Dog Community

Need Advice -- Easy to Maintain Cut for Sheltie (aDork)

Posted : 11/16/2010 9:28:23 PM

My friend has a sheltie who needs some TLC. He's a supafluff and has poop embedded into his pants. He hasn't had any sort of professional grooming in a year and a half since her dad died, and I don't know how much he gets brushed normally, so his back is kind of matted too. My thoughts for helping him (and them) out is to totally trim up his pants and give him a sanitary clip -- that should eliminate the problem of him getting poop stuck and help him smell a bit better for longer. I'm not sure what else to do, I want to make him more manageable for them (and thus more comfortable for him). I figure I'll trim him up all over, and wash him with an undercoat loosening shampoo and zoom groom. What else would you do?

mrv

Posted : 11/17/2010 9:23:56 AM

Use professional tools (you can often find places that allow you to groom using their tools). A hydro grooming tool (diffuses the water to it pentrates all the way to the skin) some will even apply the shampoo at the same time. Then follow with a forced air dryer designed for K 9s. Keeping the coat easier to maintain could be done with thinning shears, not shaving. Shave if the mats are too painful to be removed. "The Stuff" is a silcone spray that helps soften mats so they can be cut and stripped out with tools designed for the purpose. If you know any sheltie folks who show, they might help you out. A contact to sheltie rescue might identify a person in your area who is skilled at grooming dogs in poor condition who have been turned in to rescue...That would be a good resource for advice and suggestions, maybe even some hands on help in this situation.

aDorkable

Posted : 11/17/2010 10:34:47 AM

Thanks, I was thinking about calling the place I usually bath to see about borrowing their table. There are two self-service places in the area, so maybe one will have some help. I wasn't going to shave him, just trim up or out the mats. Sheltie rescue is a good idea, I'll check into it. On his back and chest he's not matted to the skin, I can see that -- so there's no need to shave -- but he might be matted that badly in his behind. Thinning shears were the direction my thoughts were headed too.

shamrockmommy

Posted : 11/18/2010 4:33:55 PM

http://groomblog.blogspot.com/search?q=golden Go down to "Golden Retriever Summer Cut"

It's a golden, but the same idea can be applied to a sheltie coat. She trimmed the pants, underside/belly, chest and leg featherings. Nice and neat, and the top coat is not ruined by shaving/clipping. Much easier to maintain as well.

aDorkable

Posted : 11/19/2010 12:26:47 PM

Thanks for that link! I can definitely use some of the advice on Misha. -- But I think the "Summer Cut" is way too short for this Sheltie, especially at the start of winter. I guess it will depend on how badly he is matted. I went and bought thinning shears (finally). I'll post pictures of what I end up doing with him.