HOW TO GROOM A NEWFOUNDLAND AT HOME
HOW TO GROOM A NEWFOUNDLAND AT HOME
Newfoundland is a breed of dog that originated from the east coast of Canada known for their great swimming ability and loyal nature. According to research and stats, they can weigh up to 150 pounds and can live up to 8 to 10 years.
As a veterinarian, I think Newfoundland is very special because it has water water-resistant double-body coat. The outer layer of the coat is long and coarse while the inner layer is short but smooth and oily which makes it water-repellent. According to research, there are 18500 pet grooming centers in the USA with only 20% of them offering Newfoundland grooming services and it is because of the special characteristics of the breed that we will discuss in detail.
GROOMING OF NEWFOUNDLAND
Newfoundland has a very thick body coat which requires scheduled grooming. Usually, as pups, they require grooming every 6 to weeks to prevent mats. And as they grow with age, the duration between grooming sessions also decreases. Grooming in Newfoundland is very expensive and most of the owners prefer to do it at home but you should once in a while visit a professional groomer to make sure that you are doing it right.
FEAR OF GROOMING IN NEWFOUNDLAND
Every dog breed is afraid and shows aggression when it comes to grooming because of these reasons.
- They can't sit for 2,3 hours.
- They are not familiar with the process.
- Grooming can be painful and a very discomforting process if your dog is experiencing it first time.
- Nontechnical person as groomer.
WHEN TO START GROOMING?
NEWFOUNDLAND are year-round shedders but they bulk hair during fall and spring during these times grooming is important to avoid germs, bacteria, and debris.
As pups, you can groom them every 6 to 8 weeks.
MAKING GROOMING A HABIT
Start grooming Newfoundland as soon as you bring them home. There are several ways by which you can make grooming a habit for your Newfies.
- Introduce all grooming tools to your pet e.g. Brush, comb, nail trimmers, grooming table, dryer, bathtub, dog shampoo, rake, towel, and slicker brush.
- Brush their coat once a while for a very short time
- Make sure to give them a treat after every grooming session.
- Introduce grooming tables so your dog becomes habitual (the most feared thing for a dog).
This is very important and should be done as soon as you bring your Newfie home because there is very little window to make sure your dog is accustomed to grooming before the fear stage kicks in your dog.
STEPS FOR GROOMING IN NEWFOUNDLAND
When you start grooming make sure to complete all these four proper grooming of your newfie.
- Combing and Brushing
- Trimming the coat
- Bathing
- Extra Grooming Tasks.
The techniques for each step vary with age So make sure to analyze the area of your dog at every step.
1. BRUSHING AND COMBING
Combing and brushing helps to remove mats, reduce shedding, and remove loose undercoats.
BRUSHING
If your newfie is a puppy, you still need to brush your dog's coat for quite a long time. Do not Make it a long experience for the dog; just brush it gently with a few strokes.
HOW TO DO BRUSHING?
Brush your Newfoundland coat gently with a pin brush and in the direction of the body fur. Usually, it's done caudally from heath to tail.
Brushing is different in pups and adult Newfoundlanders.
PUPS: Pups don't require frequent Brushing but it is important to give gentle and few strokes of pin brush to make your dog habitual to grooming.
ADULTS: When brushing adults, make sure to apply grooming spray. It wets the fur and makes it easy for the pin brush to work smoothly and deeply in the body coat.
Grooming sprays that can be used are Magic Mist and Show Sheen.
COMBING
Combing is essential to removing loose undercoats and preventing mats. Combing techniques also vary both in pups and adults.
HOW TO DO COMBING?
PUPS: Combing is usually done every 6 to weeks and make sure to give this treatment to your pup to make it habitual to grooming because in no time your dog's body coat will get huge and will give you trouble if your pup is not accustomed to it.
ADULTS: While doing Combing make sure to do it properly to get rid of mats and loose undercoats. Do it in the direction from head to tail.
Combing is for a second underlying coat. To do this it is recommended to lift the upper layer and comb the second layer directly.
2. TRIMMING YOUR NEWFOUNDLAND COATS.
Trimming is done with the help of a grooming rake in Newfoundland. Trimming is very technical and if you have never performed trimming before, make sure to visit a veterinarian or any professional groomer.
HOW TO DO TRIMMING?
Take grooming racks and stroke in the direction of head to tail a few times gently all over the pup's body. You may have to remove the debris or dead coat formulated in the rack every time.
TRIMMING OF FOOT AND EARS.
Foot and Ears are the ones to be trimmed on a priority basis and frequently. Trimming of the Ears removes mats and extra body coat helping in clearing the ear canal and thus better listening of your dog.
The foot is often subjected to bacterial infection of mats that develop there and are not treated on time. To prevent this Brushing is very necessary in foot and ears.
3. BATHING YOUR NEWFOUNDLAND
Bathing is very important to remove debris and dead coat.
FREQUENCY: The frequency of bathing should be twice a year which is enough. Excessive bathing will cause the oil in the underlying coat to get washed which will ultimately affect the quality of the coat and cause skin problems.
REQUIREMENTS: For bathing, you need the following things.
- Bathtub
- Lukewarm water
- Shampoo
- Dryer
HOW TO BATHE YOUR NEWFOUNDLAND?
Make sure you are using lukewarm water as it makes the dog comfortable with bathing. Put the dog in the bathtub and start pouring water on the dog with the water sprayer. Gently spread the hand on the dog's body so that the water reaches the skin.
Apply shampoo on the back of the dog's body and start rubbing it till the foam appears and make sure it reaches the skin.
After this wash the dog and you can do it 2 to 3 times.
DRYING
Take your dog out of the bathtub and start drying the dog with the towel. After drying with the towel, start using the dryer to dry the coat.
WHY DRYING IS SO IMPORTANT?
Drying is very crucial and this is the step that people usually skip after spending all their energy on bathing. If the undercoat is moisturized and is not dried completely, it will cause rashes and other skin problems in the dog leading to scabies and it progresses very fast and affects your dog's health. To prevent this make sure your dog is dried completely.
After drying, your Newfoundland's coat will be shiny and clean of debris.
