Siberian Husky & Alaskan Malamute

Both these breeds are dear to my heart as I have owned both. The double coated breeds are a true challenge breeds are a true challenge to keep in good show condition for any great period of time. Ten to one, the pride of your life will explode coat just when that big show is due.

You rarely see a bitch of either breeds being “specialed”. Huge expense goes into a “special” circuit dog and to have a dog out of the loop for weeks on end not winning all important points is sometimes not worth the effort. Bitches will throw their coats usually twice a year whereas a dog will hold his for most of a year and if carefully handled as he gets older for 18 months and longer.

I always use a strong cattle dryer which is cool air only and blow out dead hair in the coat after bathing every week. This allows the coat to regenerate on a constant basis and prevents that awful felting and clumping one tends to see on some dogs. Looks awful as these breeds are definitely not “wash and wear”.

The weekly coat blowing also keeps the coat even without the horrid holes that occur when the dog is shedding. Your dog will stay neat and tidy and be able to be shown quicker. The older dogs tend to “roll” their coats with this method and will only kind of “fluff” out instead. This means they are never really out of coat and can last as much as two years.

The coat can be addressed in 3 different stages. Firstly, when it has shed and the dog is naked, secondly when it is just right and thirdly when it is an old coat and you’re hanging onto it for dear life.

At the first stage you need to body build with Plush Puppy Body Building Shampoo to volumise the coat. Do not use conditioner at this stage as it will flatten out the coat. Better to use a leave in moisturizer such as Plush Puppy Reviva Coat instead. Second stage use Plush Puppy All Purpose Shampoo followed by a light condition with Plush Puppy Silk Protein Conditioner and third stage use a good conditioning shampoo such as Plush Puppy Conditioning Shampoo with Evening Primrose to keep up the moisture and whack in heaps of leave in moisturizer rather than a regular conditioner unless you want to loosen the coat and accelerate shedding.

If that all important show is looming and the coat is ready to go to God, then for heaven’s sake don’t bathe and condition it. Just rinse it through with a low foaming wash such as Plush Puppy AZ IZ Wash, or if not grubby then a warm wet towel all over and pray. Just use a partial bath routine with either Plush Puppy Whitening Shampoo or Plush Puppy Deep Cleansing Shampoo for the whites or more explicitly the legs, face and underbelly. Dry CAREFULLY and stop if coats start to explode. In that case, allow to dry naturally and hand pick the loose bits if needed.

At all other times blow dry the coat forwards from the rear to the head Don’t forget to carefully comb the underneath of the tail near the base. (looks ghastly when not done and the dog carries his tail up) and not forgetting around his bollocks. Why do people forget to comb around this area? Now for the short hair areas such as ears face and legs. Use a flea comb. It really fluffs these out.

Now your dog is now washed and dried according to the present state of the coat. Now look at what else can be done.

I have road tested numerous brushes and combs and find that my ultimate favorite are a large slicker brush, a Plush Puppy Oval Pin Cushion Brush, an oval 1/2 bristle & 1/2 plastic Plush Puppy Porcupine Brush, a wooden handled poodle comb and a metal one inch toothed comb that has wider spaced teeth at one end. Lastly a good flea comb for inside and outside the ears and the fine hair on the face and legs.

Even though I use a cattle dryer and slicker when drying the dog, I now go over section by section with the oval pin cushion brush and then once again with the Poodle comb for the longer hair and the one inch toothed comb for the shorter hair working from right down at the skin through to the ends and combing the coat towards the head. I don’t like to see any matting whatsoever at the base of the hair.

Then you must attend to the hidden areas such as the inside of the back legs brushing upwards, the bullocks’ area and the willy and not forgetting right up under the armpits. It is important these areas including the inside of the ears are well dried otherwise you tend to get red staining. A good puff of ear powder doesn’t go astray either. Don’t forget to wipe and dry well between the toes.

Now out with the scissors and though we don’t get to play hairdresser with these breeds, we do have to trim the long hair between the pads. Some dogs hat it and others will tolerate it. None like it. They also hate toenails and dewclaws if present being done too. A really simple trick taught to me by my sister, a pug exhibitor, is to cover the dogs’ eyes. Voila! Works well when the dog has to have a blood test too. My vet is impressed. For cutting nails I prefer the guillotine type but held back to front. Ask me to show you sometime if I am at your show and I do popup all over the place.

I am constantly asked about red elbows and what to do. As it appears to from lying in water or wet concrete we paint our kennels with two-pack paint. My dogs never use a bed – they eat them instead. They eat everything! If really drastic measures are needed, then you may have to bleach the elbows using a good advice from someone that knows how – or email me. The alternative is to cover the red areas with Plush Puppy Cover Up Cream which is applied with a small damp piece of kitchen sponge and then chalked with loose chalk to dry. Works brilliantly and won’t rub off.

Now the day of the show grooming. Lightly spray the coat with Plush Puppy Quick Fix Conditioner or Plush Puppy Reviva Coat if the coat is dehydrated at a ratio of 1 tablespoon to 3/4 cup of warm water in a spray bottle. Plush Puppy have Measured Spray Bottles and ratio is 1 tablespoon to 200 mls. If you need more coat, then use Plush Puppy Volumising Cream at the same ration and use neat when blow drying. Makes 3 hairs look like 3000!

Comb through the flat areas with the Poodle Comb lifting upwards all the way through. Use the one-inch comb for other areas. Finish brushing with the 1/2 bristle 1/2 plastic Porcupine Brush and a light comb through both sides of the ears with the flea comb. Spray with Plush Puppy Odour Muncher for clean fragrance and apply Plush Puppy Cover Up Cream if needed to stained areas and do any chalking. Some judges detest chalk left in the coat so make sure it is done well in advance to eliminate this problem. Chalk blocks all work well. I use a chalk block on the face and inside the ears but loose chalk on the rest applied over Plush Puppy Sit and Stay which will hold the chalk on the legs etc. Dust lightly with Plush Puppy Pixie Dust for shimmering finish and sift a tiny bit through the topline to grab the spotlight.

For ringside emergencies – males tend to pig root when having a pee – use the Plush Puppy Wonder Wash and lather up and towel off. Instant clean. Oh and I don’t trim whiskers. This seems to be an old show thing and not generally done anymore. I like the character it gives to the dogs when left natural.

Now spray the coat with Plush Puppy Shine & Comb and your dog is ready to strut the ring with the very best of them.

Cheryl LeCourt
Plush Puppy Pty Ltd

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