Grooming and maintenance
These breeds of dogs, have two layers of fur; a long top coat to help keep water from penetrating to the skin, and a thick soft ,short undercoat that is the insulation for the dog during the cold winter months. It is amazing how well the northern breed dog thrives in the cold weather in snow that comes up to your knees. When it is windy and freezing, they simply burrow into the snow and are insulated against the winter temperatures. This undercoat gives the dogs a very fluffy appearance and makes the dogs soft and cuddly to hug.
Then, however, comes the summer warm temperatures and the moulting begins. As soon as the days and nights become warm and the day length increase the yearly moult begins. It starts as small puffs of fur sticking out of the dog's sides. It can easily be pulled off and will fly though the air in the slightest breeze. However, this is only the beginning! When the temperatures rise the moult really takes hold. Then the fur starts flying with every pet and brush against the fur. This is the time to start the comb out of that fur.
As soon as you get your puppy, start using a blaster, rake, brush and comb on it so it will be used to the touch and will not be frightened when the time comes to groom. This is a good time to begin to train it to stand while you handle its back, legs, tummy and especially its tail. Most dogs love to have their head and back groomed, but not all will tolerate the tail being fooled around with. If you begin young it will stand well for you so you can get the tail and it will love all the attention. Wait until the fur is really coming out. Too early and you will not get much. Grooming is tiring and the easier the fur comes out, the easier the grooming.
Use an undercoat blaster, rake or comb. One with a handle works best and helps to get at those hard to reach areas that need grooming as well. Make sure you groom all the fur over the dog's entire body. The back and side are the easiest, but all that undercoat needs to come out each year. If it is not blasted, raked or combed out, it may not come out on its own and the fur will be rough. The fur on the stomach, hips, head, chest, legs, the back hips (the thick bundle of fur on the upper part of the back legs), as well as the tail should be removed so new, soft fur will grow back in its place. If all the undercoat is not removed, no new undercoat will grow in the places not groomed, and your dog's fur will not be healthy looking the next winter. It takes more time but it is healthier for the dog. It usually takes between two and four weeks of grooming for about 1/2 to one hour a day to get out all the fur.
Once all the undercoat is out (you will know this because no more fur comes out when you are combing and or raking/blasting and the dog looks like you've put in on a starvation diet) now it is time to concentrate on the longer thicker fur of the outer coat. If the dog is groomed properly, the long outer fur will come out as well, but it usually does not flow out as easily with the comb. Here the slicker brush often helps, but pulling those course guard hair/strands out with your fingers works best. It must be very comical to see someone pulling out the long top fur because they work it out with fast rapid pulls. The dogs act like you’re nuts and usually won't stand as long for this type of grooming. It usually takes another week or so to get it all out as well.
Once all the grooming is done, it is time for the yearly bath. It’s never recommended bathing a northern breed more than oncen or twice a year after it reaches a year old. The dog produces oil from its skin to help protect it from water, and bathing removes this protective oil. Besides, if you have ever tried to give an adult Northern breed dog in full coat a bath, you will know it takes forever to penetrate the fur down to the skin. Waiting until the coat is moulted makes bathing much easier and faster. This is the time to rid the dog of all old, flaking skin. Using a gentle cleansing shampoo and even a cream rinse will really make your dog more hug-able! It will shine and smell great, at least for an hour or two before it rolls in the mud again!
It usually takes about three to four weeks for the new coat to fully grow in. When a post pregnant females whelps a litter she will always moult once the pups are weaned even if it has just grown in a new coat. If this happens in the winter, it is very important to make sure the dog has the protection of another dog in full coat, or the warmth of a home when the temperatures are the coldest.
Don’t ever give her a bath after this moulting unless it is in the summer months where she will be warm after bathing! It's also a good idea to use a professional groomer if you aren't confident about grooming your double coated dog.
These breeds of dogs, have two layers of fur; a long top coat to help keep water from penetrating to the skin, and a thick soft ,short undercoat that is the insulation for the dog during the cold winter months. It is amazing how well the northern breed dog thrives in the cold weather in snow that comes up to your knees. When it is windy and freezing, they simply burrow into the snow and are insulated against the winter temperatures. This undercoat gives the dogs a very fluffy appearance and makes the dogs soft and cuddly to hug.
Then, however, comes the summer warm temperatures and the moulting begins. As soon as the days and nights become warm and the day length increase the yearly moult begins. It starts as small puffs of fur sticking out of the dog's sides. It can easily be pulled off and will fly though the air in the slightest breeze. However, this is only the beginning! When the temperatures rise the moult really takes hold. Then the fur starts flying with every pet and brush against the fur. This is the time to start the comb out of that fur.
As soon as you get your puppy, start using a blaster, rake, brush and comb on it so it will be used to the touch and will not be frightened when the time comes to groom. This is a good time to begin to train it to stand while you handle its back, legs, tummy and especially its tail. Most dogs love to have their head and back groomed, but not all will tolerate the tail being fooled around with. If you begin young it will stand well for you so you can get the tail and it will love all the attention. Wait until the fur is really coming out. Too early and you will not get much. Grooming is tiring and the easier the fur comes out, the easier the grooming.
Use an undercoat blaster, rake or comb. One with a handle works best and helps to get at those hard to reach areas that need grooming as well. Make sure you groom all the fur over the dog's entire body. The back and side are the easiest, but all that undercoat needs to come out each year. If it is not blasted, raked or combed out, it may not come out on its own and the fur will be rough. The fur on the stomach, hips, head, chest, legs, the back hips (the thick bundle of fur on the upper part of the back legs), as well as the tail should be removed so new, soft fur will grow back in its place. If all the undercoat is not removed, no new undercoat will grow in the places not groomed, and your dog's fur will not be healthy looking the next winter. It takes more time but it is healthier for the dog. It usually takes between two and four weeks of grooming for about 1/2 to one hour a day to get out all the fur.
Once all the undercoat is out (you will know this because no more fur comes out when you are combing and or raking/blasting and the dog looks like you've put in on a starvation diet) now it is time to concentrate on the longer thicker fur of the outer coat. If the dog is groomed properly, the long outer fur will come out as well, but it usually does not flow out as easily with the comb. Here the slicker brush often helps, but pulling those course guard hair/strands out with your fingers works best. It must be very comical to see someone pulling out the long top fur because they work it out with fast rapid pulls. The dogs act like you’re nuts and usually won't stand as long for this type of grooming. It usually takes another week or so to get it all out as well.
Once all the grooming is done, it is time for the yearly bath. It’s never recommended bathing a northern breed more than oncen or twice a year after it reaches a year old. The dog produces oil from its skin to help protect it from water, and bathing removes this protective oil. Besides, if you have ever tried to give an adult Northern breed dog in full coat a bath, you will know it takes forever to penetrate the fur down to the skin. Waiting until the coat is moulted makes bathing much easier and faster. This is the time to rid the dog of all old, flaking skin. Using a gentle cleansing shampoo and even a cream rinse will really make your dog more hug-able! It will shine and smell great, at least for an hour or two before it rolls in the mud again!
It usually takes about three to four weeks for the new coat to fully grow in. When a post pregnant females whelps a litter she will always moult once the pups are weaned even if it has just grown in a new coat. If this happens in the winter, it is very important to make sure the dog has the protection of another dog in full coat, or the warmth of a home when the temperatures are the coldest.
Don’t ever give her a bath after this moulting unless it is in the summer months where she will be warm after bathing! It's also a good idea to use a professional groomer if you aren't confident about grooming your double coated dog.