Article by Marci Berman
to be published in the fall issue of Tassles and Tails

Well believe it or not, after 25 years of owning a grooming shop and close to 10 years of breeding and showing bedlingtons, I have discovered a few things to make life easier for both the novice groomers and even the most experienced groomers. These are just tips and especially products which will make life with the mud covered , fence hole digging-snow plowing , puddle splashing, leaf rolling and my all time favorite hedge trimming while looking for the tennis ball bedlingtons we all know and love.

             First off, I would recommend the Wahl Arco clippers with the adjustable blade for ears and pads. The blade adjusts from a 8 ½ setting to 10,15, 30 or 40 at the highest setting. Careful as they can and will nick the ears near the ear flaps and ear edges and underneath the tail if your dog moves or you have not mastered their use near the ear edges. Once you get comfortable with their different blade settings you will love these clippers. IF you hold the ear in you hand and clip towards edges and then reverse to clean the base of the ear you will have more control and a very quiet clippers for young dogs to get used to. I also like the smaller Mini Arco as well which is not adjustable but holds a charge for long time as does the regular cordless Arco, but does very fine work and can edge the ear without nicks very well. It is great for puppy feet and the tip of the tail which always has some hair you miss. You will still need a larger more powerful clipper for the body ,face and neck areas. I prefer the cordless Andis AGR Clippers as they are lighter weight and will charge for awhile without needing a new battery or electricity to run them.

            The single best tip I can give you is to buy the LES POOCH brushes which are double sided and come in fine, medium, and coarse. The newest brush they have is for groomers to use as a dematting type of brush and it is practically made for a bedlingtons coat. It is designed so the teeth of the brush are lined up in such a way that they do not harm the coat by removing to much hair but more importantly the dog does not feel the teeth near the skin and so they do not object to being brushed out when matted. I let a Kerry breeder borrow it to demat her dog which was in horrendous shape and she was amazed at how well it worked. The other benefit is this brush is meant to be used with a very slight amount of pressure from your hands which really helps you prevent injury to yourself from repetitive motion problems-carpal tunnel or arthritis. All their brushes are color coded and the one I like is the red brush which all my groomers use now and even though they are not inexpensive they do not wear out easily and so do not need to be replaced often which also saves money in the long run.

 LES POOCH also has the best, in my opinion, whitening shampoo which also helps keep your coats from drying out while whitening. Added bonus it will not kill fleas but it seems to immobilize them so you may remove them while bathing. IT MUST BE DILUTED PROPERLY as it is very thick . Use a wide mouthed bowl pour 2-3 oz in and add about 12-14 oz of water and use your hands to mix it up. Put into a empty shampoo bottle with a funnel. NEVER use undiluted on your dogs. If you have a lot of staining on one leg or belly from let’s say a male who cannot pee on anything even a telephone pole without wetting both front legs down every day, then use the product Number ONE ALL Systems Whitening gel before bathing every single time. It works best over time by applying a small amount to feet and belly- rub in and wait 3-5 minutes and use the whitening shampoo and your staining will decrease daily. Do not use near the eyes as it is too strong for this area. There are many other whitening shampoos that I like but by far the best tip I can give is ROTATE your products folks! If you do not use different shampoos or coat conditioners your dog’s hair will become accustomed to its performance and will not work over a long time period. Any great hairdresser will tell you this for your own hair as well. Too much of a good thing can be a problem for the coat density,texture and level of shine your looking for.

   I forgot to mention the No.1 ALL SYSTEMS Crisp coat shampoo for terriers- This product will remove all the conditioning oils and especially the soap residue left on the hair. I always use this last after the whitening shampoo if I am to get ready for a show-and then I apply Chris Christensen’s Thick and Thicker which must be worked into the coat correctly as per the directions on the bottle. Wait five minutes and RINSE well and dry as normal. I use this on most of the show coats as it does seem to really keep the coat from breaking off or drying out. By the way, the dogs love this part of the routine as they get a whole massage all over and it goes on for 5 minutes so they relax before drying and grooming. By the way, I bathe my dogs and groom them every day before a show to really get the coat in proper form for the week before the show.

Chris Christensen’s other shampoo’s are wonderful as well and he has a new clarifying shampoo which I like as well. Thick and Thicker also comes as a gel which works in a different manner than the conditioner type(use only one or the other) but comes in handy for softer more difficult coats. I apply while the dog is wet and use a small amount work into the coat like you would use a mousse type product and then dry as normal. The combs and brushes from Chris Christensen’s line are a must have for the show and pet coats. They are soft brushes which do very little damage to the coat and make it very easy to dry with a blow dryer. They work especially well on bedlingtons for face, feet or sensitive dogs. And the poodle style comb, much longer than a regular comb with wider spaced teeth, is my secret weapon for heads, necks and really thick leg hair. Also, how to properly comb your dog with the products in their coats is extremely important. Try using your comb like you would on yourself after the beautician has prepared you for your wedding day. You do not comb out all hairspray and change your hairstyle. You use the comb to LIFT up the hair but not pull out the product because your dog is already dematted as it has been groomed regularly. If it is not, do not attempt to try any products or combing techniques until it is completely tangle free.

I could go on  about many other products but more important than products is the tips I have on how to get the blades to go through your dog’s coats, how you keep from Clipper burning your pet or show dog, and the MOST important thing how do you tell what correct confirmation your dog has and to accentuate these points for both the pet and show person alike?  Oh yes, the I have discovered after grooming about 30 bedlingtons every 6 weeks for pet or show how the coat color appears and disappears as well. Or , at least, in my observations the conclusions I have reached.  Maybe next issue I will have the opportunity to share the data I have accumulated.

Marci Berman

National Certified Master Groomer

Registered Veterinary Technician