Wool Coats
Every dog breed has a specific coat type with its own needs and requirements when grooming. What works for a smooth coated breed will be very different from what is required for a wool or curly coated breed. With that in mind, the groomer will need to tailor each groom to each individual coat type.
Wool coated breeds are very popular and the coat requires a good amount of maintenance. Examples of wool coated breeds are Bichon Frise’s and poodles. This is a functional coat type, for example, the poodle has a wool coat as they were originally water dogs, and in particular, the coat cut into a continental trim was designed to protect their internal organs from cold water but allow their legs more freedom of movement for manoeuvring through the water.
The wool coat is very thick and curly and has a lot of volume, as a result of this, it requires regular grooming, in fact, the most conscientious pet owners and breeders will ensure that this coat type is brushed daily. This dense coat becomes matted very easily and can grow quite quickly as these breeds have continuous growth throughout the year, there is no shedding.
When shampooing these coats it is important to use a shampoo with little to no added conditioners as this will weigh the coat down and make it more difficult to scissor. Shampoos to consider are:
If you want to use a conditioner, although it is not a requirement, it would be best to go for a conditioner with a lighter formulation. However where there is bad matting a more concentrated conditioner can be used on the matted area to make this kinder for the dog:
As this is such a dense coat grooming sprays are an essential for the busy groomer. Adding extra hold will make scissoring a lot easier, Show Dog Scissor Spritzer works brilliantly for this. The most vital item for brushing this coat out is a good de-matting spray such as Groom Professional Wondercoat, use of a product such as this will protect the coat from damage when you are brushing.
A firm slicker is more suited to this coat type and if the coat is particularly matted a curved slicker will help. If the matting is very bad, items such as Groom Professional Matt Splitters and Matt breakers will aid with de-matting.
