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Belgian Shepherd Laekenois Grooming.
Informtion on how to groom your Belgian Shepherd Laekenois
DBT highly recommends the How To Professionally Groom Your Dog At Home ebook when learning to groom your dog or pet.
The Laekenois has a wiry coat, thick and wooly, that needs to be hand plucked or stripped twice a year. This dog should never be close trimmed as it will take years to grow back out.
Combing:
. Removes dirt and debris
. Invigorates the skin
. Spreads oils to moisturize skin and keep its coat shiny
. Prevents mats and tangles which are irritating and painful and can harbour bacteria, fungus and other infection
. Keeps your house cleaner especially during shedding seasons
. Bonding, massaging, loving interaction
. Early detection of fleas, ticks, eczema, infection and smells
that may signify sickness
Use a coarse comb to detangle the wiry coat a few times a week. This dog needs to be hand stripped or plucked twice a year.
Tools: Medium steel-toothed comb, Mars comb, Fine-tooth stripping knife, Medium-tooth stripping knife, Slicker, Powder or Chalk, Rubber glove.
Hand Plucking or Stripping:
Wiry-haired dogs are supposed to look rough and their hair is meant to be coarse. These top-coat hairs grow to longer length than the undercoat and then fall out from the root. The hair doesn't "blow out" or drop as normally shedding hair does: it needs help.
Wiry hair is naturally water and dirt resistant. Clipping this hair instead of plucking or stripping it causes its color to change dramatically over time and it will become soft and cottony, blown-out and poufy.
Always pluck or strip before a bath. Wet hair is impossible to grasp and it's a good idea to bathe away irritation and clean any cuts or abrasions that may occur.
Perfectionists always hand pluck. This involves holding the pelt down with one hand, grasping some hairs between thumb and forefinger, and giving a firm, fast tug in the direction of hair growth.
Never twist the wrist. This cuts the hair rather than pulling it from the root.
It also results in the hair being of even length which is not the aim.
Dead hair comes out easily. If needed, apply powder or chalk to the dog's fur or your own fingertips for a better grip. Some swear by a rubber glove.
Stripping is plucking with a tool. Make sure this knife is blunt. The purpose is not to cut the dog, the hair or yourself but to grip the hair.
Grasp the stripper and hold it perpendicular to the dog's hair growth. Grab some hair between the stripper's teeth and your thumb, rotating the blade away from the thumb and give a quick pull.
The Laekenois needs only a little stripping to keep its form:
Pluck fluffy hair along the lines.
Make sure the eyes are not covered.
Remove any plume to the tail.
Pluck long hairs along the muzzle.
Eyes: Check your dog's eyes daily.
Debris is flushed to the corners of the eyes and daily wiping with a wet cloth or paper towel can prevent the build up of bacteria.
Ears: Check ears once a week.
Your dogs ears should be pink and healthy inside. If not, don't do anything to them until you see a vet. Keeping your dogs' ears clean minimizes odour, removes dirt, bacteria and mites trapped in wax. Never use a cotton swab on the inner ear.
Tools: cotton wool balls or soft cloth and ear solution.
There are solutions made specifically for dogs but substitutes include: hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, mineral oil, witch hazel, and tea tree oil.
Place a few drops of ear solution in ear and rub and massage to loosen wax. Swab out with cotton wool balls or cloth.
Teeth: Regularly.
80% of 3 year old dogs have periodontal disease. Cavities and gum disease are painful for your dog; they diminish its pleasure and ability to eat. Bacteria that develops can infect the heart, kidney, liver and brain. Really bad breath is usually a sign of gum disease.
Tools: Toothbrush/finger cap/cloth, doggie toothpaste, tooth scraper.
Never use human toothpaste. It is not edible.
Starting this dog off with this practice takes patience. Reward it constantly.
Start off by getting it used to its mouth being handled.
Progress to touching the teeth with your finger.
Get some meat-flavoured toothpaste and apply with your finger.
Then introduce the brush. Clean a few teeth at a time and soon you will have a routine that takes just minutes.
Brush in a circular motion and get under the gum line.
If you don't want to brush everyday, use a tooth scraper once or twice a month to get rid of the build up of plaque. It accumulates mostly on the outside of the teeth and on the back molars. This won't be much fun for your or your dog though. Lots of bones and hard, crunchy foods can minimize plaque but not to a truly effective degree.
