Neopolitan Mastiff
WASHING AND GROOMING TIPS FOR NEOPOLITAN MASTIFF
A huge dog with a huge personality to match, very intelligent and loyal. Generally, they are active and can be inquisitive when out walking which can result in some very mucky dogs.
As their coats are short keeping your Neopolitan Mastiff well groomed is less challenging than long hair breeds and generally we would recommend that you maintain them with simple daily hand brushing and washing of their lower legs, when returning from a muddy walk, usually simply with water and dry off with a towel. However on occasions they will require a full shampoo and wash, but please be sparing with these as too frequent washing can result in loss of oils in the coat making it appear dull. We would recommend three monthly baths throughout the year except in the summer when you should groom as required but ideally no more frequently than monthly. This is particularly true of the male which has an oilier coat which can give of a musty odour.
So, to maintain Neopolitan Mastiff in Tip Top condition we recommend the following.
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 Fur is maintained in great condition, Human Shampoos have different formulas not always compatible with your dog.
What you will require
Dogs Towels 1 x Roses PVA Mega Absorbent Towel, and I x Roses Large Microfibre Towel as the Neopolitan Mastiff is such a large dog we would recommend two of each towel
1 x Roses Grooming and Drying Brush OPTIONAL
1 X Good Quality Pinhead Dog Brush, Grooming Glove, Bristle Comb and Slicker Brush
A good supply of treats
Washing your Neopolitan Mastiff
Always before washing your dog we recommend giving a good brush of their coat, and to maintain your dog’s coat in great condition they should be brushed ideally daily particularly around Spring and Autumn when they ten to shed more. It is also a good idea on a daily basis to wash the folds on their face some suggest a wet wipe we would recommend using a PVA Towel rinse thoroughly and then gently clean the folds making sure they are clean and also frequently rinsing the PVA Towel through after cleaning each fold.
To wash your Neopolitan Mastiff, use the shower if big enough, failing that use the bath (remembering to use a non slip mat or towel in the bath to stop your dog slipping) in warmer months they can be washed outside but do ensure the temperature of the water is comfortable for your dog. 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 and then apply the shampoo and knead it thoroughly into the coat, if your Neopolitan Mastiff has got extremely dirty you may need to repeat this process, but we would recommend whenever possible to apply shampoo only once. We are conscious that this is contrary to some advice available but if washed properly we can see no benefit in repeating the process. Now this is important when rinsing the shampoo out you must ensure that all shampoo is rinsed away as any residue can cause itchiness. Another key point we would make is to avoid getting shampoo into the folds around the face, eyes, and keep the inside of ears away from shampoo and water.
If using a conditioner repeat rinse process and again make sure the conditioner is thoroughly rinsed out of the coat, however generally we would advise that the Neopolitan Mastiff’s coat does not require conditioner.
When coat thoroughly rinsed it is time to dry and with the Neopolitan Mastiff this is quite a simple process, firstly remove most of the excess water with the Mega Absorbent PVA Towel, squeezing out the towel regularly to ensure the maximum absorbency of the towel. Once all surplus water is removed then wrap your dog in a Roses Large Microfibre Towel gently rubbing the dog all over until the coat is as dry as possible.
In colder months you may wish to thoroughly dry your Neopolitan Mastiff, connect your Roses Grooming and Drying Brush set on medium heat and low speed and start brushing and Drying the coat, 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
The choice of Brush head to use varies from Dog to Dog but generally we recommend, the oval brush head for use on the whole of your dog, but once you have used the tool a few times 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 Neopolitan Mastiff 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 dirty no need to shampoo simply towel dry as outlined here and if cold dry off with the Roses Grooming and Drying Brush, and on 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 Neopolitan Mastiff’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.
