Pomeranian--grooming

[lesliea]

Hi Everyone,

In February I adopted a male (neutered) six year old Pomeranian. He has settled in very well, even with our cat Dante (well, sort of) but I am rather confused about grooming practices for Pomeranians. Before I got him, I picked up a book about Poms and it said not to bathe them very often so was was mainly just brushing him. He doesn't seem to really like being brushed, especially behind the ears where mats tend to form so I just snip off the tiny mats there that did form.

Anyway, I did bathe him yesterday because he had started to get a little stinky. It kinda when okay, but I am not super confident that I am caring for his coat adequately. I am worried that he will get matted and have to be shaved (probably paranoia on my part, having read and seen pictures of some horror stories on the net).

For one thing, I read that one should spray/dampen the fur before brushing. This seems to cause him even more discomfort than brushing him when dry. Is the damp brushing mainly for show dogs?

I am planning on taking him on vacation with me this summer to North Carolina and I am thinking of taking him to a groomer to see about having his fur thinned out before hand and ask the groomer to show me how to properly care for his coat, but any thoughts/advice in the mean time would be greatly appreciated.

He is a great little dog and I love him to pieces.

Leslie

[clm]

Poms are closely related to my breed (keeshond), and they aren't supposed to be bathed a lot and there shouldn't be any doggy odor.
Behind the ears matts are a problem. A quick brush daily and a longer brush session during the weekend will keep the coat looking great. You'll need a rake to get through the undercoat.

Cindy

[LavenderRott]

My pom didn't like to be brushed when I got him either.

What I did was this...

Got together everything I needed to groom him - comb, brush, nail clippers and a container of cat treats. I use those little soft cat treats that come in a small plastic jar. Set all of this on the end table next to my recliner.

Put the dog on his leash, got comfy in my recliner, found my favorite t.v. show and had the pup lay down in my lap. Took the leash and wrapped it around my leg so that I could keep him where I wanted him and still have both hands free to brush and comb him out.

Then, I proceeded to brush him and watch my show. When he stopped squirming around like some kind of demented alien - I popped a treat into his mouth and told him how fabulous he was. As he layed still longer and longer, I gave him an occassional treat.

Trimming nails was a bit tougher. The first few times, I really had to wear him out, then, when he fell asleep on his back on my lap - I trimmed a foot while he was asleep! When he woke up (and you know he did!!) I gave him a treat. I only did one foot at a time for a bit.

He is much better now. We don't need the leash and I don't have to chase him around. He will even let me trim all 4 feet at once.

The important things to remember are not to get rough, be patient, and don't feel you have to do the whole dog at one time. You don't have to talk to him a lot either - just the occassional "Good boy" should be plenty. If you treat it like it is no big deal and nothing special, he will too.

As for baths - they are rare in my house. I brush Rusty pretty regularly and he is not a smelly guy.

[SnowDancer]

My American Eskimo is very similar to a Pom. My guy does not blow his coat to nearly the extent that some Eskies do. I do comb/brush him, and finger comb out the matting from behind his ears, but despite my best efforts I can't manage to get the hidden matting from his tummy. He is also VERY white - and loves the dirt. As a result, he gets groomed about every 3 months or so - and it always rains on grooming day. Eskies and Poms really do not have odour issues (unless they have been rolling in something) although feet do smell like burnt popcorn. Brushing helps remove the dirt which is good, but with the white coat on my Eskie, a dingy grey is left. One thing, if your Pom should happen to get covered in burrs do NOT wet the fur before removal. I have told my husband this a thousand times, but he does not listen. Much easier to remove from dry fur - just crumble them in your fingers. My guy also has the jaws and claws of death - and not way could I ever cut his nails. Perhaps a visit to a Groomer who would let you watch might be handy. We used to have 10 lb. short haired dogs. Now, they were easy. My Eskie weighs 22 lbs. and fur is really hair-like - sort of like a Persian cat.

[t.pettet]

Purchase a long toothed pin-brush and brush the opposite way the coat grows. Next get yourself a dog/cat moulting comb and use this on the fur behind the ears. After 1 minute or 2 or brushing give him lots of praise and a small treat extending the grooming time each session. Bathing only every 3-4months with am oatmeal based sensitive skin shampoo, don't put on any conditioner as this will weigh the coat down and give him a greasy appearance.

