Chow Chow

A loyal strong, and assertive dog with lots of character, very protective and a good protector of the family. It has a thick Top Coat and an Undercoat which requires regular grooming to maintain in a good condition. We would recommend a very thorough weekly brush to avoid the development of knots and matting of the undercoat. Washing we recommend no more than monthly and if your Chow Chow is generally a clean dog and avoids smelly substances, washing can be every 2-3 months. 

We would also suggest that during your weekly grooming session you carefully check the coat by running your hands through the fur to ensure it is of an even depth, smooth and with no lumps etc, doing this all over your dog will ensure that you find any knots and tangles which are developing. The Chow Chow does shed its undercoat twice a year and during these times we would suggest much more frequent grooming up to daily as brushing out the dead fur will reduce the risks of knots and tangles developing and also reduce the deposits of hair on clothes and around the house

So, to maintain your Chow Chow in Tip Top condition we recommend the following.

A thorough weekly brushing with a Wide Pin Head Brush and then comb through with a wide tooth comb.

Thoroughly brush your dog before washing.

Before you start your shower and grooming sessions make sure you have all tools and materials required: –

Shampoo ensure you use a specific Dog Shampoo this will ensure that the Coat is maintained in great condition, Human Shampoo’s have different formulas not always compatible with your dog. Also a conditioner can help you maintain a lustrous and healthy looking coat

What you will require

Shampoo and Conditioner

Dogs Towels 1 x Roses PVA Mega Absorbent Towel, and I x Roses Large Microfibre Towel,( for Chow Chow’s you may find that you will require two of each towel to thoroughly dry your dog).

1  Roses Grooming and Drying Brush 

1  Good Quality Rake and 1 x Good Quality Pin Head Brush

1 Good Quality S/Steel Graduated Comb

A good supply of treats

Washing your Chow Chow

Always before washing your dog we recommend giving a good brush of their coat, and remember to maintain their coat in great condition they should be brushed at least once a week.

To wash your Chow Chow, use the shower, or your Bath with a shower attachment (do not forget to use non-slip shower/bath mat) or in warmer months they can be washed outside but do ensure the temperature of the water is comfortable for your dog, and watch out for your dog running off into the mud!  When washing indoors please ensure the water is a comfortable temperature not too hot or too cold and where possible use a shower attachment if no shower head gently pour warm water over your dog to thoroughly wet its coat, Special Note always ensure that you part the fur and thoroughly wet and rinse the undercoat. Then apply the shampoo and knead it thoroughly into the coat and the undercoat. If your dog has got extremely dirty you may need to repeat this process, but we would recommend whenever possible to apply shampoo only once. Now this is important when rinsing the shampoo out you must ensure that all shampoo is rinsed away as any residue can cause itchiness, again please take special care to rinse all shampoo and conditioner from the undercoat. Another key point we would make is to avoid getting shampoo into the eyes and keep the inside of ears away from shampoo and water. A useful tip here is to start washing your dog at the back of his head and work downwards towards his tail.

If using a conditioner, and with a Chow Chow a conditioner will give you excellent results with a wonderful silky feel to the  coat, repeat rinsing process and again make sure the conditioner is thoroughly rinsed out of the coat.

When coat is thoroughly rinsed it is time to brush and dry, firstly remove most of the excess water with the Roses Mega Absorbent PVA Towel, dabbing the dog all over, and squeezing out the towel regularly to ensure the maximum absorbency of the towel. Once all surplus water is removed then wrap your Chow Chow in a Roses Large Microfibre Towel gently dabbing the dog all over until the coat is as dry as possible. Special note here to avoid knotting, tangling and matting always dab dry do not vigorously rub dry.

To thoroughly and quickly dry your dog, connect your Roses Grooming and Drying Brush set on medium heat and low speed and start brushing and Drying the coat, always brushing with the fur not against it, there is no correct place to start but the key advice we would give here is to ensure the whole coat is dry particularly around the base of the tail and around the ears. Ensure all the coat is brushed through and dry and if your dogs is a little anxious at first encourage with treats and words of encouragement. Once your dog is familiarised and comfortable with your Roses Grooming and Drying Brush you can increase the heat setting to full and increase the speed to high, but note when drying around the eyes and ears only use medium heat and low power. The permanent IONIC feature will ensure great condition to your dog’s coat and always give you great results when using a conditioner. As the Chow Chow’s coat needs ‘blowing through’ to dry, the Roses Grooming and Drying Brush is the perfect tool

The choice of Brush head to use varies from Dog to Dog but generally we recommend that you use the Oval Pin Brush Head this our customer’s advise give the best results.  However after using the tool you will develop your own technique and use brush heads which feel give you the best results.

We know that following these simple instructions you will soon be getting great results and you and your dog will enjoy these sessions which can help create an excellent bond between you and your dog and of course keep them looking great and smelling good most of the time.

Following a wet walk, you can also follow these guidelines if not too dirty no need to shampoo, simply rinse with water, towel dry as outlined here and dry off with the Roses Grooming and Drying Brush, and after cold winter walks your dog will welcome being dry and warm.

We look forward to hearing your experiences and of course receiving pictures of your Chow Chow’s after your Grooming and Pampering Sessions

THE ROSES TEAM

We have some great offers available on our Grooming Bundles to suit all dogs and sizes, don’t forget to check these out on our website.