Nails: Every two weeks.
Nails that aren't trimmed can splinter and infect the quick or grow and curl into the flesh. This can be painful for your dog to walk on. It will affect its gait, posture, and eventually it's skeletal and ligament health. Nails should never touch the ground. When your dog is standing its nails should rest above the ground. If you hear clicking on the kitchen floor, clipping is overdue.
Tools: Doggie Nail Clippers of the pliers variety, Dremel or file, Styptic or Kwikstop.
Introducing your dog to nail clipping should start off by getting it used to its paws being handled. Stroke and touch your Laekenois' paws whenever you are giving it affection.
Getting it used to the Dremel is your best bet to avoid clipping altogether.
Sit beside your dog and put your arm around its shoulders if you can so that you are clipping from underneath and at the right angle.
Lift the paw and press on it to expose the claw.
If it has a clear nail you should be able to see the quick: a dark bundle of nerves and blood vessels. Clip from underneath close to the quick but do not cut into it. If you do, your dog will soon let you know. Use Styptic pencil or Kwikstop to staunch the bleeding.
Buff the ragged edge with a file or Dremel.
If it has a dark nail, clip just under the curve of the nail and then you will be able to look inside and see the quick if you look close enough. Clip using tiny snips at a time.
Don't forget to check for dewclaws: an extra claw dogs may have farther up on the leg that works like a thumb. It is better to clip your dog's nails frequently as this encourages the quick to recede farther away from the tip.
Paws: Check daily/Trim every two weeks.
It is very important to Check between your dogs pads for foreign objects that may have wedged there and check the pads themselves for cuts, scrapes and infection.
Tools: Small, blunt scissors, slicker brush.
The Laekenois has hair that grows between its pads. This hair can mat and trap bacteria, besides becoming painful to walk on.
Trim hair around the paws to keep them clean. Only do this when the dog is standing on the paw.
Then, push feathers growing on top of the foot down through the toes to the pad.
Lift the paw and from the back, brush out the hair and trim to pad level.
Push feathers back up through the toes and trim from the top.
Hygienic trimming: 2 to 4 weeks.
Tools: Blunt-nosed scissors, Electric clippers.
Trimming around the anus and privates keeps your dog feeling better as well as keeping it and your house cleaner.
Expressing Glands: Every 2 to 4 weeks
This is a task normally done when you take your dog in for professional grooming. Your dog uses scent glands in the anus to mark its territory.
These glands also excrete when your dog defecates. At times, they may get impacted. Signs of this include: increased doggie odour, excessive licking and chewing of the behind and worst of all, scooting (when your dog drags its bottom along the floor or carpet).
There is no risk of overly expressing these glands so it's best to get accustomed to doing it regularly as it will lessen dog odour.
Tools: Warm cloth
Lift the dog's tail and hold the cloth against it's behind. Place your fingers at 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock and press inward and squeeze to expel.
Bathing: As needed
The Laekenois do not need regular bathing. Bathing ruins their wiry hair. They have a double coat with natural oils to moisturize their skin and keep them resistant to dirt and water. Stripping these oils with frequent bathing dries out the skin and is a detriment to a healthy coat.
A rubdown with a damp towel can remove dirt and sponge cleaning of the face, legs and feathers is always an option.
With regular brushing, ear cleaning and gland expression, dog odour will remain minimal.
Tools: Non-slip mat, sprayer hose, dog shampoo, conditioner, leash, towels.
Choose a place where you can block escape routes and expect 1-3 water-spraying shakes.
A leash tied to a higher point than your dog's head will keep it standing and prevent it from escaping. This is highly recommended as it's really difficult to hold a slippery dog.
Never bathe your dog in standing water and never use human shampoo.
If you choose to bathe your Belgian shepherd Laekenois outside, attach the hose to the tap of your kitchen sink for warm water. Grooming salons often offer self-service use of their well-equipped facilities.
Wet your dog using your hand so as to massage and lift the hair to get to the undercoat.
Avoid getting water into the eyes, nose and ears.
Cotton wool can be stuffed into the ear canal to deter water.
Massage lather down to undercoat.
Rinse thoroughly as leftover shampoo can severely dry out and irritate your pet's skin.
Squeeze out excess water by running your hands along its body and pressing.
Dry with a towel.
