Weimeraner
A wonderful hunting dog with
great speed and stamina, the Weimeraner appears to have a coat that is
rather no nonsense but as with all short coated show dogs, it is not simply
a case of wash wear when you are intending to have that dog coat ready all
year round.
All
dogs shed and all short coated dogs will get that "moth eaten" look, almost
as if there are holes in the coat. You can brush and brush till the cows
come home but it can take forever to get that nice even overall glamour
back. Seasonal coat changes, hormonal changes all wreak havoc on a show dogs
coat and usually when you least want it to happen.
So, how to keep up appearances
and keep that level and even feel to the coat? Well, I advocate blow drying.
Controversial? Not if you see the results. It doesn't take long to blow dry
a short coated dog no matter how large he is, and, all short coated breeds
will benefit. Bottom line, it removes all the dead hair and kind of rolls
the coat so you don't get the sudden explosions of hair associated with
shedding. Try to use if you can, one of the stronger turbo dryers to blast
the dead hair out and one that blows only cool air. People are amazed when
they see how much hair comes away with the dryer compared to brushing.
To hasten the process when the
coat is shedding, pack the coat full of conditioner such as
Plush
Puppy Silk Protein Conditioner diluted 5 parts water to one part
shampoo and leave in - don't rinse - then hit it with the dryer. This will
get that stubborn hair out quickly. Then rinse clean and dry fully.
For show grooming, use the
Plush
Puppy Whitening Shampoo which is a toning shampoo and will not
lighten or bleach. This gives a good ash overtone and hue to the coat which
should be a mouse grey or silver grey. Use at 5 parts water to one part
shampoo or 3 parts water to one part shampoo for stronger tonal effects.
This will lessen the warm tones in the coat due to sun fading or ageing.
For extra shine, use the
Plush
Puppy all Purpose Shampoo which has wonderful henna extracts (not
like the old henna powders which used to build up on the coat causing the
coat to become brittle). This shampoo gives loads of gloss and glamour and
like all the Plush Puppy shampoos, is naturally sourced. Use at 5:1 as
above.
I don't generally like
conditioner on a show coat as it tends to make the coat fluffy and fly away.
Nothing works better than
Plush
Puppy Seabreeze Oil as a final rinse. This fabulous product is all
natural and is Evening Primrose Oil, Calendula Oil etc. It gives the best
gloss and vigour to the coat. Use 1 tbspn to 1 gal/4 lt bucket of water or 1
dspn into the hydrobath tank. Squish well through the coat, working right
down to the skin. Now leave it in and do not rinse out. Then blow dry.
As for trimming, your standard
doesn't specifically mention it so that implies it is permissible? You will
need to tidy up for the Long Haired variety around the feet and strip any
excess undercoat as you want the Wei coat to sit smooth and sleek. Also
trim/strip/thin excess hair under the ears as the choke chain can tug on
this and unsettle the dog. They can start to "lose their neck" too as they
can get a little ruff under the ears. Take it off. Neaten any unwanted
feathering that appears and tidy around the tail and rear if any growth
pattern areas stick up.
Look after the coat in between
shows. Most of your work with your Weimeraner will be maintaining the
condition and ensuring the coat doesn't bleach out in the sun or get wear
and tear in the outdoors. Use
Plush
Puppy Sunshade for topline protection. Just a quick application
along the topline to stop colour fade. Also
Plush Puppy
Revivacoat for moisturising the coat. This is a gentle moisturising
and dehydrating mousse that can be liberally applied without greasiness and
left in. Keeps the moisture content up to the coat and stops fly away
static.
You
should also have in your kit, a bottle of
Plush Puppy
Coat Rescue. This is for when that coat is ready to go to God and is
dry and brittle. Everything known to man has gone into this bottle of
goodness and should be applied diluted 5:1 throughout the coat and left on
for as long as you can get the dog to sit still. Then rinse. Wonderful for
quick repair.
I prefer a = bristle/= nylon
brush such as the
Plush Puppy
Silver Bullett Brush and then a polishing mitt for grooming on show
day. Follow with a light application of
Plush Puppy
Shine & Comb misted high above the topline, allow to settle and then
wipe over with the palm of the hand for extra gloss. I suggest also a hint
of Plush
Puppy Pixie Dust judiciously applied to the edge of the Porcupine
Brush and dusted lightly against the growth of the coat to allow the powder
to settle down into the coat and the shimmer to stay on the top. Nice when
it picks up the pinpricks of light from the sun or a spotlight.
A quick spray over
with Plush
Puppy Odour Muncher to keep your bird dog smelling boutique fresh
and he is ready to walk the cat walk alongside all the other glamour models
that inhabit our dog world. It is so easy to forget he has other sides and
facets to his life. We have chosen to place him in the ring and it is a step
in another direction to which he started out but one that allows us all to
showcase our favourite breed. He is a handsome dog, the Weimeraner. His fine
aristocratic features and his passionate ability to work and perform are a
formidable sight in any show ring. He moves with ease and grace and a show
of great strength and power. Groomed up with all the skills of a good
presenter, this dog should be a standout in any crowd.
CHERYL LECOURT
