Grooming Tutorial - German Wirehaired Pointer Club of America

A Primer on Grooming Your
German Wirehaired Pointer
Laura Reeves – The Scotia Kennel
Bernee Brawn - Justa GWPs
About the authors
The Scotia Kennel was founded by Laura Reeves. Laura's background
includes involvement with breeding, training, and handling purebred
dogs since 1982. With her parents, Laura handled and trained the
sporting dogs of the RBD Kennel.
It was from her family that Laura first learned the importance of
breeding sporting dogs that are not just pretty and not just hunting
fools. RBD champions were the first Clumber Spaniels to achieve
Working Dog titles and later Junior Hunters.
Laura is continuing the tradition of dual-purpose dogs at The Scotia
Kennel. She also offers professional handling for select clients. From
her you will find a wide range of dog experience, commitment to
excellent ring presentation, and honesty to a fault.
Justa German Wirehaired Pointers began in 1980 when Bernee Brawn
purchased her first GWP. Bernee is a firm believer that the GWP must
first and foremost be a working hunting dog sound in mind and in
body.
Since that first GWP, Bernee has bred and owned some of the top
GWP’s in the US both in the show ring, and in the field. Justa GWP’s
can be found across the United States winning in competitive events,
testing in NAVHDA and being wonderful companions and hunting dogs
for their owners.
We invite you visit our web pages to learn more about the German
Wirehaired Pointer.
Other Ebooks by our authors:
Hunt Em Up Pup! Starting your German Wirehaired Pointer puppy for
the Field.
Grooming your German Wirehaired Pointer
The goal for German Wirehaired Pointer breeders is to create a dog with
a very low-maintenance coat that repels dirt, burrs and water. Sometimes
that just doesn’t happen. If you own one of the GWPs with more hair
than is ideal, this ebook is for you.
Pet owners and hunters don’t need to spend hours creating a special “do”
for their Wirehair. They just want their dogs to be tidy, not track in mud
from the yard and not soak up a gallon of water in their beards with
every drink.
We’ve provided five simple steps to a clean, shiny, healthy GWP coat
and 10 bonus tips for easy living with our whiskery friends.
Keep in mind that grooming should be a treat for the dog, not a chore.
Start slowly and gradually increase the duration of time spent grooming
the dog. If possible, start when the puppy first arrives rather than when
the dog is two years old, bigger, stronger and the hair is out of control.
Regular grooming each week will reduce the amount of time required to
keep the coat in good shape. Thirty minutes is about average for a dog
that is maintained consistently. Your buddy will appreciate the time
spent bonding and the special attention he gets on grooming day.
Tools You Will Need:
1. Comb
2. Slicker Brush
3. Mars Coat King
4. Coarse Blade
Stripping Knife
5. Undercoat Rake
6. Toenail Clippers
7. Thinning Shears
or Scissors
8. Shampoo
9. Grooming Table
or other raised surface
The tools shown in this photo are
Bernee’s and as you can tell have been
around a long time! Invest in quality
tools and they will last you the lifetime
of your GWP.
Left, a sturdy grooming table with an
attached arm will make your life
easier, and save your back!
Grooming steps:
Comb
A steel comb with thinly spaced teeth at one end and widely spaced teeth
at the other will be the most important grooming tool you own. Start at
the front of the dog and work backward. Comb the beard thoroughly,
under the front legs and work your way through the coat of the whole
dog. Comb in the direction the hair grows. Make sure the tines of the
comb go all the way to the skin. When working on the back, sides,
shoulders and thighs, place the comb at a sharp angle, only slightly
raised from flat against the dog’s coat. Undercoat will be pulled out as
you go.
There may be mats in the coat the first time you start working on the
coat. Small mats can be pulled out gently if possible. Larger mats can be
cut out later in the process. There are grooming products, like Cowboy
Magic detangler, that contain silicone to help remove the mats. You
should comb through the dog every week. After each combing session,
brush through your dog’s hair with a firm slicker brush to stimulate
healthy coat growth.
Note: A special grooming table, a whoa training table, or even a picnic
table will make your grooming chores easier. By raising the dog off the
ground, he is less likely to wrestle with you to avoid being handled. The
height of the table also will save you back strain. It is important to
remember that with or without a table, finding a way to groom your dog
on a weekly basis will improve your bond with him, as well as keeping
his coat in the best possible condition to repel burrs and mud.
Rake
Once the coat is completely combed out, you can rake out any additional
dead undercoat. This step should be done every couple weeks. There are
a variety of tools that accomplish this goal. Your objective is only to pull
out dead coat, not break the hairs in the top layer of the coat.
