Tibetan Terrier grooming is as important as grooming any other dog.
Considered to be one of the most ancient dogs, this dog is also known as the “Holy Dog of Tibet,” should be well taken care of to keep them looking great and healthy.
His long and fine coat may need to groomed more often than other dogs.
So, how should grooming be done?
Let us look at what you known.
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Tibetan Terrier grooming
Grooming is one of the most important aspects of taking care of every dog breed and the same is true for the Tibetan Terrier.
Once you have brought your Tibetan Bearded dog home it is crucial that you get him used to all aspects of grooming which will include;
- Coat brushing
- Bathing
- Nail clipping
- Dental care
- Cleaning the ears
To start with, you will need to begin with only a few minutes of grooming as by time goes by slowly increase the length of time that you groom him.
Also, during the starting stages, you should make the pup get used to lying next to you as you groom him.
Be patient, kind but firm, ensuring that the pooch lies next to you quietly.
Tibetan Terriers do not like when their feet are touched, so touch his feet often to get him accustomed to it as it is something that you will be doing for a long time.
But first, you need to know the basics of his coat.
Tibetan Terrier coat
The Bearded dog or Tibetan Terrier has a long coat that will need frequent and consistent care.
Fortunately, they do not shed as much as other dogs, but they will blow out their coat twice every year. However, their coats are prone to matting and tangling often.
As he gets older and reached about 8-9 months of age(adolescence), he develops a double coat and will, therefore, need to blow out his puppy coat.
The double coat will develop to have a woolly and fine undercoat with a fine and profuse topcoat. It should never be curled but should be slightly wavy or straight.
Blowing this coat can take several weeks or months and you will need to groom his coat often during this period.
Brush his coat daily and have a consistent grooming routine during this period. And most importantly be patient as this period passes.
Another great thing about the Tibetan Terrier coat is that it does not have a body odor and is suitable for allergy sufferers.
Steps of for Grooming a Tibetan Terrier
Brushing
Tibetan Terriers will need to be brushed at least 4 times a week.
Tools:
- Pin Brush
- Greyhound comb
- Slicker brush
- Rubber mat
- Parting comb
How do you brush a Tibetan Terrier
Before you start brushing make sure that the coat is slightly wet.
You will also need to train your Bearded Dog to lie on his side and this will require patience and consistency.
Do not scold this canine but be calm in your training.
After you manage to get the pooch to lie on his side, push his coat upwards, and start brushing from his feet to his legs using a slicker brush.
For the feet and the legs use straight, quick, and short strokes.
Work in small sections holding the brush loosely. When you come across a mat work on it slowly, pulling it apart bit after bit. After you have pulled the whole mat apart continue brushing the remaining sections.
Once you are done with the feet and the legs, proceed to the underside section and the chest.
Part small coat sections and work on them using a pin brush with the goal of making sure that you brush right to the skin.
You should brush the coat going upwards and after you are done with that, brush flat downwards from top to bottom.
Go through the coat with a greyhound comb for the final touches. This will help find any tangles that you may have missed.
Change the side that your canine is lying on, heap him with praise, give him a treat, and repeat the same process.
When you are done with both sides put the dog in an upright position, brush his face and beard with a greyhound comb. However, you should not pull or tug the hair. Hold a small section at the bottom using two fingers(thumb and forefinger) and slowly comb.
A comb should be able to pass freely through the coat after you are done.
Coat Dematting and detangling ideas
The Tibetan Terrier’s coat tends to mat and tangle, especially during the shedding seasons.
Mats tend to mainly develop at the elbows, under the ears, on the chest, under the belly, at the tail, and under the chin.
However, you should be on the lookout as mats can develop in any parts of the Tibetan Terrier’s coat.
Brushing this dog regularly is your best bet to prevent mats from developing.
However, if it happens here is how you can deal with it;
- Using your fingers: This requires you to have patience, time, and is the recommended method because it is the least damaging. Separate the hair gently using your fingers and if possible separate strand after another. You can use a detangling spray before you start doing all this to make it easier. Also, you can cut the edges of the tangled hairs before detangling.
- Using de-shedding tools: To stop tangling, you can also use a de-shedding tool for removing any loose or dead hair from the undercoat. However, you should note that this could leave the coat looking uneven by removing even the healthy hairs.
If the pooch has hard mats that are hard to deal with, it would be best to cut them.
Haircuts and coat styling
As a Tibetan Terrier owner, you may choose to trim the coat to reducing tangling which can eventually lead to matting.
