How Grooming Techniques Can Create a Huge Difference with Pomeranians
Coat Products
- There are some elements that can cause the coat to fall flat, look frizzy, or otherwise not be as it should. If you take a Pom that has a coat with poor texture and Pom that has a healthy thick coat, those dogs are going to look amazingly different.
For any owner who may wonder why their Pomeranian is not fluffy or the coat isn't in good shape, the answer usually will be found in these elements that can drastically change the quality and appearance of the fur:
1. Shampoo
- The wrong shampoo can strip the cuticles which makes for a very dull and often dry-looking coat. It's vital to use a shampoo that has a pH between 6.5 and 7.5, no soaping agents (it should have plant-based cleansers), and zero additives like chemical preservatives, sulfates, parabens, and artificial coloring or perfumes.
If you're looking for a terrific shampoo for your Pom,
Earthbath All-Natural Shampoo
is amazing. The Oatmeal & Aloe is a favorite and other formulas like the Tea Tree Oil is good for hot spot issues and Mediterranean Magic is great if a Pom's coat holds odors.
2. Conditioner
- When a Pom is bathed, the hair cuticles open up. A good conditioner is then needed to smooth them back down. If this does not happen, the coat can look quite terrible, with lots of dry frizzy ends. And, if a conditioner is too oily and is not easily rinsed out of the coat, this will weigh the fur down, making it flat.
If you're looking for the right conditioner to smooth the cuticles down but without causing the fur to lie flat,
Earthbath All-Natural Conditioner
is perfect. Once you rinse out the shampoo, massage this in for about 5 minutes and then rinse it out with warm (not hot) water.
3. Coat spray
- Even if you use fantastic bathing products, what about the weeks in between the baths? If you are leaving the coat bare, it is going to be vulnerable to all of the elements.
Hot sun, cold arid winter air, and contact friction (any time a Pom rubs against a surface) can do a number on the coat if it's not protected. You may notice a dulling, drying, and less bounce.
Use a leave-in spritz like
The Stuff
to keep the coat in great shape. As an added plus, this helps the coat repel urine splashed, allergens, and irritants, and helps prevent tangles. Do not douse the coat; just do a light spritz each time you brush.
4. Type of grooming tools.
There are many different types of brushes because there are many different types of coats on all of the various dog breeds. Using the wrong type of brush can do a variety of things. Let's take a quick look.
1)
Two level steel comb - This should be used before you brush to separate hairs and check for tangles. If you don't do this, and your brush does not go deep enough, there can be inner mats that affect how the hairs fall. For this, something like the
Andis 7-1/2-Inch Steel Comb
works well; the end with the wider teeth is used on the main body and the end with the narrow teeth are used on the face and other small areas like the paws.
2)
Slicker brush - This is needed to reach deep into the dense two-layer coat of this breed and pull out dead hairs. If you are using a brush that does not reach down enough or simply skims over the coat, the coat will be filled with shedded hairs, weighing it down. For this, the
Lil Pals Slicker Brush
works great; it is small enough for you to follow all the curves on the body and has cushioned pin tips for comfort.
3)
Pin brush - You may think you are done once you use the slicker brush, but a pin brush can be great for finishing touches. The coat is now clear of dead hairs and debris and there are no mats, so the pin brush can allow you to fluff the coat out. The
Safari Pin Brush for Dogs
is recommended, this is a good size for most Poms and has polished tips.
Please note:
Do not brush a dry coat, always use a leave-in spray as previously covered under '3. Coat Spray'.
Trims/ Shaves - While dogs
like Boo the Pomeranian may be famous, we can't condone shaving the coat to achieve that sort of look. Shaving a Pom does create a dog that looks entirely different than a 'normal' Pom, however when you shave that closely, you are cutting into the inner layer and doing so may damage the coat in such a way that it may never be able to grow back as it once was. In many cases, the coat will look very patchy and uneven as it struggles to grow. Unless there is some sort of skin issue or health condition that requires the coat to be shaved, there is no reason to do this. A Pom does not need to be shaved down in the summer time.
Trims on the other hand, can make a Pomeranian look very different, but in a good way that is healthy for both coat and skin. With some Poms, guard hairs grow out too long, unevenly or both. Going around the body to even things out - usually trimming off 1/8 to 1/4 inch (.45 to .63 cm) can really allow the coat to stand up and give that 'ball of fluff' look. It is also recommended to trim any hairs that may have grown out past the paw pads.