Miss Squeaks Grooming A Longhaired Furbaby !

 This is Sebastion aka The Bling Bling furbaby we love him very much and he is getting older at 12 and he is a shitzu and has some problems as you can see his eyes in the picture he has a condition that stops his eyes from getting lucubration so they dry out and get all mucky from the oil eye drops he has to have but as he is a 

long-haired furbaby he has a long maintenance,

Keeping your long-haired furbaby well groomed  is incredibly necessary, since matted and tangled coats will cause odours, depression and even infections. With a little ability and a couple of basic skills, you'll be able to groom your long-haired furbaby at home and save many bucks in grooming fees annually. I have four very furry furbabys that I groom every six to eight weeks. But I have one furbaby called Sebastion the shitzu in the picture above that just won't allow me to go anywhere near him with the clipper anymore even the lady whome would clip him at her grooming salon woulnt do him and more because as he has gotten older her has had a few run in's with the vet and had to have a hip replacement  a knee operation and half a ear cut off because of cancer. I know he is very very loved and we call him the Bling Bling furbaby as we have spent a lot of money on him but what I was leading to was now our little old man river has to go to the vet to and be put to sleep just for a haircut and when he is under sedation he will still try and nip the nurse that is giving him the much needed haircut so that is just why I am using his picture for my blog today. I also clip four other furbabys when I feel that they  need it mostly every 4 weeks in the summer months and 7 weeks in winter months I enjoy doing them and most of the time they are wonderful to do , But lets talk about grooming now.

Start with the ears

Use a small pin brush to brush the soft hair behind the ears. Then, use the same brush to comb the chest, armpit areas, tail and thighs. This part of dog grooming can be enjoyable for both you and your pet, as long as you are gentle.

Use a rake to thin the undercoat

This is a device that trims away some of the excess thick hair, leaving your dog's coat smoother and silkier. Not all breed associations recommend this, so make sure you consult the breed standards if you plan on showing your dog.

Clean up that face

Start with the eyes because they are the most sensitive. Use a moist cloth to wipe any discharge from the corners of the eye. Then, use the cloth to gently clean out the nostrils and the ears. Use small mustache scissors to trim the hairs inside the ears, but leave enough hair behind to protect the inner ear.

Start a bath

Choose a creamy shampoo that is made specially for long haired dogs. Wet your dog from the head and down towards the tail. Use your hands to be sure the water gets worked down to the skin, and then add the shampoo. Try to smooth the hair in one direction as you lather, rather than rubbing in circles, which forms tangles. Then, rinse your dog thoroughly, using your hand to protect the face and eyes from the runoff rinse water.

Apply conditioner

Use a high quality conditioner and smooth it into your dog's coat, once again avoiding circular rubbing motions. Let the conditioner sit for about five minutes before you rinse the coat.

Cut the stray hairs

Once your dog's coat has dried, use grooming scissors to trim the long hairs between the toes and at the ankles. Depending on the breed of dog and the amount of leg feathering, this may take a few minutes or an hour. Aim for straight feathers on the back of the legs.

Trim the tail

If this is the first time you are grooming a long-haired dog, this may be the hardest step. You want the hair that hangs from the tail to form a D-shape when you are finished. The easiest way to accomplish this is to hold the tail level with your dog's back, and then trim the hanging feathers with grooming shears. Ruffle the hair a bit, and then hold the tail and trim again. This helps you to trim any hairs you missed during the first round.

Grooming dogs with long hair is not very difficult once you get the hang of it. Remember to start by checking your breed's standards for grooming regulations if you plan on showing your dog. If you take your time and remember to be gentle, grooming can be a great bonding experience for you and your dog.

Sebastion will allow me to bath him so here is a picture below of him enjoying a bath !

 Thanks very much for reading 

Miss Squeaks Grooming A Longhaired Furbaby

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Hope too see you back here soon 

Miss Squeak And Miss Mildred xx

Miss Mildred with some of her furfamily in the picture we have Sebastion Miss Mildred Sabrina and Sir Odin, Once again thank you for reading.