The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club of Southern California recently had a presentation on grooming by Cindy Huggins. Here are the notes from Cindy's presentation.
GROOMING FOR SHOW
Cindy Huggins
MOTIVATION – We all need it!
- The best advice I can give you is to look around and find someone who you think grooms his/her dogs beautifully.
- There is no “miracle in a bottle”. Ask for advice and product help from someone you know and trust.
- Be a good listener and develop a thick skin. Constructive criticism can hurt, but you don’t grow without a little pain. It’s hard to face your dog’s faults, but it is essential when grooming for show.
- Keep in mind that no routine works consistently for every dog. Coat problems arise and you have to constantly adjust your routine. Be flexible.
- Remember that it’s not what you do the day of or even the day before a show. It’s what you do every day of every week to maintain your dog’s coat and health. Choose the best diet you can afford. Visit your vet regularly. Make sure your dog has plenty of daily exercise and lots of love.
- Lastly, never stop trying new things and sharing with others. That’s what makes grooming so much fun.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
- Bathroom tub: kneeling pad for you, spray hose, restraint with suction hook, non-slip pad for dog.
- Kitchen sink: non-slip pad.
- Shower: grooming table, grooming arm, grooming noose, spray hose.
- Professional Animal
Bath
: in garage or grooming room, non-slip pad.
GROOMING AREA
- Jumbo table (48” x 4”) is my favorite or small table (36” x 24”).
- Grooming arm
- Grooming noose or show lead wrapped around the grooming arm
- Large mirror mounted on the wall behind the table
- Good lighting
- Comfortable chair
BATHING AND GROOMING ITEMS
ITEMS FOR BATHING
ü Shampoos: Crown Royal Biovite #2, SummerWinds Shine Onn, Neutrogena Shampoo, or All Systems White Lightning
ü Conditioners: Crown Royal Condition Plus, SummerWinds Protect a Coat or SummerWinds Fine-L Shine
ü D’Grease by PurePet
ü Listerine dilution (1oz original Listerine to 1 pint water)
ü Plain white cotton towels/wash cloths from Costco
ü Fake Chamois (dries quicker and saves on towels)
ITEMS FOR GROOMING
ü Air Force dryer
ü Hand held hair dryer
ü Greyhound comb
ü Oval pin brush
ü Slicker Brush (for cats)
ü Mason-Pearson Brushes (both natural boar bristle and boar bristle with nylon bristles)
ü Cornstarch
ü Ear Ease (holistic treatment)
ü 50/50 Solution (50% Self-Rinse Plus and 50% Hydrogen Peroxide 3%)
ü Blunt nose scissors or the Wahl Stylique Trimmer (for grooming between foot pads)
ü Nail Clippers (safety or guillotine style)
ü Kwik Stop Powder
ü Drying coat or small bath towel and diaper pins
ITEMS TO HAVE ON HAND RINGSIDE
ü Greyhound comb
ü Slicker brush (All Systems or cat slicker)
ü Mason-Pearson’s boar bristle brush
ü Baby Wipes (without Aloe Vera) soaked in Self-Rinse plus
ü Fake Chamois
ü Alcohol (greasy ears or if quick redo without dryer)
ü Listerine in spray bottle (dandruff)
ü Carmex: (good for dogs diving for bait or boys interested in girls)
ü 2-inch square of genuine chamois for tearing eyes
ü At least two types of bait
ü Ear Ease (holistic product for bothered ears)
ü Lemon juice in spray bottle (helps stop panting in ring)
ü Pedialite for hot weather or stress
ü Similasan (homeopathic eye drops)
ü Show Sheen (equine product) for dull coat
ü Final Touch by PurePet (anti-static, spray on brush or comb only)
PROCEDURE FOR GROOMING A SHOW DOG
DAY BEFORE A SHOW:
1) Bath & Condition
§ Shampoo: First shampoo with whitening or moisturizing shampoo. Second shampoo with Neutrogena Shampoo (anti-residue formula)
§ Ears and fringes: D’Grease by PurePet (make sure you scrub ears well inside and out)
§ Listerine dilution (1oz/1pint water): use as a final rinse. Massage into coat. Rinse well.
§ NO CONDITIONERS
DAY OF A SHOW:
1) Wash ears, chest, undercarriage, legs, feet, back skirts and tail in weak dilution of shampoo & water or Self-Rinse Plus. Rinse with water. Be careful not to wet top coat.
2) TOWEL DRY using fake chamois
3) LIGHTLY MIST COAT AND FRINGES (not ears) with Show Sheen
4) ORDER OF DRYING:
§ Topcoat
§ Ears & Chest
§ Front Legs
§ Back fringe & Back legs
§ Undercarriage
§ Feet
7) Very lightly mist coat with water. Pin towel on dog or use drying coat if necessary.
CONDITIONING & CARE BETWEEN SHOWS
- Mondays
§ Shampoo
§ Condition with SummerWinds Protect a Coat
- Wednesday’s
§ Shampoo with D’Grease to remove Protect a Coat
§ Condition with SummerWinds Shine Onn
DAILY TREATMENTS FOR STAINS
- For red feet: Stand in diluted white vinegar & water for 10 minutes. Repeat daily until stain is gone.
- For yellow stained feet stand in diluted whitening shampoo for 10 minutes, then mist with conditioner. For yellow stained feet and fringes, shampoo with 50% Self-Rinse Plus & Hydrogen Peroxide 3% before bedtime. Mist with conditioner in morning. Repeat daily until stain is gone.
- For tear stains, shampoo with 50% Self-Rinse Plus & Hydrogen Peroxide 3% when dog goes to bed. In morning pack stained area with Vaseline and cornstarch. Repeat daily until stain is gone. Add 1 teaspoon powdered buttermilk to food daily.
IN VERY HOT WEATHER
To keep a dog cool and coat from drying out or black dogs from oxidizing try a wet hand towel or small bath towel pinned (neck, undercarriage & base of tail). They make coats that can be used this way but this works if you don’t have a ready made coat. When towel is dry, wet and re-pin. Remember to hydrate your dog with Pedialite.
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