Primarily a coursing hound,
this aristocratic breed is an exercise in grooming patience and
dedication. Laughingly, one experienced exhibitor explained to
me that the coats tend to come in 3 types, way too much, just
right and not enough! He also stated that there are 10:1 odds
that you will have at least one of each.
Again there is the question
of how much does one do to present a breed such as an Afghan and
there are those countries who traditionally do less or more. Personally,
I like to do as much as is allowed. This is one heck of a glamorous
breed with a great air of arrogance required. I tend to think
if he was human he would wear Armani.
As your Afghan coat must
be allowed to develop naturally, apart from a light hand stripping
on the saddle and perhaps the odd light twitch with the scissor
around a stray hair or two on the feet, this breed does not advocate
any artificial shaping such as clipping or trimming. However,
when young, most have “monkey” whiskers. It’s not
desirable to clip these but rather to hand pluck if you can persuade
your independently minded Afghan to allow you to do so. Once plucked,
they usually don’t return. So, savour those “spider
monkey” days as they don’t stay there forever.
The hardest coats to maintain
as puppies will be your Blacks or Black & Tans. They can appear
dehydrated before the golds and creams so may need extra assistance
such as an application of Plush
Puppy Revivacoat diluted in a spray bottle for easier
dispersion onto the coat at a ratio of a golfball amount to 1
cup water. You can add Plush
Puppy Blow Dry Cream at a ratio of 1 tbspn to 1 cup water
to flatten the coat, when blow drying. Also add 2 tspns of Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil
into the final rinse mix for a show bath.
Presenting some challenges
to exhibitors are the old fashioned Black Masked Golds and sometimes
the Blues when out of coat. They benefit from bathing in Plush Puppy Body Building Shampoo
at a ratio of 3:1 (3 parts water to one part shampoo) and an application
prior to blow drying of Plush
Puppy Volumising Cream at a ratio of 1 tbspn to 1 cup
water. Use the whole of the mix. You can adjust this stronger
or more diluted according to need.
As Afghans have such a
lot of products usually used on their coats, it does behove the
outcomes if every “pancake” day one uses a clarifying
shampoo such as Plush Puppy
Deep Cleansing Shampoo at a dilution ratio of 5:1 to remove
all unwanted buildup on the hair. This will help bring the coat
back to virgin status and allow you to start with a new playing
field.
The quest with this coat
is that each hair should flow without clumping or gathering. Each
hair should appear light and individual without being stringy.
It should never look oily or heavy. It must never look “pasted”
down. The coat must bounce and lilt. You want it to swirl, swing
and float with the dog’s movement and then fall exactly into
place as did Ginger Roger’s skirt when she danced with Fred
Astaire. We all know she had lead weights in the hem of her skirt
but a light application on show day of Plush Puppy Coat Balm smoothed through
from the mid lengths to the ends with an extra amount clumped
onto the very tips of the coat will allow this illusion to be
a reality.
To achieve the holy grail
of Afghan coats, the final rinse for a show bath is the ultimate
secret. There are those who have their own wonderful ways of doing
things and this is mine garnered from many brilliantly successful
people and able to be shared with you. Do not condition the saddle
ever as it dulls the coat and gives rise to scurf. You can add
conditioner such as Plush Puppy Silk Protein Conditioner lightly
to the ears & top knot and rinse well. For the body of the
coat you add after shampooing, one cup of Plush Puppy Silk Protein
Conditioner, 1 tspn Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil plus 1 tbspn Plush Puppy Swishy Coat
to 1 gal/4lt water and either sponge through thoroughly or use
in a hydrobath. DO NOT RINSE OUT - LEAVE IN. You can adjust the
proportions slightly as some coats will vary in texture. However,
this is a starting base and appears to suit the majority.
If I can share one great
maxim with you for the Afghan - it is to MEASURE, MEASURE, MEASURE.
Having worked out what worked, you will want to be able to recreate
it again. Measuring allows you do it each time or be able to adjust
slightly from time to time.
The reason we do all the
application of products at final rinse stage and do not rinse
it out is because it is easier to disperse through such a lot
of coat the products evenly, using this method rather than spraying
as we dry and if one does a 2 step or 3 step routine such as conditioner,
rinse, apply product for drying etc, then you can never gauge
just how much conditioner to rinse out or how much as been left
in. Consequently, there is an uneven amount left throughout the
coat. The recommended method I have given is simple, quick and
accurate in it’s even dispersion.
For maintenance bath, use
1 - 2 cups of the Conditioner and 2 tbspns of the Oil as a final
rinse. Leave in to prevent matting. You can use the new Plush Puppy Coat Rescue
at this point using 1 tbspn to the mix. You should wrap the ears
using the Plush Puppy Revivacoat and a plastic bag and then a
band or Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil and wrap with a cloth cleaning
rag such as a Chux and secure with a wide band. As Afghans like
to dunk their ears into water bowls, an old hand trick is to have
a loose collar with two elastic bands attached at the rear of
the collar and once the ears are wrapped, attach the ends of the
wraps to the collar elastics. Voila, no more chewed ear wraps
or wet yucky ears.
When drying for show day,
use a Plush Puppy Pin
Brush. I avoid slickers like the plague with any long
coated breed. They are an Afghan’s worst friend. Never brush
a dirty coat nor knots out of a dry coat at all - if it’s
dirty or it’s knotted - bath it! Always blow dry with your
Pin Brush till 7/8 dry at least then switch to an oval cushioned
Plush Puppy Porcupine
Brush. This is at least ½ plastic and ½
bristle to allow you to get that smooth finish. For puppies, brush
legs up and body coat down. For adults everything gets directed
down.
There is a trend amongst
some handlers to do a quiff shape on the top knot and to hold
this raised up with one hand tilting it up when posing the dog.
All things are personal choices.
Don’t forget the Plush Puppy Coat Balm
prior to any last minute brushing on show day and if you need
and prefer a show spray, use the Revivacoat diluted 1 golfball
amount to one cup water as an excellent non greasy hydrating spray.
I also avoid bristle brushing on show day to avoid static in the
coat.
Now it’s just the
final titivating touches such as smelling good with Plush Puppy Odour Muncher, a light and
judicial dusting of Plush
Puppy Pixie Dust for subtle shimmer on the mid lengths
and perhaps the saddle, and for some who are a little too aloof
in the ring, at least an early morning dose of Plush Puppy Apprehension Drops. Can be
used the night before as well.
Your Afghan is the King
of Dogs - the rest of the world according to an Afghan is insignificant
and no grovelling, eager fools need apply. To watch this dog’s
signature movement around the ring with a smooth springy lift
with coat lilting and swinging and his elegantly curved tail raised
for the action, it is no wonder we mere mortals collectively gasp
in envy. This is a true blue blood of the dog world.
