Grooming a Chow

When it comes to fur, few dogs have more than a Chow Chow. Therefore, if you own one or are considering one – you must fully understand the grooming obligations that are required. The following information will give you an overview and useful tips on how to groom your Chow dog.

Brief Overview

The Chow’s thick fur is made-up of a smooth or rough topcoat and a rough undercoat. The coat of this breed needs to be groomed regularly to prevent matting of the undercoat and the lion-like appearance. A nice trimming during the hot summer months will help keep your Chow cool and prevent certain skin infections from coming on.

Follow these steps to properly groom your Chow

Step One ~ Brush the dog thoroughly to remove any mats and loose hair before you bathe the dog.

Step Two ~ Place your Chow inside a tub where you can wet her all the way to the skin.

Step Three ~ Apply a specially formulated shampoo to the dog (preferably one that is all natural). Keep in mind that Chows can suffer from a long list of skin ailments, including dry skin. For this reason, your Chow will not require as many baths as other breeds do. So, try to only bathe your dog a couple times per year or no more than once per month. This breed is notoriously known for being clean and do not exhibit a strong “dog” odor. During your wait between baths, there are dry shampoo wipes and spray cologne you can get.

Step Four ~ Carefully rinse your dog completely off. Try to avoid leaving any residue from the shampoo behind, as this can cause fungus and hotspots to begin. Begin the towel drying process.

Step Five ~ During the next step the dog should be placed on her side on top of the grooming table. Go ahead and begin brushing the dog with a pin brush as you have the blow dryer running. The comb is a good tool to help you remove any leftover dead or loose hairs from the topcoat and undercoat. Flip the dog to its other side and repeat the brushing process.

Step Six ~ Allow the dog to stand on the table so you can brush and dry the chest and ruff.

Step Seven ~ Cut all excess hair from the bottom of the dog’s feet.

Step Eight ~ Cut all fur from around the ears into a bear-like pattern that looks neat using groomer’s scissors. Move onto the legs and tail, leaving the dog appearing trimmed and well-groomed. During this step you can also trim hair from around your Chow’s anus to help keep that area cleaner.

Step Nine ~ Open the dog’s ear flaps and apply a few ear wash solution drops to each ear canal. Just make sure you do not squeeze any air into your dog’s ear, as this will cause damage to the eardrum. Let the solution sit for one minute and then you will be able to use cotton balls to remove all the wax and dirt that was loosened by the solution.

Step Ten ~ End your Chow Chow’s grooming session with a gentle teeth cleaning with a soft dogie tooth brush and canine toothpaste.