I have been asked repeatedly
to do some grooming advice for short coated breeds such as Whippets
& Greyhounds. These noble breeds have true working purpose,
make affectionate and wonderful companions & are easy, yet
dignified breeds to show.
With their short coats
and relatively easy natures, they are a great
introduction to the show ring for the novice. None of the massive
shedding of the double coated breeds nor the wrist wrenching tasks
of regular brushing long lengths of coat. Not for them either,
the wrapping, blowdrying and coat disciplines of some of the more
"hair-do" breeds.
Nontheless, the presentation of these "easy wear/easy care"
dogs can still be considerable. I don't subscribe to the old belief
that true working dogs don't need a fancy finish nor a grooming
regime. Gone are the generations that just tossed them from field
to showring and expected to win with the mud still clinging to
the coat. It's showtime folks! If you want to cut the mustard
with the best of them, then it's time to do what the best of them
do.
The Whippet and Greyhound
standards call for a short, close and fine coat. I adhere to the
analysis approach of assessing your dog's coat at this point and
then making decisions on what shampoo to use. If the coat is just
right then you choose Plush
Puppy All Purpose Shampoo used at a ratio of at least
5:1 (i.e. 5 parts water to 1 part shampoo) or up to 10:1. If you
are regularly bathing every week and the coat needs just a freshen
up, use the Plush Puppy
Hydrobath & Bath Wash. This is a low foaming wash
that lightly cleanses and refreshes. It is good for coats that
don't need the texture adjusted. Either use just a few squirts
from the pump bottle directly into a hydrobath tank and sluice
through or add a dessertspoon to a bucket of water and either
tip over or sponge on. Easy and quick to use.
If the coat is too dry then you will need to get some conditioning
into the coat. Use the Plush
Puppy Conditioning Shampoo with Evening Primrose. Again
use at a rate of 5:1 or up to 10:1. The coat should not need a
conditioner as such after this but does need to have the moisture
content of the coat kept up. Conditioners which are acid balanced
will in fact soften the coat but a moisturiser will keep up the
quality and elasticity in the coat preventing dry and brittle
coats. Plush Puppy Reviva
Coat is brilliant and so easy to use. Just a squirt of
the nice non greasy foam onto the hand and spread through the
coat and leave in. You can use this daily and the coat will just
get better.
Grooming is the fun part.
A lot of people use a grooming mitt and others a softer oval bristle
brush - whatever takes your fancy and you find best to use. I
prefer to blow dry with a cool dryer (not cold) to remove all
loose dead hair and then use the PP
Reviva Coat and brush at this point. Now I recommend to
not do anymore till next day, show day. Then, use the brush once
again or the grooming mitt followed by a few wisps of PP Pixie Dust sprinkled lightly onto the
coat for inner shimmer. Lightly brush again.
If you have white areas that need attention, then use the PP Cover Up Cream, a white paste applied
with a damp piece of kitchen sponge. Blend with loose chalk to
completely dry. Finish with a light spray of PP Shine & Comb. A nice spray of PP Odour Muncher completes
the picture to appeal to all the senses.
In between shows, continue
with the PP Reviva Coat
applied and left in the coat to protect and moisturise. For heavier
duty protection, you can lightly oil the coat with the PP Seabreeze Oil
- good if your dog is outdoors in a harsh climate.
This all may seem extravagant
and hard work for a seemingly no nonsense dog but good presentation
is an important factor these days and your dog has to be a complete
picture. All the little things make the difference. Attention
to 100 things done just 1% better makes a hell of a lot of difference.
These were often dogs of kings and noblemen - why shouldn't they
deserve the royal treatment?
CHERYL LECOURT
Plush
Puppy All Purpose Shampoo with Henna
Plush Puppy Hydrobath & Bath Wash
Plush Puppy Conditioning
Shampoo with Evening Primrose
Plush Puppy
Shine & Comb
Plush Puppy Reviva Coat
Plush Puppy
Pixie Dust
Plush Puppy Cover Up Cream
Plush Puppy Odour Muncher