Spitz Breeds:Coat Care

Spitz are generally of various stocky heavy-coated breeds of dogs native to northern regions having pointed muzzles, erect ears and with a furry curled tail. Some breeds categorized as Spitz are the American Eskimo Dog, Akita, Chow Chow, Finnish Spitz, Keeshond, Norwegian Elkhound and the Pomeranian.

Double coats range from the short coat of a Shiba Inu to that of the long off standing coat of the Samoyed. These coats are fairly easy to maintain, and are not so demanding when preparing for the show ring. It is important to note that these dogs shed moderately, however they generally “blow” their coats in the spring and fall.

– Tools

Firstly, you must have the right tools to work with. Your basic tools should include:

Pin Brush,

Slicker Brush,

Bristle Brush,

Greyhound Comb,

Shears/Scissors

Thinning Shears.

Depending on what you plan on achieving there maybe other tools that you may require to get the job done. Please do note several things when you choose to purchase your tools to work with. Just like everything, “you get what you pay for”. This generally determines the quality and the longevity of the tools you choose. Be aware of the fact that although a pin brush from Source A and another from Source B are not the same. You would find that there are some pin brushes on the market that are designed to remove as little undercoat as possible, while still getting down in there to clear out the coat at the same time. Also you’ll find that the pins come in different length, depending on the length of coat you are working with. For your short coats such as the Shiba Inu and the Finnish Spitz, the 20ml pin brush would do. Longer coated breeds such as the a 27ml pin would be more effective for breeds such as Chow Chows and Keeshonds. However, if you are dealing with a really long and thick coat such as that of the Samoyed, you would need the 35ml pin brush. You must do keep in mind of the individual coat you are dealing with. Some breeds coat vary in length based on the individual. A prime example is the Chow. According to the American Kennel Club breed standard “there are two types of coat; rough and smooth” and that “the coat length varies markedly on different Chows”. So you may require the need of multiple brushes to get the job done effectively. Then there are slicker brushes, these are quite useful when removing undercoat, especially in the shedding period. However, do use slickers and rakes with caution, if used incorrectly it can cause damage to the skin. Bristle brushes are quite handy for dealing with the short coat on the legs and muzzle. Greyhound combs are good for double checking coats for mats and do a nice fluffing job. They also give a nice finish to the coat. Shears are used to neaten and clean up areas.

– Brushing and Combing

The most effective way of going about brushing and combing the coat is by line combing or brushing. This is brushing the coat in sections by placing one hand on the coat and while the other hand has the brush or comb. You would then brush the coat by where your hand rest. Then move your hand up on the dog by an inch or so, there would then be a part of hair. Repeating the brushing or the combing with other hand moving up on the dog doing this in sections would make sure that you clear out the coat. Make sure that you get down to the skin which is of utmost importance. If you don’t get down to the skin you would just be clearing out the top coat leaving the undercoat untouched causing it to mat. For breeds with manes, special emphasis should be taken in these areas because it is generally where the coat is the thickest and the longest. Behind the ear generally have softer hair, left unchecked this area generally starts to mat easily. Also take the time to clear out the coat on the inner thighs, around the genitals, and under the “arm pits”. In times of shedding the slicker comes in handy for this job. It removes far more undercoat than a pin brush. For the legs the bristle brush can be used here by brushing up then down. Depending on the look that you like you can leave the hair on the legs brushed up. Make sure place the dog’s feet in your hand and brush up between the toes as well . How you brush or comb should also be influenced by what the standard calls for. For example, a Schipperke’s body coat should be brushed flat and mane should be fluffed up. This creates the proper silhouette for the breed. Chow Chows, Pomeranians and Keeshonden are suppose to have an off standing coat, the final brushing should be in a forward direction to give lift. The greyhound comb can be used for this task. These coats generally require brushing about 2 – 3 times weekly. However, they can go with out grooming for a week, but the job would require you to be a bit more thorough if done on a weekly basis. During shedding season they would require a lot more frequent grooming.

 – Bathing

Bathing is an important part in keeping a healthy coat. Before deciding on which shampoo and conditioner to use, there are several things to consider such as texture and colour. It is important to note that all northern breeds are expected to have a harsh texture, and dense coat in the ring. So it is best to choose a product that focuses on this. Generally these shampoos would also focus on volume as well. There is also the colour factor, are you dealing with a white, cream, black, red, fawn, brindle, parti or a pinto? Also do not forget to follow up with a good conditioner. Do note that in order to achieve your goal, you may have to use multiple products to have your desired results (see Shampoos and Conditioners 101). Remember two things, before you bathe, you are required to brush the coat out before and after, because loose undercoat if not removed can cause severe matting. Also there are certain shampoos that may require you to soak the dog for several minutes. Do not leave dog in soak for too long because the coat will start to dry with the shampoo also causing matting (especially for longer coats).