Undercoat is the soft, fluffy hair you see when you part your dog’s coat
to the skin. The wiry topcoat is the part you want to encourage to grow,
as it is the most protective to the dog in the field and will keep him
looking like a Wirehaired Pointer, instead of a fluffy mutt.
My two favorite tools for raking dead coat are the
Mars Coat King, preferably the medium 12 or 14blade, and a coarse bladed stripping knife. If you can
afford both, the Coat King is
a fabulous tool. If you can
only afford one, the stripping
knife does double duty and
can be used to pull coat in the next step.
Using either tool, start at the base of the skull and
pull the tool in a smooth straight motion back to
the tail. Keep your wrist absolutely still. If you
twist or bend your wrist it will break hair.
Continue working down the sides of the dog. If you are using the coat
king, use the tool much like a brush. Press firmly but not aggressively
against the skin. Be very careful in the sensitive areas around the flanks,
ears, throat and underarms. If you are using the stripping knife, replicate
the angle you used with the comb – only slightly raised from flat against
the dog’s body. Again, always rake in the direction the hair grows.
Stripping
Now comes the slightly technical part. If you follow steps one and two
routinely, your Wirehaired pal will look good, shed less and be more
comfortable. If you want to keep your buddy looking like a Wirehair and
not a mop, you’ll need to go the extra mile and pull some of the long
hair on his body. This process should be about removing dead or dying
hairs. Done properly it should not be painful for the dog. Done regularly,
it will improve the texture of your dog’s hair, making it better at
repelling dirt and burrs.
With your dog freshly combed and the undercoat raked out, take your
comb and break all the rules! Comb the hair backward so you can see
which hairs are the longest. I always prefer to start at the front of the dog
and work toward the tail. Using your coarse bladed stripping knife or
just your thumb and forefinger, pinch a few of the longest hairs and pull
in the direction the hair grows. Here again, it’s important to have no
motion in the wrist. The stripping knife will cut the hair if you turn your
wrist. At that point, there is no difference from clippering the coat.
Using electric clippers to cut off a wire coat, or stripping it incorrectly,
will result in a soft, wooly coat that is useless for protection from the
elements. Cutting the hair completely changes the texture and ensures
more and more work for you down the line.
Working slowly and carefully at first, continue to comb the hair up and
pull the longest hairs. Here it’s important to note that I said “pull”, not
yank or pluck or pick. The most useful technique is slowly pulling in a
motion that follows the line of the dog’s body where you are working.
I tend to do the body first and then give the dog a break. After a quick
potty trip and a cookie, I work on pulling the long hair on the head and
ears. I find it easiest to use the stripping knife in these areas. It provides
a better grip in close areas. Pull the hair from the ear canal to help
prevent ear infections. You can use an ear powder to make it easier to
grip or just use the end of the stripping knife to help get a hold on the
hair.
Long hair on the head should be pulled from behind the eyebrows to the
back of the skull. Then, pull the hair down the cheeks in a line between
the front of the ear and the outside corner of the eye to the back corner
of the mouth.
Stripping your dog’s coat will take some practice, but you’ll find that the
finished product is distinctly tidier. This should be done once a month
and will add 20 to 30 minutes to your regular grooming time.
Trim
After you’ve combed, raked and stripped the coat, your buddy is looking
fabulous. All that’s left to deal with are those talon-like toenails,
Sasquatch feet and Grizzly Adams beard.
A good pair of scissor-type toenail clippers used each week after the
comb out will keep the Wirehair’s toenails short enough that they won’t
scratch you or the floors and they won’t catch on anything and break
while out hunting. Unfortunately, toenail trimming may be the most
feared part of dog grooming in the known universe. It doesn’t have to
be! This is a simple process. Most folks don’t want to hurt their dog and
that’s good. By following a few simple rules, you won’t have to worry
about that.
First, start your dog when it’s young. Every week from eight weeks old,
the pup should have its nails trimmed. At that point, you can just hold
them in your lap and it becomes snuggle time as well as training to
accept handling. Exercise patience and only do one foot at a time if
that’s what it takes to make it a positive experience. Eventually nail
trimming will be part of the attention and bonding that your dog
associates with grooming day. If the dog is comfortable, he won’t wiggle
and you will be able to easily see where to trim without hitting the
“quick” of the nail.
Look at your dog’s toenails. If they are white or clear, you’ll be able to
see the pink line that is the quick. If you trim in front of that, the dog
won’t bleed, simple as that. Just like trimming your own nails. If your
dog has black toenails, you’ll look for where the nail begins to curve.
