Whippet
Noble Smoothies
I have been asked repeatedly to do some grooming
advice for short coated breeds such as Whippets & Greyhounds.
These noble breeds have true working purpose, make affectionate and
wonderful companions & are easy, yet dignified breeds to show.
With their short coats and relatively easy natures, they are a
great
introduction to the show ring for the novice. None of the massive shedding of
the double coated breeds nor the wrist wrenching tasks of regular brushing long
lengths of coat. Not for them either, the wrapping, blow-drying and coat
disciplines of some of the more "hair-do" breeds.
Nonetheless, the presentation of these "easy wear/easy care" dogs can
still be considerable. I don't subscribe to the old belief that true working
dogs don't need a fancy finish nor a grooming regime. Gone are the generations
that just tossed them from field to show ring and expected to win with the mud
still clinging to the coat. It's showtime folks! If you want to cut the mustard
with the best of them, then it's time to do what the best of them do.
The Whippet and Greyhound standards call for a short, close and
fine coat. I adhere to the analysis approach of assessing your dog's coat at
this point and then making decisions on what shampoo to use. If the coat is just
right then you choose Plush
Puppy All Purpose Shampoo used at a ratio of at least 5:1 (i.e. 5 parts
water to 1 part shampoo) or up to 10:1. If you are regularly bathing every week
and the coat needs just a freshen up, use the Plush Puppy
Hydrobath & Bath Wash. This is a low foaming wash that lightly
cleanses and refreshes. It is good for coats that don't need the texture
adjusted. Either use just a few squirts from the pump bottle directly into a
hydrobath tank and sluice through or add a dessertspoon to a bucket of water and
either tip over or sponge on. Easy and quick to use.
If the coat is too dry then you will need to get some conditioning into the
coat. Use the
Plush
Puppy Conditioning Shampoo with Evening Primrose. Again use at a rate of
5:1 or up to 10:1. The coat should not need a conditioner as such after this but
does need to have the moisture content of the coat kept up. Conditioners which
are acid balanced will in fact soften the coat but a moisturizer will keep up
the quality and elasticity in the coat preventing dry and brittle coats. Plush Puppy Reviva
Coat is brilliant and so easy to use. Just a squirt of the nice non
greasy foam onto the hand and spread through the coat and leave in. You can use
this daily and the coat will just get better.
Grooming is the fun part. A lot of people use a grooming mitt
and others a softer oval bristle brush - whatever takes your fancy and you find
best to use. I prefer to blow dry with a cool dryer (not cold) to remove all
loose dead hair and then use the
PP
Reviva Coat and brush at this point. Now I recommend to not do anymore
till next day, show day. Then, use the brush once again or the grooming mitt. If
you have white areas that need attention, then use the PP Cover Up Cream,
a white paste applied with a damp piece of kitchen sponge. Blend with loose
chalk to completely dry.
The finishing touches are just a few wisps of
PP Pixie Dust sprinkled lightly onto the coat for inner
shimmer. Lightly brush again. I Finish with a light spray of
PP Shine & Comb. A nice spray of
PP Odour Muncher
completes the picture to appeal to all the senses.
In between shows, continue with the PP Reviva Coat
applied and left in the coat to protect and moisturize. For heavier duty
protection, you can lightly oil the coat with the
PP Seabreeze Oil
- good if your dog is outdoors in a harsh climate.
This all may seem extravagant
and hard work for a seemingly no nonsense dog but good presentation
is an important factor these days and your dog has to be a complete
picture. All the little things make the difference. Attention
to 100 things done just 1% better makes a hell of a lot of difference.
These were often dogs of kings and noblemen - why shouldn't they
deserve the royal treatment?
CHERYL LECOURT
