Beauty Tips.....??? - Page 1

 
                         When it comes to getting our Quarter horses BEAUTIFUL for showing I have it down pat. However, not so with  my GSD...... I am not showing my male, but I really enjoy grooming and fussing over him. Can some of you share your primping SECRETS with me.............What products do you use for shampoo and conditioner....types of brushes...do you clip your GSD ........thanks.....
                                                                                
                                                                       Ruger1

Furminator.
Furminator is your friend.

Don't use the Furminator on a show dog!  It pulls out their fur, both undercoat and topcoat, and will ruin the coat.  It's only good for a pet dog.

Some of the same stuff you use on your horses may work well on the dogs, like the shampoos and Show Sheen.  Don't have him wear a collar whenever you can, that will damage and indent the fur around his neck.  Have a forced air dryer to dry him after bathing and will make his coat look nice and fluffed.  Use a rake brush and finish with a wire slicker.  Give fish oil supplement.  Other supplement that improves coat color is kelp.  Showstopper is another supplement that has everything in it including omega-3s, but I don't think it has kelp.

Did I mis-read the question?  I thought this was specifically a non-show dog question.

When I'm prepping for a show, I bathe the dog 2-3 days ahead of time.  I don't use anything fancy, just a normal pet shampoo.  While he's damp I brush with a rake and brush backwards with a pin brush, then rake again.  The day of the show, I will probably spritz with water or some waterless shampoo, then brush once more.  I trim the nails, clean the ears, and sometimes dab the nose with vaseline (my boy is always digging in very dry dirt so his nose is usually dry and crusty with powder).

I would never, ever use a Furminator on my GSDs!  A Furminator uses a blade and when not used correctly or on the right coat, it breaks and rips out the TOP coat.  I have seen an over-Furminated show line GSD, not cool!  There's no reason you should need a Furminator.  I only brush my dogs maybe once a month and use a $7 rake from the Target pet aisle.  I would not use any other blades either, like a shedding blade.  For GSDs I mainly use a rake, sometimes the pin brush or a slicker brush.

  Doberdoodle.....Show Sheen .. good ideas thanks for the tips..

Mudwick....I am not showing my male at this time....not sure if I will, but I want him to LOOK like I DO...lol...

Liesjers....pin brush ?? slicker brush is that the same as a curry brush ??


                                Thanks for the comments,,,,,Ruger1

I tried using a furminator on my longcoat and wasn't happy at all with the results. It pulled the hair out in clumps and that's exactly how it grew back. In uneven clumps. So now I just use a rake. He's blowing his coat right now. What a mess. The hair on his neck and chest still sticks out funny. I gave away both the furminators I bought.

undercoat rake, slicker, and then a bristle brush Shampoo was an oatmeal kind.

I use an powder coated undercoat rake so as to not break the top coat. A small dematting blade actually works great for smoothing rowdy waves and cowlicks, just don't go overboard with it! A slicker brush for overall smoothing, and for a little extra shine and softness I love The Stuff or Cowboy Magic. My favorite shampoo is ProGlo, you can get that, a powder coated rake, and The Stuff at www.petedge.com.