Cut in front of the curve and, voila, there should be no blood.
If for some reason your dog jerks at the wrong time and you do cut in to
the quick, don’t panic. It hurts, just like if you tear into the quick on your
own finger. But it isn’t life threatening. A styptic pencil or a small
amount of cornstarch or flour applied with pressure will stop the
bleeding in a short amount of time.
Click here to watch a video on how to trim a dogs nails.
Most of the trimming on a GWP can be done with an inexpensive pair of
thinning shears. After the nails are trimmed, you can use the shears or
just regular scissors and trim the hair from the bottom of the footpad and
around the edges. This will help keep the dog from tracking in mud and
crud from the yard. You can also trim the beard to help limit how much
water your pal can share with your lap after a big drink. Feet and beard
trimming can be done once a month.
Bathe
Now that your buddy is spiffed up, he can have a bath. Frequency of
bathing is up to you. If he sleeps in your bed, he might need more
regular bathing than if he is a kennel dog. For most GWPs, a bath every
couple months will keep them looking good. Use tepid water and a dog
formulated shampoo. I really like a shampoo designed for wire coats, as
it will help keep the coat texture correct. Don’t use conditioner, since it
will soften the wire coat. Remember to rinse, rinse and then rinse again.
Shampoo in the coat can cause itching and hot spots. With a good towel
dry and a warm place to sleep, your Wirehair is ready to go. His hair
may stick up for a day or two after the bath, but it will lie back in place
and look great soon.
Bristle Face Bright Ideas
Beard Patrol
A hand towel hanging near your GWP’s water bowl will let you dry his
face after a drink without the dog using your pants to do it.
Foot Patrol
A beach towel laid at the entrance of the door is a great tool to teach the
whoa or stay command. It also allows you to dry muddy feet before your
buddy goes thundering across the carpet.
Basic training
All GWPs should be taught basic manners. Start with a control
command. Some hunters choose not to teach sit, so they start with whoa
at an early age. Down is a control command that is very useful with a
rambunctious teenage Wirehair. Whatever command you choose, start
teaching it early. Add stay until released, come when called, leave it and
heel.
Simple jobs
Wirehairs need a job. Start with an easy job like teaching the dog to sit
or stand before he gets his food bowl. Then he can learn to bring his
bowl to be fed.
Hard jobs
Once you’re fuzzy faced friend has mastered a few simple jobs, start
teaching him more difficult ones. If he can find his food bowl, you can
teach him to find your slippers or the newspaper and bring them to you
in your recliner.
Exercise
Lots of exercise will help make your high energy, high drive companion
easier to enjoy. Fetch games, swimming, romping in a park or open field
are all great exercise. An hour a day spent on these pursuits will help
keep you and your GWP fit, happy and relaxed.
Play time
Each day’s play time can also be a learning time. Use the opportunity to
teach the dog to hold the ball until asked to release it when playing fetch
games. This comes in handy when hunting and the dog is retrieving a
crippled bird that would otherwise possibly escape if not delivered to
hand.
Quality time
Your Wirehair wants nothing so much as to be with you. Preferably
touching you. If he’s a house dog, that’s easier to accomplish than if he’s
a kennel dog. GWPs that don’t get enough quality time will bark, dig,
shred and otherwise entertain themselves with games they make up by
themselves. You probably won’t enjoy these games nearly as much as he
does.
Bed time
Wirehairs certainly love to sleep in bed with you. Starting a puppy out
that way can be a disaster, as it encourages him to believe he’s in charge.
Puppies should be crate trained and sleep in their crate next to the bed
for the first 6 to 12 months. When they are invited to sleep in bed it is a
privilege that can be removed if it is abused.
Travel time
The Wirehair puppy’s early crate training at bed time will come in very
handy during trips in the car. Dogs are far safer when in a crate while
traveling. It protects them in case of an accident, contains them so they
don’t leap into traffic when the door opens and reduces the likelihood of
them distracting the driver and causing an accident.
And last, but certainly not least……
Hunting time!
There isn’t anything finer than a good, clean, and well-groomed German
Wirehaired Pointer, well maybe a good, clean, well-groomed German
Wirehaired Pointer out in the field hunting!
Other Ebooks by our authors;
Hunt Em Up Pup! Starting your German Wirehaired Pointer puppy for
the Field
Copyright © 2009 Laura Reeves & Bernee Brawn
All rights reserved worldwide.
No part of this ebook may be copied or sold.