All dog breeds need a different level of care regarding grooming. Some can get away with having the bare minimum, whilst others require a regular grooming schedule with a trip to the professional groomer every six to eight weeks.
What about the Irish wolfhound breed? In this guide, we’ll look at what type of grooming is required for this breed and any helpful tips and styles used on this breed specifically.
They’re a breed considered to be the kings of the dog world, but even kings need to look after themselves when it comes to grooming! It begs the question, do they need a haircut? As the Irish Wolfhound’s coat is naturally rugged in its appearance, the breed doesn’t necessarily need a haircut.
It can be helpful to trim around their ears and other body parts that could cause smells if overgrown, like the private areas, for example.
However, when it comes to haircuts, an Irish Wolfhound requires plucking or hand stripping.
As large, rough-coated dogs, they need to be hand-stripped or plucked every four to eight weeks, depending on the availability of local groomers in your area. It also depends on how fast their hair is growing. Regardless, it’s essential to hand strip so that any dead hair can be removed.
Having the right tools to cut their hair is essential, especially when it comes to ensuring their hair is cut correctly where required. Thinning shears will be the best way of thinning out the hair.
There aren’t a lot of styles that can be achieved with this breed, particularly with its natural rough coat. Depending on how fussed you are with their appearance or your intentions to get them show ring-ready, here are some examples:
The rugged look – Minimal effort needs to be made here as the hair on an Irish Wolfhound is already somewhat shaggy. With just a bit of stripping using a bristle brush, you can keep the rugged look on this beautiful dog.
Show ring ready – More effort is required here with plenty of stripping or plucking. Trimming the hair might be necessary, especially around the ears and face, to create a more defined shape.
When grooming your Irish wolfhound from home, it’s good to know the proper procedure to keep the hair in good condition and to make grooming a stress-free experience. You want to do the grooming with a large dog like this one as quickly as possible.
Start combing through and brushing the hair. Start from the nape of the neck and work downloads to remove all the relevant debris. Return to its head once finished and do the hair below the jaw and top of the head.
This is an essential step because it’ll make running the shears through the fur more effective. With that in mind, work carefully through the coat, checking all areas on the dog for any other debris that might have collected on the coat.
Brush through tangles with a slicker brush and regularly brush with this brush when the dog is shedding. This can help to remove dead hair that’s clinging to the dog.
Use scissors to trim any hair that might be getting in his face or around the private areas, as well as on his paws. Blunt-nose scissors are the best choice.
Ensure you’re working your way through the hair carefully, around sensitive areas. Even with the thinning shears, they can be sharp. Make sure you take your time, and if your dog is being fussy and writhing about, a tasty treat to chew on whilst you hand strip.
Use the bristle brush to comb through the rest of his hair to remove any extra fur that might have gotten caught up in the coat as you used the shears.
When it comes to additional grooming, you can always use some extra tips to help keep your wolfhound in good shape.
Bathing a dog with long hair like this should be done regularly but with enough time in between to keep the natural oils locked in. Dampen the fur before washing and avoid getting water in their eyes or ear canals.
Be sure to damp dry with a towel and comb through again after bathing. This will help to remove any excess hair that you might have lost through stripping them before.
Tooth brushing is worth doing if possible. Otherwise, offer them a dental chew. Dental care is a high priority for any dog’s teeth as it can often lead to other problems if left to worsen.
You want to be extra careful when dealing with the ear canal. Use a cotton ball or cloth for each ear, and don’t push the debris out; pull outwards instead where possible.
It’s important not to go too far into the ear canal as this may cause damage to the eardrum.
Every so often, when grooming, it’s always good to check their paw pads as there can often be a lot of glass and sharp objects when out walking that could be harmful.
It’s worth ensuring your dog’s paw pads are protected during harsher weather conditions, specifically during extreme heat or cold conditions.
It’s good to clip their nails to avoid them getting caught on anything that might rip them off, as well as them snagging on furniture around your home.
To clip the nail, only cut the tip and clip it straight across. Avoid clipping past the curve of the nail. This can cause pain and will likely bleed as a result. You can easily buy dog nail trimmers online or in a pet store.
Every three to four weeks is recommended. If you hear the nails clicking along the hard floor, this is an audible sign.
Introducing them to grooming should be something you do from the puppy stages. Anytime from twelve weeks onwards is ideal.
As it’s essential to keep in their natural oils, every six to eight weeks is recommended for bathing.
If you don’t fancy hand-stripping them or giving frequent baths, then a trip to the professional groomer is beneficial.
Whilst some dogs may benefit from a shorter cut, it’s essential to never shave the dog down to the skin. Their hair protects against sunburn, bites from bugs, and more severe health conditions like skin cancer.
To keep your pet cool, dampen towels, put them in the freezer under your dog’s bed and provide plenty of icy water for them to drink throughout the day.
A good grooming routine is essential to ensure that your dog stays healthy, not only on the outside but also on the inside. A well-groomed dog is a happy dog, and it’ll certainly benefit your home life with a clean and healthy dog as they potter around the home.
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