One would think that the short coat is the easiest to maintain, however this is not always true. Because the breeds moult, they must be groomed on a regular basis - otherwise their hair will get everywhere. Short, harsh, sticky hairs attach themselves too carpets, clothes, car seats etc., and are extremely obstinate about being dislodged.
The answer, or at least a great help in preventing this nuisance, is to brush regularly with a grooming glove and bath them at hair-shedding time with a deshedding shampoo to remove much of the offending matter by scrubbing the jacket with the glove.
Read on to discover more about grooming a short coat...
Smooth, short coats can be one of the easiest coat types to look after because it can't matt or tangle. Most of the year the coast is easy to manage, however like a majority of coats they will drop and moult a couple of times per year. As a low maintenance coat, they will still require grooming to maintain healthy skin and coat.
How to maintain a short coat
A short coat will de-shed a few times per year. As with any coat cycle, dogs will shed in the spring and the autumn. In the spring the coat is shedding its heavy winter coat in preparation for the warmer weather. Then in the autumn the coat sheds again in preparation for the winter. Determining what months the short coat de-sheds will help you prepare with product requirements.
How to control a short coat
Any dog that has hair will shed coat, some more than others. Investing in good products will help you get rid of hair quickly, helping ensure the cold coat is removed to enable new growth to come through.
To help you make the right choice when it comes to controlling a short coat, you should always start with bathing the short coat in a good de-shed shampoo.
Clipit De-Shed shampoo works by feeding the hair follicle with natural oils. This feature enables the deed hair to release quickly, so it leaves old coat growth in the bath instead of building up on the coat surface.
Helpful Tip....
Whilst the dog is in the bath, rub the coat vigorously with the Clipit Grooming Glove to remove the moulting and deed hair. This will save a lot of time and moulting hair from coming out after being dried.
Tools needed to groom a short coat
De-shedding/grooming gloves https://www.clipit-grooming.com/product-page/clipit-hand-groomer
Medium/fine comb https://www.clipit-grooming.com/product-page/pro-groom-face-feet-comb
Bristle Brush
Some Examples of Short Coated Breeds and Procedures
Breeds | Equipment | Procedure | Breed Tip |
Greyhound | Grooming Glove, bristle brush, fine-toothed comb | Easy to maintain with a bristle brush and grooming glove. | Brush with glove, while the coat is still wet. |
Basenji | Bristle brush, grooming glove, fine-toothed comb. | The coat is easy to maintain with regular brushing. | Use a grooming glove to remove dead hairs when the dog is shedding. |
Bulldog | Hound glove, bristle brush and a fine-toothed comb. | Bath in a good quality protein shampoo. | Use grooming glove whilst still in the bath. Use a light spray conditioner afterwards. |
Chinese Shar-Pei | Grooming mitt, stripping comb. | Bath with a suitable shampoo. Brush the coat with a grooming mitt. | Ensure shampoo is thoroughly rinsed, especially from the folds or wrinkles. |
Collie-Smooth | Bristle brush, medium toothed comb, stripping knife. | No maintenance other than a bristle brush requirement. Strip the neck, chest and back using a stripping knife. | No trimming is required, other than trimming between the pads and toes. |
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To read up on thick coated breeds and how to groom and maintain them, click here