How And When To Groom Short Coated Dog Breeds

This is your ‘go-to’ dog grooming guide for smooth coated breeds and most importantly why you would want to. This is actually one of the easiest coats to groom, as it doesn’t tangle and has a naturally smooth, sleek finish. A smooth coat is great for owners who prefer low coat maintenance thanks to its short length and shiny smooth texture, however, whilst they don't require to be groomed as often as other dog breeds such a wool or curly coated they do shed and cast much more which involves a greater level of cleaning as you're more likely to find loose hairs around your home. That said, even the most low maintenance breeds will still need some form of either home grooming or with a professional to help maintain their skin health and keep their coat shiny all year round.

Smooth/short coated dogs include breeds such as:

• Beagle
• Labrador
• Pugs
• French Bulldogs
• Dachshunds
• Greyhound

 Brushing a smooth coated dog

There are a number of options for brushing a smooth, short coated dog. A rubber pronged brush and a short pinned Furminator style comb are often the best combination.

Washing a smooth coated dog

Dogs with a smooth coat will naturally remain clean through regular brushing, so don’t need to be bathed too often but should be bathed every about every 8-12 weeks. Over washing can strip their hair of nutrients, therefore, wash the coat as and when is needed, for example after a particularly muddy walk by using only water or a mild shampoo.  

Drying a smooth coated dog

With a shorter, smoother coated dog, you should dry them with blaster dryers and hairdryers to remove loose, dead hair or casting hairs. Be careful not to rub them too roughly with towels as this can cause skin irritations.

Grooming a smooth coated dog

Smooth coated breeds often don’t need more than a bath, brush and nail clipping. A quick brush a few times a week will remove any dead hair and help with shedding. It is best to do this outside for 5 minutes every few days whilst on a walk so there’s less clean up in your home.

Watch our nail clipping video on Youtube for a how to guide to doing it yourself.