Tibetan Mastiff
WASHING AND GROOMING TIPS FOR TIBETAN MASTIFF
A large dog with a noble bearing noted for its independent nature with a luxuriant thick Coat comprising a coarse thick top coat and a soft woolly undercoat, which needs regular brushing and occasional washing dependent on how many times it manages to get very mucky and smelly when out on walks with you.
We would advise you to discuss with your Groomer tips on maintaining your dog in great condition and asking advice if you are experiencing problems.
As the Pyrenean Tibetan Mastiff is a large dog with a thick and long coat keeping your dog well-groomed can be challenging and we would recommend that you maintain them with simple brushing and washing of their lower legs if dirty, usually simply with water and dry off with Roses Towels. and brush weekly, brush the coat thoroughly with a good quality Bristle Brush and then comb through with a wide tooth comb and then tease out any knots found with a fine tooth comb. A very active dog will probably need a daily brush to remove burs and other items which have lodged in their coat. After grooming run your hands all over the dog and if lumps found indicating matting or Tangling then gently comb these out, using a detangling lotion if necessary, but always be gentle and patient when detangling etc. They do shed but it varies from dog to dog so maintaining a regular grooming regime will assist in suppressing the development of matting, knots and tangles, and when shedding you may find that grooming daily is required. With the Tibetan Mastiff we would recommend you pay special attention around the ears watching out for knotting. 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 you groom every 4-6 weeks, or with a very active dog as required, but try not to limit to every 3-4 weeks.
We strongly recommend a visit to your local Grooming Parlour for trimming of coat, its feathers and around the paws, plus clipping of nails when required. During these visits it is always’s a good idea to discuss with your groomer, grooming of your dog and obtaining handy hints for your own grooming sessions.
So, to maintain your Tibetan 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 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
Dogs Towels 1 x Roses PVA Mega Absorbent Towel, and I x Roses Large Microfibre Towel As the Tibetan Mastiff is a large dog it is advisable to use two large Microfibre Towels and two Mega Absorbent PVA Towels
1 x Roses Grooming and Drying Brush
1 X Good Quality Dog Bristle Brush I x Good Quality Bristle Comb and 1 Good Quality Fine Tooth Comb
A good supply of treats
Washing your Tibetan Mastiff
Always before washing your dog we recommend giving a good brush and comb of their coat, and to maintain their coat in great condition they should be thoroughly brushed and combed once a week.
To wash your Tibetan Mastiff, use the shower if large enough! , (do not forget to use non-slip shower mat) or for larger dogs use the bath but always soothe your dog when using the bath as they may become distressed in this situation until they have been acclimatised .Do ensure the temperature of the water is comfortable for your dog and do ensure you use a bath mat to stop your dog sliding and slipping. 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 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. 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.
If using a conditioner, repeat the process
When coat is thoroughly rinsed it is time to dry, 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 Tibetan Mastiff in a Roses Large Microfibre Towel gently rubbing the dog all over until the coat is as dry as possible. Do not rigorously towel dry pat and dab dry this will help you to avoid tangling and knotting of the coat.
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, not forgetting the feathers on the legs. Ensure all the coat is brushed through and dry and if your dog 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.
The choice of Brush head to use varies from Dog to Dog but generally we recommend the oval steel pin brush head to groom and dry the whole 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 Tibetan Mastiff will enjoy these sessions which will 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 dry off with the Roses Grooming and Drying Brush, and after cold winter walks your Tibetan Mastiff will welcome being dry and warm.
We look forward to hearing your experiences and of course receiving pictures of your Tibetan Mastiff after your Grooming and Pampering Sessions
THE ROSES TEAM
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