There are three kinds of Dutch Shepherds: the long-haired, the wire-haired and the short-haired. These require differing levels of grooming but, all in all, the Dutch Shepherd has low to moderate grooming needs.

Regular brushing is one of the best things you can do to keep your pet healthy and happy. Always brush in the direction of hair growth.

Brushing:

. Removes dirt and debris
. Invigorates skin
. Spreads oils to moisturize skin and keep a shiny coat
. Prevents mats and tangles which are irritating painful and can harbor bacteria, fungus, other infection
. Keeps your house much cleaner especially during shedding seasons
. Bonding, massaging, loving interaction
. Early detection of fleas, tics, eczema, infection and smells


It's very important to brush the many dog breeds with undercoats. Mats can develop that harbor fungus and create infection. If the mats develop to the point that the dog needs shaving, it can create problems for the dog. Its seasonal growth cycle is disturbed. It will have problems regulating its temperature, and it can get windburn or sunburn. Shaving changes the coat color and texture and leaves your dog's skin itchy and irritated.

Tools: vary by type of Shepherd

The short-haired Dutch Shepherd requires the least amount of brushing. A firm bristle brush and/or a rubber curry comb used once a week is sufficient. During its shedding seasons however, a rake and shedding blade should be used 3-4 times a week.

The long-haired Dutch Shepherd should be brushed and combed 3 times a week normally and more often during shedding seasons. A pin brush and wide-toothed comb work best on this dog off-season. Line brushing is a technique in which you hold hair up and out of the way and brush out a thin layer at a time from underneath. Always brace the skin on your dog as you work on knots.

Never brush a wire-haired Dutch Shepherd. Combing can help to pull out some of its hair but generally a wire-haired needs hand plucking or stripping.

Hand Plucking or Stripping How often this needs to happen varies. Consult a professional groomer for advice and lessons. Clumping signals a need for plucking or stripping and most wire-haired dogs need a complete body strip twice a year.

Wiry-haired dogs are supposed to look rough and their hair is supposed to stay coarse. These top-coat hairs grow to a longer length than the undercoat and 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.

Tools: Optional stripping knives, powder, chalk, rubber glove

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.

Purists always hand pluck. This involves holding the pet down with one hand, grasping some hairs between thumb and forefinger, and giving a fast tug.

Dead hair comes out easily.

Never twist the wrist. This cuts the hair rather than getting it from the root. It also results in the hair being of even length which is not the goal.

If needed, apply powder or chalk to the dog's fur or your own fingertips for better grip. Some swear by a rubber glove.

Stripping is plucking with a tool. Stripping knives come in different sizes. Consult a professional groomer to determine which is right for your dog.

Make sure this knife is dull. The purpose is not to cut the dog, the hair or yourself but to grip 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.

Hand plucking and stripping are time and labor intensive. Work in sections as your dog can only tolerate it for so long at a time.

Eyes: Check your Dutch Shepherd's eyes daily.

Debris is flushed to the corners and daily wiping can keep that bacterial breeding ground from building up.

Tools: Warm cloth or paper towel


Ears: Check ears once a week.

They should be pink and healthy inside. If not, don't do anything to them until you see a vet. Keeping ears clean minimizes odor, removes dirt, bacteria and mites trapped in wax. Never go deep into the ear with a cotton swab.

Tools: Cotton balls or soft cloth and ear solution. There is a solution 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 the ear. Rub and massage to loosen wax. Swab out with cotton balls or a soft cloth.

Ear Hair Plucking: Every two weeks.

Hair growing into the ear canal can prevent the canal from drying properly and trap bacteria, causing infection.

Tools: Tweezers, powder, chalk, rubber gloves all optional

Lift the dog's ear and lay it back. Grasp hair along the inside of the ear between thumb and forefinger and pull firmly. This hair removes easily.

Use tools to help grip slippery hair.

Teeth: Regularly.

