QUESTION: Do they need much grooming?
The No. 1 QUESTION people ask if they are interested in the Bolognese
QUESTION: Do they need much grooming?
ANSWER: It’s better to be prepared for a lot of grooming. Some coats are easier than others and puppies need more regular grooming. The puppy coat, especially at about 8-18 months does knot easily due to the coat changing its texture. The adult coat of the Bolognese is coarser and easier to groom than the softer puppy coat. If you are lucky your adult Bolognese could only take 20-30 minutes a week to groom. BUT your puppy could need grooming more or less everyday and this could take anything from 5-30 minutes.
The Bolognese coat is not easy, it needs commitment and dedication otherwise it will get out of control quickly and will need to be clipped off. One thing you cannot do with a Bolognese coat is neglect it and hope that the knots go away – they will not they will just get worse. If you have trouble with your Bolognese coat, seek professional help sooner rather than later, do not hope the problem will go away. If you think that you will not be able to groom a dog, do not get a Bolognese.
A reputable breeder will advise you on grooming and will of already started to get your puppy used to the procedure, this training must continue without interruption. There are a few grooming tasks which will need to be carried out regularly, such as feet trimming, ear plucking, nail clipping and trimming around the bottom.
TIPS
- groom your puppy daily to get them used to it, this is vital
- if your dog complains about being groomed, persist, they will get used to it and even enjoy it
- use a comb to get right through the coat, people make the mistake of grooming the top, but not right through the coat
- get the right grooming tools
- use an anti-tangle spray
- get all knots out before you bath your dog
- don’t leave a collar on all the time, it mats the coat round the neck
- trim the coat between the pads and round the feet
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