Maltese Puppy - Grooming Question

MJ167

I have an 8 month old Maltese puppy and would love someadvice on grooming. Basically I try andcomb his hair every day (which I don’t keep too long) but I still find quite alot of matts in his hair, which I end up cutting out. It may be the harness I use for taking him onwalks as it does seem to be around these areas that clump. Apart from worrying about the amount of hair Ikeep cutting off, I want to make sure that the whole grooming experience is notcompletely unpleasant for him!
So a couple of questions – does anyone have a suggestedproduct for helping to keep the coat tangle free and easy to comb? I tend to wash my other dog (a long hairedDachshund) every 8 weeks, should the Maltese to washed more to help with the upkeep of his coat? Any other advice you think would help would be muchappreciated.

ABajaninCork

You shouldn't keep cutting the hair!! It'll leave the coat uneven...

Get a decent slicker brush and knot breaker for the puppy's coat. They aren't expensive and you can easily get them on eBay if you want. They'll do for the dash as well. Brush the coat out AT LEAST every other day. That helps to keep the coat matt-free, distributes the oils and it's a bonding experience for you both.

Has he been to a groomer yet? I'd start researching for a good one that can groom the dogs well. Be careful, though. So many people THINK they're groomers, when in fact they don't have a clue. You can search this forum for horror stories!

It's up to you how often you wash the dog. Get a decent puppy shampoo for the dog. I bathe my Shih Tzu every other week with Tropiclean which works really well.

Hope this helps!

Ms Tootsie

Firstly get yourself to a pet shop and get the right brush. Long haired breeds require wider toothed combs.

We wash our wheaten every 4-5 weeks or so (depending on what he has been up to) and we use the tangle free shampoo which I have to say really helps. The key is to brush the coat while drying him with the hair dryer. Do not let it dry naturally it is one of the worst things in terms of causing matting.

Make sure you are using a proper groomer. Not all groomers has experience with long haired dogs - they take a lot more work that standard grooming. Your dog should be professionally groomed every 3-4 months to keep his coat in good condition.

Good luck

EDIT: just looked up the brush we use and it is a medium spaced tooth comb. We got it on Zooplus

Ms Tootsie

Oh also for our guy the groomer told us not to leave his collar on him all the time as it causes matting and balding where is rubs. We dont have his collar on him when he is in the house only when he is out in the garden and going on walks.

MJ167

Thanks for the advice, good call on the collar - I hadn't thought of that!

I have a good groomer, he's gone twice so far and she does a great job. It's the in-between upkeep that I worry about and want to make sure i'm doing the best for him.

do you use a spray in-between washing? or is it best not to?
also, the hair dryer really freaks him out, he's fine with the washing but actually shakes when I put on the hair dryer (even on low) - anyone experienced this and found ways to make it less stressful for the dog?

For Paws

MJ167 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, good call on the collar - I hadn't thought of that!

I have a good groomer, he's gone twice so far and she does a great job. It's the in-between upkeep that I worry about and want to make sure i'm doing the best for him.

do you use a spray in-between washing? or is it best not to?
also, the hair dryer really freaks him out, he's fine with the washing but actually shakes when I put on the hair dryer (even on low) - anyone experienced this and found ways to make it less stressful for the dog?

Maybe ask your groomer if they could recommend a conditioner or similar which you could spray on whilst combing.

Be extremely careful while using a hairdryer intended for humans on any animal. they produce much more intense heat than the type groomers use.
Always set them at minimum heat setting.

Ms Tootsie

For Paws wrote: »

Be extremely careful while using a hairdryer intended for humans on any animal. they produce much more intense heat than the type groomers use.
Always set them at minimum heat setting.

I would even go as far to just use a travel hairdryer which is what we use. Nowhere near the same heat or power and we have it on the lowest coolest setting. We hold him into us when drying him as he relaxes then. He just curls into my chest and then when I finish drying one side I turn him round and he curls into me on his other side. Still hates having his beard dried though.

ABajaninCork

Get a bottle of 'The Stuff'. . I use it for my dog, and think it's the business! Expensive, but worth every penny as it lasts so long. When the dog's been bathed, towel dry, then spray the Stuff all over, before you blow dry the dog. It repels dirt & urine too.

I also meant to add: If you're blow-drying your dogs, then get a pin head brush too. That helps with the drying.

MJ167

"The Stuff" i'd buy it for the name alone thanks for the tip!

alroley

He could be going through the coat change which means more matting.
Maltese really should be washed at least every 2 weeks and if you're keeping his hair fairly long, he needs to be brushed every day.
A pin brush with no balls on the top (they pull on the coat and hurt the dog), a wide tooth comb and a small face comb. If he is really badly matted, I's shave him and start again.
I keep mine with a very short body and long hair on his paws, tail and head. I wash him every week, brush every day and cut his hair every 6 - 8 weeks.

stonehatchet

At 8 months your Maltese coat is probably changing.

Never ever ever take a slicker brush to a Maltese coat, it just breaks the coat and is way too harsh.

Maltese have a single coat so there is no need for harsh brushing. Get a decent pin brush with no bobbles on the top as these can snag in the hair and cause small tangles.

The important thing is to keep the hair hydrated at all time. Have a look at the food you are giving. If it is full of grain it might be causing your dog to scratch and create matts.

I would advise a good oatmeal shampoo. Ring 5 is a decent one that is readily available, or alternatively WAHL tea tree oil shampoo. Make sure all shampoo is well washed out before conditioning. Dilute shampoos and conditioners as required.

If you shop online, I'd recommend a Madan pin brush especially for Maltese and then Wampum Miracle Groom spray for daily brushing. Between baths it is no harm to use some leave in conditioner and I haven't found human products to be that bad. The trick to growing a nice coat on Maltese is not any miracle cure, just simply daily maintenance. If you experience tear staining, just keep the area dry with cornflour and a small make up brush. Hope this helps

stonehatchet

kaza2710 wrote: »

I would even go as far to just use a travel hairdryer which is what we use. Nowhere near the same heat or power and we have it on the lowest coolest setting. We hold him into us when drying him as he relaxes then. He just curls into my chest and then when I finish drying one side I turn him round and he curls into me on his other side. Still hates having his beard dried though.

Maybe for this buy a small fold out table like a tv dinner table. Put some rubber matting or a towel underneath so he won't slip. He will get used to getting dried like this and you'll be able to ensure ever part of the dog is dry this way

ABajaninCork

stonehatchet wrote: »

Maybe for this buy a small fold out table like a tv dinner table. Put some rubber matting or a towel underneath so he won't slip. He will get used to getting dried like this and you'll be able to ensure ever part of the dog is dry this way

What a great idea! Definitely something I'll look into as my back can't take drying the dog at floor level!!:D

Cherry Blossom

+1 for the stuff, once I started using it I didn't know how I ever managed without it!