A question of grooming

[mypepsee]

:| Now that I have a long coat Chi....what kind of brush should I groom him with....I'm not too keen on useing a slicker brush on him cuz it could break his coat.....altho I use a slicker brush on Mitzie & Chico (smooth coat) and MAN THEY LOVE IT!!!!! Also...do any of y'all add a little oil into their food to stop dandruff and a shine to the coat?? If yes which kind do you use?? :?

[ozi-chichi's]

Hi Anne :wave:

Pascha is a long coat chi too. Stephan or I brush her hair every morning with a soft round plastic comb. She loves getting brushed. The boy chi's have short hair but line up to get their hair brushed, they really love it and Busty makes a strange noise when getting brushed like he is in extasy

The hair behind Pascha's ears neads the most attetion because the boy chi's like to lick and clean her there and it makes the hair look tatty. After a bath I always make sure to brush her hair before she is dry because then she looks super soft.

[Romans Mom]

Roman has a nylon bristle brush from the Dollar store. Chihuahua For Dummies book says not to use nylon because of static---they hate it, and to use a natural bristle brush. But I think Roman likes the static cling! hahaha I also have to use a Slicker Brush on his long hair around his face and behind his ears. Otherwise, it tangles and matts, and I end up having to split them and cut!!! :shock: :shock: I use the Slicker brush sparingly. :)

[Amaze]

Hi Anne!

A slicker brush is fine as long as it is of high quality (Like one from #1 All Systems or Chris Christensen) and used gently and sparingly. The most important thing is to make sure that the ends of the individual bristles are not sharp and scratch/irritate the skin. I pull the brush along the soft skin of my forearm to determine if it is to sharp. Also, I wouldn't worry about breaking some of his coat since he is not showing and has plenty of it from what I can see. I brush Tally and Heuser once a day normally and twice a day when they are shedding. Also, a greyhound comb is great for their tails, ears and pants. They are stainless steel and come in a variety of lengths from 4"-7 1/2" inches-the shorter the comb, the easier to use. Otherwise, a regular, old, plastic, man's hair comb works just as well! (another trick for matts by the ears-sprinkle a touch of regular old baby powder onto the matt and work in-it works like a charm!)

The main thing is to keep his skin in good condition by encouraging circulation through brushing and proper nutrition. Rather than looking for a supplement, start with giving him the highest quality food you are able too and then think about extras. I use a product from Solid Gold called Flaxseed Oil that has essential Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids that aid in healthy skin and coat.

Another thing is to make sure you are bathing him in a gentle, moisterizing shampoo and using a good quality conditioner. Also, a spray-in, leave-in conditioner helps with flaking/dry skin. You don't have to spend an arm and a leg either. Never blow-dry him unless he is shedding and you want to help him lose coat and ALWAYS mist the coat (that's were a leave-in product like "Ice On Ice" is helpful) before brushing-damp hair is much stretchier and stronger than dry.

The Flaxseed Oil is only around $8 for a bottle that should last you quite a while (he only needs a few drops per day) and you can use a human baby shampoo like Johnson&Johnson's. I would splurge on a $10 bottle of conditioner and leave-in conditioner though that is meant for dogs so it doesn't weigh his coat down and leave it oily.

Hope this helps, let me know if you have more questions...
Lys