How to Groom a Great Pyrenees?
How to Groom a Great Pyrenees? (A Complete Guide)
The Great Pyrenees is an ancient Bleed of dog that originates from the Pyrenees Mountains present in Spain and France. It was given a name based on its place of origin.
According to researchers, people in the past used to breed them for the protection of livestock and households because of their enormous size. They are excellent guards and very faithful. Interesting right.
Such breed which is used for guarding often gets dirty because they often stay outdoors, grooming becomes a challenge and that is where we come in. In this article, we will talk about how to groom a Great Pyrenees. Now let's start grooming the Great Pyrenees.
Understanding the Great Pyrenees Coat
Pyrenees has a fluffy body coat that has two layers; the Outer being coarse and the inner layer being soft and thick. This double-hair coat helps them with insulation.
They do not shed much unlike other dogs. The outer coat is designed in such a way that no dust or mud can stay on it. As soon as it dries, it blows off from the coat. Due to this beautiful characteristic, they are also called "Old Miracles". Some also call them "Gentle Giants" because of their huge size and very calm behavior especially towards kids.
The Pyrenees have a solid white color. Some of them have yellow, tan, or gray markings on their white body coat. They possess black noses and brown eyes and the Outer hair coat is smooth.
How to Groom Great Pyrenees?
This breed of dog doesn’t shed much unlike other dogs, also they do not require much grooming due to their miracle fabric. Their Miracle fabric helps them to get rid of dust on its own. According to groomers and veterinarians, a Great Pyrenees grooming takes 30 minutes of your time weekly.
Frequency of Grooming
Pyrenees need grooming once a month but regular brushing every week is important to get rid of dead hair stuck in the inner dense coat.
Making Grooming a Habit
Grooming is very stressful for every dog. It is essential to start grooming the day you bring your Pyrenees home. Make sure to brush Pyrenees' hair coat once in a while and introduce your Pyrenees to the grooming table.
Tools for grooming of Great Pyrenees
Grooming is dependent entirely on the selection of tools. Quality tools will not only give you quality results but they will also save you time. Make sure you have all these instruments available before starting grooming.
- Slicker Brush: A slicker brush is used to remove any mats or tangles inside the coat. Select an appropriate brush respective to your dog's coat.
- Comb: A small fine-toothed comb is used to remove dead debris from the inner dense layer.
- Shampoo: Buy dog shampoo as recommended by a veterinarian according to your dog's coat and texture. The shampoo helps to clean deep dust and dirt on the hair coat and skin.
- Scissors: Sharp and blunt-ended scissors for cutting extra hairs on the foot, tail, and face.
- Nail Clippers: Use nail clippers specific to the Pyrenees and regularly trim nails to avoid discomfort to your dog.
- Tooth Brush and Toothpaste: Tooth health is directly related to feed intake. If your dog's tooth is in pain, it will result in no feed intake which will disturb your dog's health. Make sure to brush your dog's brush with a dog-specific brush and toothpaste weekly.
- Ear Cleaning: Use cotton swabs and ear-cleaning solutions recommended by a veterinarian. They are very prone to ear infections so make sure to clean them weekly
- Blow dryer and Towel: Towel and blow dryer to dry dog's hair coat after bathing.
Grooming Steps for the Pyrenees
1. Brushing and Combing
Pyrenees' double hair coat is suspected to have mats and tangles which are removed by brushing and Combing. Brushing removes mats and tangles from the outer hair coat and Combing removes dead hair and fabrics from the inner hair coat.
TIP: Make sure all mats and tangles are removed. Otherwise during bathing these mats will get tightened and you will have to start brushing again.
2. Bathing
Bathing should be done monthly. Make sure you have a bathtub according to the size of your dog and a lukewarm water supply is available. Sit your dog down in the tub and start pouring water from head to tail direction. Apply dog-specific shampoo and give it a good mix with hair to make foam. Then rinse water again to remove foam from the coat. Repeat it if the coat is still dirty.
TIP: When final rinsing, make sure all the foam and shampoo are washed away from the coat. Rinse water until water runs clear through the coat. Otherwise, it will cause dermatitis and other skin infections.
3. Drying
After bathing take your dog out of the tub and start drying. It is essential to get rid of water trapped inside the inner coat which causes high temperature resulting in dermatitis and skin allergy. Let your dog air dry to get a natural hair pattern and if want to dry early then Use a towel or blow dryer and dry your Pyrenees until dry.
4. Nail Trimming
The best time for trimming nails is soon after bathing because at that time nails are soft and you can trim easily. But it requires skills and if you have never done it before, learn from a groomer or veterinarian first.
5. Ear Cleaning
Pyrenees need ear cleaning weekly. Ear infections are very common in them. Use cotton and veterinarian-recommended ear drops for ear cleaning. Put some drops in the ear, let it stay for 5 seconds, and then wipe it with cotton.
6. Eye Cleaning
Eye boogers are common in every dog and need to be cleaned daily. Use cotton to clean your dog's eye.
7. Dental Care
Brush your dog's teeth on a weekly basis. Use veterinarian-recommended brush and paste. Dental health is related to the overall health of your dog and should be cleaned carefully. Consult your veterinarian for regular dental checkups.
Additional Tips and Considerations
- Punctuality and regularity: Grooming of your dog should be your priority and must be done on time. Make a schedule for your dog grooming and follow it strictly.
- Consulting a veterinarian: Take your dog to the veterinarian for health checkups monthly. Bigger dogs usually face health problems and regular checkups will help in early diagnosis and good prognosis.
- Pyrenees Specific Products: Every product used for grooming should be specific for your dog otherwise it will disturb hair patterns and will be a cause of skin infections.
- Give Treats: Make sure to give treats to your dog to make grooming a habit and a pleasant experience.
Conclusion
Maintaining Pyrenees grooming is not tough but rather entertaining and it is not only related to your dog's appearance but also your dog's health. Using the right techniques and skills plus appropriate tools, your dog coat will be clean, soft, wooly, and shiny.
Grooming regularly will give an overall health review of your dog. So it's a must-win move from every end. What are waiting for? Pick up your grooming tools and let's start grooming a Great Pyrenees.