– Shears and Thinning Shears

Before you even pick up a pair of shears, you must first know what is appropriate for your breed. You must consult your standard and a breeder or a fellow exhibitor. Many of these double coated breeds call for a natural coat, although the Pomeranian according to the American Kennel Club states that “trimming for neatness and a clean outline is permissible”. However, some tidying of the coat generally is still necessary for all coats. A rule of thumb especially when dealing with a “Natural Breed”, always make your dog seem as if nothing was ever done. What you would do with your shears or scissors is to remove whiskers, although this is considered optional as it gives a cleaner appearance, however due to the fact that whiskers are sensory hairs. Some exhibitors do decide to leave them intact, then there are exhibitors who remove them if they are not as neat as those of cats, but resemble that of the unruly whiskers of a walrus. Generally for Spitz, their feet should be round to resemble that of a cat. The feet should be brushed forward with the bristle brush, and the shears should be used to remove the excess hair trimming in a circular pattern around the entire feet and not individual toes making it as round a possible. Then brush the feet up, take the thinning shears and lightly “tipping” the excess hair that protrudes from between the toes and evening it off with the rest of the feet hair. You do not want to create indents on top of the toes. Lift the feet up and between the pads, trim away the excess hair with the shears. The hair between the pads tend to tangle and trap small pebbles and other foreign objects causing irritation so they should be removed aswell. In some coated breeds you may want to trim around the anus for neatness and also sanitary purposes with thinning shears. If you trim at an angle, you can make it appear that your dog has a higher tail set. Depending on the coat itself, you would want a level underline, or to just remove some straggly hairs. Some attention may want to be given to the hocks, just to even up. All of this trimming of the coat other than the feet should be done with thinning shears. The reason for this is that the thinning shears would remove excess coat with out leaving the straight line of shears making a near natural appearance. Where ever it is you may have to neaten up, one thing is certain, subtly will carry you far, above all do not get carried away.

– Products

When using hair products for the ring, you must know what are you trying to achieve, and must have an idea of what to use. Generally many specialty stores that do carry these products that state what they are used for and the type of coats that they are recommended for. Some of the things to consider when deciding what to choose from is that volume, density and texture are of utmost important elements in all Spitz coat no matter the length. There are spray gels on the market that add the strength of a gel while being a convenient spray which gives the even distribution of a mist. Also, there are hair sprays that come in aerosol form which gives a quick even application to add volume, give lift and add texture. There are also products available in gel form as well as a mousse. Do read the label very well as certain products that must be used on a dry or a damp coat, and if so must be applied a particular.

-Using Products

Spray gels can be applied on the legs and feet to give a fuller appearance especially to those who may need it (such as dogs that may seem to be lacking bone) . Also the spray gel can be applied all over and making sure to work through the coat with your hands trying to get down to the roots, then brushing out. With a longer coat, extra attention should be paid to the mane, the tail, the furnishings behind the forequarters and rear including the hocks. Extra spray gel can be used in these areas along with some volumizing mousse. If you would like to add extra sheen to the coat, you can add a light mist of conditioning spray or a light glaze of oil sheen. Remember to avoid using too much of the conditioner as you want to avoid weighing down the coat. A holding spray can be used to keep the hair in place. When you use a product whether specialty or from your local salon supplier, one thing you must make sure that the product leaves the coat looking and feeling as natural as possible. At the end of the day, you are the only one that should have known that you used anything. However, do note hair products are drying, and the coat should be bathed with a moisturizing shampoo and followed with a deep conditioner.

-Tool Brand Recommendation:

Chris Christensen

#1 All System

Oster

Pure Paws

Gator

Master Grooming Tools

Revlon

Safari

Personally I have found that purchasing the shears and thinning shears at your local salon supply store can do a very good job. A rule that I have found, stay in the range of $15 U.S. or more. The shears should feel sturdy and have some substance to it, and give no indication of being flimsy. However spending several hundred dollars on just one shear can be very taxing on the pocket and may not be easily replaced if lost or have fallen repeatedly (this causes your shears to come loose and misaligned, making them of no more use to you).

-Product Brand Recommendation:

Satinique

Chris Christensen

#1 All System

Pure Paws

Cindra

Plush Puppy

Suave

Vo5

Pantene Pro V

The most important thing that should be remembered first and foremost that we are dealing with natural breeds. So when revising products once you have found what the product does, you must look on the product that it leaves the coat feeling natural. There should be no greasy feeling of the coat and the products should not flake. Once applied the products should be invisible to the eye and the only way that you know products are in the coat, is that you know that you applied it yourself.

Shane