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Lhasa and Shih Tzu are similar in many respects. While the Lhasa is larger
without the pushed-in nose, it has the same amount of grooming required as
its small counterpart. Both have a glorious topcoat and an undercoat that
is every groomer's nightmare, especially if the owners don't do their part
at home to keep these wonderful little guys looking as they are meant to.
Ideally, a groomer would like to see these clients once every couple of
weeks to maintain their beauty; however, there are few who can afford the
luxury, so training yourself and your dog at home will help keep the cost
down when professional services are required. You must be willing to
invest time and energy into growing out your dog's coat because you will
need plenty of both to get that gorgeous look. If not, consider the
shorter puppy clips that maintain healthy skin and coat without the
hassle.
One the first things to make your job easier, and in fact possible at
all, is to train your dog to lay on its side to be brushed. Brushing and
combing out tangles and mats is much less a chore for you and the dog if
you are able to get underneath the legs to the belly without a battle.
Take hold of his front and rear legs and cradle his torso against your arm
as you lay him down on his side. He might balk or try to get up at first,
but keep your arm along his ribs, and, if necessary, hold his head down,
too. Some might even protest with dramatic whimpers and cries, but don't
be fooled by his theatrics; he is not being hurt, just restrained against
his will. Talk softly and reassure him he will not die, and soon he will
come to realize it's quite relaxing and enjoyable to be petted in this new
method.
Once he has learned to lay still and be brushed, use your fingers to
pull apart tangled hair. Cutting the mat will only lead to broken hair and
more mats to come with the shorter hair. Also, too much hair can be lost
if the mats are cut open, which is not desirable if you are contemplating
showing your dog. Concentrate on the underbelly and be sure to remove any
tiny tangles with a fine-tooth comb, as any left unchecked will develop
into huge mats later. |
