Grooming
Updated: 9 hours ago
I thought it was high time I kept a blog, since social media and short form video content isn't my strong suit, and where better to start than to talk about something I get asked about often....
Grooming a keeshond.
Now I would like to caveat my advice/process with saying this is what works for me, and my dogs, and the way I work, and my budget. I myself took advice from a few different breed mentors, the following is what came out the other end, and now forms the way I work. I think it is ok for everyone to formulate their own process mashups lol.
This post is mostly geared towards an average Keeshond pet owner. If you are looking for details on how to groom Keeshond for a show, I MIGHT do a Keeshond show groom blog post /videos at a later date, although honestly it would not be much different to this one.
Let's start!
A Full Groom
Bathing a Keeshond
I begin (a full) groom with a bath. You will find some people brush first, that works too. It's probably better to do that since it removes some of the dead coat first allowing the shampoo and water to get closer to the skin, but since I am quite lazy I throw them in the tub first.
I bath often - my dogs all get a bath, blow dry and groom every 4-6 weeks if not more (weekly for the show dogs) as I enjoy the 1-1 time, but most Kees families can bath every 8-12 weeks if your dogs aren't dirty.
I use a stainless steel 50" electric tub, made by Flying Pig. You don't need this, but I have a lot of dogs and so I need good heavy duty equipment. Before I splurged on this I used a booster bath which is a great option, and before that, the family bath in the house (less ideal).
First pic is my old Booster Bath. This is a great, affordable option for most homes. Second is the family bath. Less ideal, hairy, messy LOL.
The other option of course is a place like Tractor Supply or Pet Supplies Plus where you can use their bathing facilities.
Many show people swear by their fancy and expensive products; I am not one of those people. I use Paul Mitchell Pet Oatmeal Shampoo. I love it for the price and it does a great job. I first picked it up years ago at Homegoods for a bargain, tried it, loved it and now I buy it by the gallon.
So obviously, suds up and rinse away. I do not use a conditioner as a general rule, but I do/have had some dogs with a more brittle coat on the trousers or ruff, and I will use regular old Pantene conditioner on those parts only.
I will record and put some examples of bathing a keeshond video content here in the future
Drying a Keeshond
I put the dogs on a table for drying. Again, my fancy option is my Flying Pig Hydraulic table, but honestly you don't need this, I am just spoiled by my lovely husband. A regular grooming table will do just fine and I use This One for shows. I DO use a grooming arm and noose as Kees are quite happy to jump off and I like the fact that when they are young and learning how to behave, the noose stops them flying off and I can use both arms to groom. That said, ALWAYS supervise a Keeshond while they are on the table! Stay within arms' reach!
Not all Kees breeders use a grooming arm - you choose. Mine came with the tables.
I use a K9 II Dryer. Again, this is super overkill for most people, I typically recommend something like a Flying Pig High Velocity Dryer.
You are going to want to use the flat nozzle pretty much all the time, and blow dry, slowly, in the direction you want the coat to settle. Hold the nozzle about 10" from the skin. The small directional nozzle, while useful for blowing out dead hair, can knot/tangle a coat real quick. You have been warned.
I will record and put some examples of drying a keeshond video content here in the future
Brushing A Keeshond
If you are not bathing first, spritz your Keeshond with plain water or a 90% water/10% conditioner mix before you begin brushing to reduce coat stress/breakage.
I recommend giving your keeshond a brush through once a week or so. It is also a great opportunity to check for ticks, hot spots, lumps and bumps etc, as with such a thick coat, small problems are not obvious.
If they have been bathed, I will get them almost all the way dry before I start any level of brushing, and the first brush I use is the A9 Wet/Dry Bass Pin Brush (Medium). This is a pin brush and does a good job of brushing out the worst of the knots and snags, but it will not get out any decent level of dead coat, and it will not get to the skin on the ruff. It is simply to get out the worst of the knots before I move onto the more effective tools (combs and slickers, usually) to spare my hands and wrists.
This is also the tool I recommend using for a weekly maintenance brush.
I like the Bass Brush as it is a bit more robust-feeling and sturdier than other brands (such as the Chris Christensen, which is also very popular with Kees breeders), and I think it gets through the coat a bit easier. I do however use the Chris Christensen Pin Brush for puppies as it is softer and gentler and you want to set a keeshond puppy up to enjoy being groomed.
Next up, COMBING.
I find combing thoroughly to be THE BEST way to groom your dog thoroughly. I comb thoroughly after every bath, and pet owners should brush weekly, comb monthly.
It gets all the way down to the skin and gets out dead coat very effectively.
My very favorite comb is the Chris Christenson 9.5" Coarse Poodle Buttercomb.
It's expensive but it does a great job and the coating and ergonomics reduce catching on the coat and fatigue to my hands. I will comb the dog all over using this tool. Yes, it takes a while, if you don't use a grooming table maybe get comfy on the floor and put the TV on while you work.