[lesliea]

Thank you all so much for replying.

LavenderRott, I got a good giggle envisioning you grooming your Pom. Especially the squirming demented alien.

As far as the odour goes, well, he did definitely smell. This could well be because of all the snow we had this winter, and now the melt off, he tended to get rather damp and down right dirty during walks. I don't get the impression that he would need to be bathed often. The smell doesn't seem to be coming from his ears and he checked out just fine when I took him to the vet for his first checkup in February. We'll be seeing her again in a couple of weeks for a health certificate as I am taking him with me on vacation to North Carolina at the end of June so I'll have her take another look.

Which brings me to-----I'm going to have his fur trimmed down in a variation on a teddy bear cut for the summer. He already seems to be feeling the heat and it's not even that warm yet. Yes, I've read ALL about the controversy about whether or not to have Poms clipped and whether or not the fur will grow back properly. As I said, he's not a show dog or anything. I just think he would be more comfortable for the summer with less hair. This will also give us the opportunity to start grooming with shorter fur and gradually work our way up to longer fur as his coat grows in the the fall/winter.

Thanks again for all of your replies. I think I know what I need to do, but it's just a question of convincing HIM that I need to do it.

Leslie

[lesliea]

I just thought I would let you guys know how the grooming went.

At first, I was a little nervous, thinking I might not feel the same way about my little dog once he was clipped lol. It was a little shocking to see all that fur gone but once he smiled at me and greeted me happily everything was okay. The clip did look a little scruffy to me at first, but his fur settled down in a couple of days. He actually looks more like a little fox than a teddy bear.

He fur has actually grown in a fair bit since I had it done (April 26th) which is reassuring. At first, it felt a lot like fake fur but it now has a softer feel.

He seems to like it and is able to walk further without getting tuckered out from the heat, though of course we hit a cold spell immediately after I had him clipped.

I am starting to introduce more grooming--a few swipes with a brush and plenty of treats--and he does seem to accept it a little better but I really can't say that he likes it.

I will probably have him trimmed a bit before we head down to North Carolina and maybe again later in the summer, depending on the weather and how he seems to be tolerating it.

I will continue to post about this if others are interested.

[t.pettet]

For the record: double coated breeds (pom, samoyed, Am. eskimo etc.) will not benefit from heat relief by being clipped shorter. They need to have their under-coat removed as in when they are ready to shed - about twice a year. By clipping an overall shorter length you are going to end up with a much denser coat as any reputable groomer will testify. The long outer coat will protect your pom from sun burn and keep him cool.

[SnowDancer]

t.pettet is very correct about the need for the undercoat. I have an American Eskimo and while I do get him groomed, the groomer is excellent and does not mess with his undercoat.

[lesliea]

Thank you both very much for your comments. I realize that many people don't think it is a good idea to get a Pom clipped. I have also found some who say it is perfectly fine. I want to be clear that I am not challenging your view.

I'll tell you why I did it. Peanut is used to taking long walks with me everyday of eight blocks or more. When we hit a warmer spell, he started to pant and walk VERY slowly and seemed to be in some distress within a couple of blocks. It was very sad as he loves his walks.

I admit, I may not have made the right decision, but I thought as I had already done it, I might as well share my experiences. If as the weather gets warmer, it seems that he is suffering from the heat more, or if his coat grows in badly, I will come on here and freely admit it.

Thanks again for your comments.

[Brandy456]

Oh gosh,
It seems like you don't have the eaiest time grooming your pom.
I too have a pom, Hes actually VERY easy to groom.
I buy him a pack of bones that are only for when I am to groom him.
He knows that when I brush him, he lays down to chew the bone and were both good.
Nail clipping I havn't tried with him. I get the vet to do it
The only thing he has trouble with is when he goes for (number 2) and it sometimes gets stuck in his fur, I just put of rubber gloves..get a tissue and pull it off. That, hes not to fussy about.
Anyways,
Good luck in future grooming

[Boubou]

Hi Leslia,

I wouldn't worry about having your Pom shaved. It's a very controversial issue in the grooming industry - to shave or not to shave double coated breeds. But all I can say is that my customers that do have their dogs shaved are thrilled with the results - their dogs are MUCH cooler in the summer and can actually enjoy the hot months instead of seeking cool spots in the yard and panting....as long as they are not clipped down to the skin and atleast 3/4 inch of fur is left to protect the dog from being sun burned, dogs do seem much happier!

