Grooming spitz dogs and other big furred species
Spitz dogs usually have double coats, that is, multiple undercoats are hidden between the outer coat hairs. The Husky, the Malamute, the Chow-Chow and the nowadays increasingly the Akita have similar hair types. Although the length of the overcoat is different by species, it is characteristic of each of them that the not too long undercoat is very dense and woolly. Due to this, the fur has to be disentangled each week. First with a brush, then thoroughly with a comb, covering each part of the body. During shedding the frequency of combing has to be increased, because shedding hairs are inclined to stick together. At these times the experienced owners “facilitate” with a good warm water bath the falling out of the hairs the soonest. When bathing, attention has to be paid to flush out very thoroughly the shampoo. Usually, they do not shave these species. Exceptions are the Spitz dogs from under this, in the case of the larger size of which usually they only match the hair ends, however, the Pomeranian Dwarf Spitz is regularly cut to shape. For the shaping of the fur, they use thinning scissors. They comb the hairs at the backside forwards, while along the line of the ribs downwards. In their case the jutting out hair ends cannot be allowed, moreover, they cut to shape the collar at the neck and the long hair of the chest as well. The hairs combed downwards above the rib curve form a V-shape between the legs, and they form a skirt at the backside, under the tail. The legs look like columns, and the tail hairs are adjusted to form a round shape. They shave the ears by adjusting it to the round form of the head.