If you are considering buying a dog, you will probably focus mostly on adult look and overall temperament. However, owning a dog is a big responsibility and all dogs require grooming to some degree. Some dogs are very grooming-intensive and this is something that you have to be aware of before you start looking for your own pet. Let’s take a look, therefore, at the five most demanding dog breeds in terms of grooming.
The Afghan Hound
The Afghan is one of the most aristocratic and regal of all dog breeds. However, it requires a great deal of grooming. If you want to show your dog, you will need to bathe it at least once a week. Because the coat is so long, it easily rats and tangles. If left untouched, this can become quite painful for the animal. Hence, it requires frequent brushing.
The Puli
The Puli is a small, square dog that has a corded coat. Two options are available to you. You can choose to brush your dog’s coat on a near daily basis, leaving it smooth. However, you can also leave it alone so that it can cord, looking like dreadlocks. In this case, you need to separate the cords no less than once a week, so that they don’t matt together. Be aware that, in either case, the coat will touch the ground and pieces of dirt and debris will be picked up that you need to remove. A Puli requires bathing, but it can take as much as a day for their coat to dry up.
The Bearded Collie
Bearded Collies are incredibly popular dogs, often used as working dogs because they are so hardy and strong. However, farmers that use them as working dogs will generally shave them, because this is a very grooming-intensive dog. Start by brushing the coat with a boar bristle dog. You then need a nylon pin brush to cover the dog again, removing mats and tangles. Finally, you need to use a sturdy comb so that all the leftover mats and tangles are removed. You must do this full session once a week and regular combing is required daily.
The Chinese Crested Dog
Chinese Crested dogs come in two varieties, often in a single litter. The Hairless variety only has hair on its feet, hair and tail. The Powderpuff variety, by contrast, has a double coat. The Powderpuff naturally requires more grooming. They need daily brushing and you must look after the undercoat properly so it does not get matted. The Hairless variety also requires grooming, mainly in the form of skin protection. They must wear sunscreen during the summer months and a coat during the winter.
The Chow Chow
Finally, there is the Chow Chow. A medium, square and powerful dog, it has recently shot to fame as the “Panda Dog”, after a pet store in China started dying this dog in panda colours. They come in various types of coats, all of which shed heavily. Hence, a lot of grooming is required and the dog also has to be shampooed at least once a week. You must brush the coat daily, using a steel-toothed comb. Pay particular attention to the areas beneath the legs and behind the ears, where knots are most common.