How to Groom a Double-Coat Dog

Double-coated dogs have a soft, thick undercoat of hair, with longer, coarser, outer guard hairs. The undercoat generally sheds heavily twice a year as the seasons change, and often hair comes out in large tufts. While all dogs require grooming to maintain health and hygiene, double-coated dogs require particular care in grooming to prevent matting of the undercoat, and to remove the shedding hair. Some popular breeds of double-coated dogs are collies, Pomeranians, shelties, and German shepherds.

Things You'll Need

  • Slicker brush or shedding blade
  • Nail clipper
  • Dog shampoo
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Instructions

    • 1

      Brush your dog at least one or two times a week, more often during the heavy shedding seasons. Use a slicker brush, which has flexible, short metal bristles, or a shedding blade, which is a curved metal comb with small serrations.

    • 2

      Work through the dog's coat, paying particular attention to the lower back and the haunches, where the undercoat tends to shed in large tufts. Be gentle, so you don't scratch your dog's skin.

    • 3

      Praise your dog frequently while you brush him, and remove shed hair from the brush frequently for best results. Continue brushing until your dog's coat looks shiny, and less hair is being removed.

    • 4

      Run your hands over your dog's body, checking for any lumps or swellings.

    • 5

      Examine the inside of your dog's ears. There should not be a bad smell, excessive wax or bright pink or red areas. Check with your veterinarian if you see these signs of infection.

    • 6

      Clip your dog's toenails. Be careful to snip off just the tip of the nail. Dogs have nerves and blood vessels inside their toenails, and clipping too far can hurt your dog.

    • 7

      Bathe your dog no more than once a month. Bathing removes oils from a dog's skin and can lead to flaky, itchy, dry skin. Use only shampoo made for dogs, and rinse the dog thoroughly.