though was amazing, I used to use it myself and I swear my hair had never been in such great condition and never has been since despite going to some expensive hair salons. I dont think you should do anything drastic with diets or anything yet as your pup is still a pup but maybe shine could suggest a good conditioner that might help in the meantime....maybe Ill try it myself as well

 

Conditioner? ReFurBish, made by Groomer's Edge. It's pretty concentrated, so use a tiny amount for a small dog (or human). A blob about the size of a quarter in the palm of your hand. Rub your palms together and work it into the coat. Let it work for 5 minutes and rinse rinse rinse.

 

:lol: Thanks shine, I noticed that about the conditioner I used to use, I really didnt need much of it at all.....