Daily Brushing




 Daily Brushing

Daily brushing keeps a detector dog’s coat clean. First brush with the
lay of the coat, then loosen the undercoat with a fingertip massage,
working against the lay of the coat. Brush with the lay of the coat to
finish. On hard-coated dogs (dogs with short, tight coats with little
fluffy undercoat), always brush with the lay of the coat. A variety of
brushes or grooming tools can be used on different types of coats.


Rubber Curry Brush

These brushes or mitts are excellent for stimulating the skin and
removing shedding coat. They are extremely gentle on the skin.
Rubber Slicker Brush
This is a good brush for daily brushing of short- and medium-coated
dogs, as it is gentle on the skin and removes normal shedding coat.

Natural Bristle Brush

Natural bristle removes more of the shedding coat in short- and
medium-coated dogs and spreads natural oils from the skin through
the hair.
Hound Glove

A hound glove is a mitt with horsehair bristles attached to one side. It
is excellent for tight, hard coats with little undercoat and for a quick
“polish” before taking the dog onto the floor to work.
Other Grooming Tools
Wire Slicker Brush

A wire slicker brush is appropriate for heavy-coated breeds (shepherd
dogs, some Labrador retrievers) with substantial undercoat. Apply
gentle pressure when using, as the tines can scratch or irritate the
skin if applied too vigorously. Brushing gently against the lay of the
coat will remove shedding coat more effectively than brushing with the
lay of the coat with heavy pressure.

Undercoat Comb

An undercoat comb has long and short, offset, alternating tines. This
tool is excellent for removing thick, shedding undercoat from heavy-
coated breeds. In medium-coated breeds it can be used with caution to
remove wadded undercoat. It can also be used to pick out matted coat
in breeds with long, silky coats (golden retrievers, springer spaniels).
Mat Splitters (combs, rakes, blades)
These tools feature sharpened blades as part of the comb or rake
configuration. They should be used only to remove matted hair from
breeds with long, silky coats (golden retrievers, springer spaniels).
The following tools are probably never appropriate for use on beagles or
pointers and other smooth coated breeds, but are useful for grooming heavy
coated breeds (Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, springer spaniels).
Health Care: Grooming

Conditioning the Coat

Conditioning the Coat

A wide array of commercial coat conditioners is available to polish or
soften dogs’ coats. One of the most effective ways to condition a dog’s
coat is by stroking the coat, with the grain, with the palms of your
hands. Commercial conditioners that contain silicones are effective for
repelling dust and stains and impart a high gloss to the coat, whereas
those containing natural oils (emu, mink) are best for moisturizing dry
skin and dry, brittle coats.