AIMFOR Cairn Terriers

Cairn Terrier Grooming

PETS:

*Do not over bath your Cairn Terrier as this can dry out the skin

*The Cairn has what is known as a 'Double Coat', harsh exterior and soft interior. 

*Don't use normal dog shampoos or human shampoos if you can help it as it will soften the coat and perhaps give the dog and allergy.
Wool wash is recommended to keep the coat rough, you can add ti-tree oil or lavender oil to this (repels fleas).  

*1/4 capful in 1/2 litre of water and then scrub.  Rinse THROUGHLY.  Towel dry.

*Comb your Cairn at least once a week to keep the coat free of burrs. 

*Too keep in tip top condition you can hand strip (more in show grooming)
or acquire a stripping knife and comb to rid the coat of dead hair. 

*You can clip a Cairn Coat in the height of summer, but its not great for the coats and will make them soft as they grow back. 

* Keep scissor use limited to just around the really long bits, face, tail, bottom and legs.

*Keep nails short.  Either use a dog nail clipper or a Dremel tool (Can be bought at Bunnings) to file away long nails quickly.

SHOW CAIRNS:

*Coat needs to be hand stripped and maintained every few days.

*I bath my Cairns about once a fortnight (in the same method as above)

*Hand Stripping:
Use rubber gloves and a metal comb

Gather a pinch of hair and with fingers pluck out the longer ones..these are dead.  Going over the entire coat every week this is called 'rolling the coat' and keeps it in good order with new, harsh coat growing through.

Every six months it is recommended to completely strip the entire coat out. 

You will know when it is time to do this as the coat will become 'blown' and have flyaway pieces all over and look generally shaggy.  It can take a good 4 -6 weeks for a new coat to come in.

Nails should be kept short.

Ears should be trimmed neatly into a nice 'V' shape and hair plucked from 3/4 up. 

Face should be a neat crysathymum flower shape (not as circular as a Westie though)  Eyes should be peeping through bright and alert.

*Tools to have on hand:*

Stripping knife, straight scissors, slicker brush, metal comb, pin brush, Cholesterol cream, sit and stay cream, mousse, rubber gloves

 

 

Brittany Grooming

The Pet Brittany does not need a lot of grooming, just a good brush once a week (or as often as you'd like)

In the summer heat you can clip off the coat with no ill effects.

Nails kept short in the same way as the Cairn Terrier.

 

SHOW BRITTANY:

*Bath in Whitening shampoo and rinse well (always before a show)

*Coat dried and flattened using hair drier (some Brittanys will have a slight curl in the coat) you can sleep them overnight in a coat and a towel pinned around the neck to flatten - use a nappy pin on the towel.

*Ears should be thinned of all the fluff and trimmed into a nice neat shape.

*Paws trimmed around and neatened.

*Whiskers shaved off (If you want)

*Neck triangle clipped to show length of neck. (from up under the jaw to front of chest) Blend the sides with thinning shears.

*Brush and spray with a gloss.

(You can chalk the white)

 

*Tools to have on hand:*

Straight scissors, thinning scissors, pin brush, small clippers

I use and LOVE...