Particularly work through the longer coat on the ruff and trousers, and the sides of the dog behind the elbows. Don't forget the legs!
Once fully combed, I will sometimes use a finer comb for the head, ears, cheeks and legs, but I don't always and will usually just go straight to the slicker.
I love using a slicker for finishing; once the comb has done the heavy lifting, the slicker just glides through and pulls out any last loose or dead hairs that the comb missed.
The king of slickers is the key for a keeshond - the Chris Christensen Big K. This bad boy will get the job done fast. The long pins get closer to the skin and the large footprint makes the job go fast.
For the shorter coated areas such as legs, feet and faces I use a Bass Medium Slicker.
I will record and put some additional examples of brushing a keeshond video content here in the future
Keeshond Nails and Feet
Firstly, you are going to want to trim nails before trimming foot fuzz. Having shorter nails will allow you to trim closer.
I recommend trimming nails weekly, you can use peanut butter on lick mats to distract them and help make nail trimming a positive experience.
I trim nails A LOT as I am a dog show person and we like our dog nails to be but mere stubs, but I also use a dremel with a medium coarse sandpaper attachment. You can use a diamond bit but IMHO these are a waste of money I like the sandpaper better. Some dogs are sensitive to the feeling of having their nails squeezed/cut by clippers so they often prefer a dremel, I prefer clipping personally as it is so easy for coat to get tangled in the dremel and I almost always take half of my own nails off with it too.
I use a Millers Forge - it's great, and sharp. For baby puppies, human nail clippers work too.
I have this Dremel. Meh... it's fine.
Not my infographic but grateful to the original creator!
As for foot fuzz trimming, for the average pet home just keep the fuzz trimmed around the paw pads. It provides better traction on hard floors, but also prevents messes outside from being tracked indoors. Also, I trim the hocks a little as they can get a bit matted. Grooming scissors can be $ to $$$, but for a pet home, these cheap and cheerful Amazon ones work great.
I will record and put some example video content of feet/hock/nail trimming here in the future
These tools are expensive, yes, but cared for they will last a lifetime and do far less damage to the coat than poor quality alternatives.
What NOT to use
Never use a furminator; this is essentially a de-shedding blade that can pull out a lot of undercoat, and cut guard hairs.
On a Keeshond, frequent or aggressive use of rakes or Furminators can:
Remove too much undercoat
Break or damage the guard hairs
Make the coat look thin, flat, or uneven
I generally don't recommend the use of rakes on a keeshond; they are a bit too aggressive and can take out too much coat. They can also be kind of painful for the dog. There ARE times that they are useful (like during a coat blow, used very sparingly) and so I can't argue with having one handy, but they should not be part of a regular routine.
Very occasional, light use of a rake can be reasonable on a pet Keeshond that is shedding heavily, but I'd treat it as a specialty tool rather than something you routinely run through the coat. Use with caution!
Never use it like you're trying to "strip" the dog. A few gentle passes, following the direction of the coat, and stop when you're getting healthy coat rather than loose or dead undercoat.
If you must use a rake, I like this style best.
Generally I don't use detangling sprays on a Keeshond as they typically contain silicone which weighs down their coat. Keeshond coat should not be silky and flat; I don't use any product at all really, a correct kees coat does not need it.
Side Notes!
Once spayed/neutered, your keeshond will possibly develop a different coat type (longer and/or softer) and may need grooming more frequently.
Above is Clover, at 1 year of age and intact with a correct, untrimmed coat. Second pic she is 10 and spayed. Third pic is the same day after a bit of trimming and tidying.
While I cannot advocate someone inexperienced trimming a keeshond (or trimming at all, really - per breed standard, a keeshond should not be trimmed), for a spayed, heavily coated veteran that may not enjoy standing for long periods for grooming, you can see here that her coat is a lot more manageable with a subtle and sympathetic tidy.
Puppies under 8 months can have a very woolly and unruly coat! For these coats, using the comb will make you want to give up on the breed LOL. I just use a pin brush and slicker on puppies. They also readily mat behind the ears and elbows at this age, pay particular attention to these areas!
If your puppy has formed mats behind the ears or elbows, DO NOT use scissors to get them out! Ideally, use a dematting comb (I use one like this) or some clippers/a beard trimmer for behind the elbows if the mat is really thick and stubborn. It is much safer, it is SO easy to cut the skin when using scissors on a mat.
Here are some examples of the different coat stages a puppy will go through. First image, Wisco is 8 weeks old. Final image, he is 10 months. Puppies 3-6 months especially have a very woolly coat texture, the pin brush and slicker are best, I don't really comb puppies this age.
Shaving is not recommended at all unless medically necessary. The coat growth cycle can be "arrested" and cause post clipper alopecia, which may or may not ever resolve.
💜 Yes, this post includes Amazon Affiliate Links. No hate, girl has gotta pay her entry fees and vet bills 💜
Comments