You can use a quality pair of scissors or thinning shears with rounded tips to trim the dog’s hair at the edges. Make sure that you are trimming the dog evenly to ensure that he looks great after you are done.
The hairs around the eyes and ears should be carefully trimmed using thinning shears.
It is also recommended that you trim the beard and mustache to prevent them from looking bushy.
But as a dog lover, you want the best for your dog and that includes making sure that he has a great haircut.
If you have no experience cutting dog hair, it is best if you let a professional groomer trim the canine’s hair.
So, these are some of the top haircuts.
1. The Casual Cut
This haircut helps to preserve more coat length which is around 4 to 5 inches while maintaining the same length throughout the coat.
A Tibetan Terrier with a casual cut will need to be brushed regularly to prevent matting.
2. The Puppy Cut
This haircut is very popular for many dog breeds which include the Tibetan Bearded dog.
Just like the casual cut, you will need to keep the coat trim even but shorter which is around 1 and 2 inches.
A dog with this hairstyle will need to be trimmed often to keep the coat length short.
3. The Show Cut
Considering that Tibetan Terriers are popular show dogs this hairstyle is well suited for them.
This haircut is characterized by a long coat that hangs off the body all the way to the ground. The hair around the face is also allowed to grow long but is parted in the middle which allows the dog to see.
This is a high maintenance hairstyle and will need constant grooming.
4. The Teddy Bear Cut
This hairstyle is similar to the Puppy Cut but the coat is slightly longer around 2 to 3 inches long.
However, the coat on tails, legs, and faces is left longer but should be carefully sculped leaving the Holy Dog of Tibet looking like a “teddy bear.”
5. The 3-Stack Cut
This hairstyle is also known a the 3-Layer Cut.
In this cut, the face and ear hairs are cut to shoulder length while the body hair is trimmed and left to hang to around 3 inches from the floor.
The hair on the legs is also cut just above the ground giving the pooch a 3 distinct layers appearance.
Bathing a Tibetan Terrier
We have already looked at how you should brush and trim the Tibetan Terrier’s coat but bathing is equally as important.
The Holy dog of Tibet should be bathed after every 4 to 5 weeks.
Before you begin bathing this canine friend, you should lightly brush out his coat, at least lightly as bathing a dog with a matted coat could leave it “felt.”
Choose a high-quality hypoallergenic shampoo to do this(preferably recommended by your vet). Mix and use the shampoo according to the given shampoo.
The bathtub will do just fine for your puppy, but you should use a non-slip to make ensure that he does not slip and slide.
Wet the doggo thoroughly, pour shampoo on him and lather. Scrub the dog gently to prevent the hair from tangling then rinse him thoroughly.
As you do this, make sure that the water does not get into the dog’s eyes, ears, or nose.
If the dog was muddy or very dirty shampoo him a second time, scrub gently then rinse him thoroughly.
Apply a conditioner to the coat, allow it to sit for some time them rinse again.
Once you are done use a towel to dry the coat them use a dryer to thoroughly dry. If you do not have a dryer use another dry towel to make sure that the coat is dried thoroughly. As you dry the coat, do it gently.
After this use a high-quality nail clipper to trim the nails.
Other grooming processes
Proper dental hygiene and ear cleaning will also be needed for a Tibetan Terrier grooming.
The ears should be checked and cleaned on a regular with the hair around and in the ears being trimmed.
Getting rid of ear hairs will help improve the air circulation to the ears. However, you should not remove all the hair as some serve as a trap for debris and other foreign objects.
Frequently asked questions
Should a Tibetan Terrier be clipped?
The coat of a Tibetan Terrier should be trimmed but should never be clipped as it could take a long time to regrow. Clipping the hair will also cause the coat to regrow unevenly.
How often should you groom a Tibetan Terrier?
A Tibetan terrier will need to be groomed frequently. The coat should be brushed 4 to 5 times during the moderate shedding season and daily during the heavy shedding periods. As for the frequency of baths, it should be done every 4 to 5 months unless the dog is dirty or muddy.
My final take
Grooming your Tibetan Terrier is not as hard as it may seem at first. However, you should be warned that it takes time and patience to fully groom this dog.
This helps to strengthen the bond between your and your Tibetan Holy dog.
Make grooming a good experience for your canine friend and get him used to being touched.
So, was this grooming guide helpful to you?
Share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
There you go, WOOF!
