Bichon Frise, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, English Cocker Spaniel, Havanese, Maltese, Pekingese, Poodle, Schnauzer, Shih Tzu, Silky Terrier, Skye Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier

Starting at the head taking extra care around the eyes gently brush the hair away from the eyes with the bristle brush. If the hair is falling into the eyes this can be trimmed with scissors or if you are going to take your puppy to a grooming parlour, your groomer will do this for you. Care must be taken when working around the eyes at all times. It is important that the hair is kept away from the eyes as it can irritate the eye and cause infection or ulceration.

The next stage is to brush your puppy’s ears, tangles do occur more frequently here so it is important to brush this area regularly. Again the hair can be trimmed short and if you prefer again can be carried out at the grooming parlour. The hair inside the ear must be removed also, again this should be carried out by someone who is experienced.

When grooming the face it is good to get into a routine of checking eyes, ears and mouth for any sign of irritation. If you do discover anything unusual do contact your veterinary surgeon as soon as possible as this may prevent any infection setting in. The hair around the mouth should also be kept short as this will enable your puppy to eat and drink more easily; it also prevents the hair around the mouth gathering food.

You should brush your dog thoroughly at least twice a week, starting at the same point each time and doing what we call “line brushing” – holding a section of the coat in one hand and using your slicker brush to work the area from where the skin is visible downward. Use this technique to systematically work your way around the dog, brushing only a small section at a time. You need not put a lot of force into the brushing. When your brush glides through the area you are working on, move on to the next section. Once you have finished, check your work with a comb to make sure you have not left any knots behind.

Make sure you went through all four legs and feet, especially inside the legs and around the armpits. That’s where the movement occurs, and that’s where it mats up the easiest.

Last but not least, use your comb to go over the tail to make sure there’s no knots in the tail, and make sure you check the base of the tail in case there’s some poops left behind from their washroom break.

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