80% of 3 year old dogs have periodontal disease. Cavities and gum disease are painful for your dog; they diminish their pleasure and ability to eat. Bacteria that develop 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 your dog out with this practice takes patience. Reward your dog constantly, no matter what their behavior is like so good associations with grooming are made.

Start out getting them used to their mouth being handled.

You should then progress to touching your dog's teeth with your finger.

Get some meat-seasoned toothpaste and apply with your finger.

Then introduce the brush 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 to get rid of the plaque buildup once or twice a month. Most accumulation is on the outside of the teeth and on the back molars. This won't be so much fun for your dog or you though. Lots of bones and hard, crunchy foods can minimize plaque but not to a truly effective degree.

Nails: Every two weeks.

Nail care is very important to your Dutch Shepherd. 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, affect it's 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 past due.

Tools: Doggie Nail Clippers (Scissors, pliers, guillotine), Dremel or file, Styptic or Kwikstop.

Sit beside your dog and put your arm around their 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 let you know. Use Styptic pencil or Kwikstop to staunch the bleeding.

Buff the ragged edge with a file or Dremel. Some dogs can handle their nails being buffed by the Dremel regularly rather than clipping at all.

If your dog 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 are close enough. Clip 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 more frequently than not as this causes the quick to recede farther away from the tip.

Paws: Check daily.

It is very important to check between dog pads for foreign objects that may have wedged there and to check the pads themselves for cuts, scrapes and infection.

Tools: Small, blunt scissors, slicker brush.

The hair that grows between pads on the Dutch Shepherd can mat and trap bacteria besides becoming painful to walk on.

Trim hair around the paw to keep them cleaner. Do this while 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 hair and trim to pad level.

Push feathers back up through toes and trim from top.

Hygienic trimming: 2 to 4 weeks.

Tools: Thinning shears, electric clippers

Trimming, thinning and clipping at the opening of the ears, around the privates, anus and base of the tail makes your dog feel better as well as keeping it and your house clean.

Expressing Glands: Every 2 to 4 weeks

This is one of the services you pay for at the groomers. The anal glands excrete a scented fluid to mark territory. These glands also excrete when the dog defecates. At times, these glands can get impacted. Signs of this are: increased doggie odor, excessive licking and chewing of the behind and, worst of all, scooting. That's when your dog drags his butt/bum across your carpet.

There is no risk of overly expressing these glands so it's a good habit to take up. It will lessen dog odor.

Tools: Warm cloth

Lift your dog's tail and place your cloth-draped hand on its backside. Place your thumb and forefinger at 5 o'clock and 7'o clock. Press inward and squeeze.

Bathing: As needed

Dutch Shepherds do not need regular bathing. Having an all-weather coat, they have natural oils that moisturize their skin and keep their coat glossy and resistant to dirt and water. Stripping these oils with frequent bathing dries out the skin and is a deterrent to a healthy coat.

Dutch Shepherds are particularly susceptible to dry skin and irritation.

A rubdown with a damp towel can remove dirt.

With regular brushing/combing, ear cleaning and gland expression, dog odor will remain at a minimum.

Bathing a few times a year is usually adequate. Exceptions to this are when your dog manages to get very muddy or messy with something or during its shedding season. A bath can help to remove a large amount of shedding hair.

Tools: Non-slip mat, sprayer hose, dog shampoo, conditioner, leash, towels.

Choose a place where you can close off escape routes and expect 1-3 water-spraying shakes.

A leash tied to a high point so that your dog's head is elevated will deter escape and keep it upright during the bath. I highly recommend this as it's really hard to stop a slippery dog.

Never bathe your dog in standing water and never use human shampoo.

Wet your Dutch Shepherd using your hand to massage and lift hair to get to the undercoat.

Avoid getting water into the eyes, nose and ears: cotton balls can help.

Massage lather down to undercoat.

Rinse thoroughly. Leftover shampoo can severely dry out and irritate your pet's skin.

Siphon off excess water by running your hands along its body and pressing.

Towel them dry. Comb out your long-haired Dutch Shepherd.