[t.pettet]

Shaving a pom or other double-coated breed is not making the animal feel cooler in the hot weather, its just masking the hot appearance. Unless all the under-coat is brushed/combed out you will end up with a shorter over-all look that does nothing to shield the skin from the sun's rays or heat and shaving has removed the protective outer-coat. The coat also changes texture when it is shaved whether left 3/4 inch all over or shaved to the skin. After a period of a 6-8 weeks shaved, double-coated breeds get a fuzzy appearance because the under-coat needs thinning out and has grown to the length of the short top coat.

[valerie.blumer]

Well I think it is clear that t.pettet is against shaving or cutting a pomerainan's coat.
My thing is, i want to give my Pomeranian a teddy bear cut not to keep her cool, she lives inside a furnished AC house, but I want her hair short because the shedding is driving me cRaZy!!! I brush her like 2 times a day to get the hair out, but its everywhere!!! I have to vacuum like 5 times a day. I don't know if cutting her hair would stop the shedding or not.
Let me know what everyone thinks, and t.pettet I know you are already against it.

[LavenderRott]

Unless you shave her completely down to her skin, you are not going to stop the shedding. What she is shedding is the shorter undercoat.

I wonder what you are feeding her. If you are brushing good - getting all the way through the coat and the undercoat - you shouldn't be having to vacuum so much.

I know exactly how you feel. My Belgian is also a double coated dog. I have completely given up on my cream colored carpet being free of clumps of black hair. But I must say, most of it is from the Belgian not the pom.

[clm]

I agree with LavenderRott. It's undercoat that the dog is shedding and the clipping isn't going to help that at all. My guys are both blowing their undercoats to varying degrees at the moment. I'm forever picking up little clumps of wool. Goes with the territory with a pom, kees, samoyed or eski. I wouldn't dream of clipping my guys at all, if done often enough, it'll ruin their overcoat.

Cindy

[lionchow]

I'm one to preserve what the good Lord has created as much as possible. Nature gave your dog its coat, and had a reason for it. Cutting a dogs coat short for summer months makes the hair lay closer to the skin. Now your dog is wearing a glove. Common sense tells me that a dog is cooler with a coat that is cooled by passing breezes as it moves through the air. Remember that animals have a much keener sensitivity to things than we do. I advise my clients that shaving a double coated dog means that the hair you need to pick up with a vacuum is so tiny it will embed into the carpet quickly, and not be vacuumed up easily. I advise doing a deshed on double coated breeds, and clip (for the most part) only the breeds whose hair grows continuously. That being said, I also believe that it's your dog, and your choice to make. I just want happy, informed clients. That was my soapbox; I hope my 30 year old ideas are shared by others.

[t.pettet]

Brushing twice a day and still seeing molting means you are not brushing correctly. I do a complete brush/comb-out once a week and don't have to do another for atleast 7 days. The proper breed specific equipment will do the necessary job but it could also be a nutritional deficiency or thyroid condition that your dog has.

[clm]

Originally Posted by lionchow

Cutting a dogs coat short for summer months makes the hair lay closer to the skin. Now your dog is wearing a glove. Common sense tells me that a dog is cooler with a coat that is cooled by passing breezes as it moves through the air.

I agree with this. When Bentley fell into the pond, he bobbed up like a cork. That coat holds so much air. Absolutely, it's your dog and your choice, but really think about it before hand.

Arctic breeds aren't going to like going for walks in summer regardless, we have never walked ours in summer, fall and winter are their active times, and cooler summer evenings in the backyard. It's much nicer taking a dog for a walk in the dead of winter anyway. You don't run into fools with their dogs off their leashes either.

Cindy