Understanding & Grooming for Your Dog’s Hair Type

Smooth Coats

A smooth coat is characterized by hair that lies close to the body. A few examples of dogs with smooth coats are beagles, dachshunds and greyhounds. Dogs with smooth coats may or may not have undercoats, however, if an undercoat is present, it'll be minimal and very easy to care for. Popular dogs with this hair type include Beagles, Boxers, Bulldogs and Weimaraners.
While dogs with smooth coats will require very little daily brushing in order to prevent tangles, a regular bathing and brushing routine will ensure the removal of loose hairs, debris and dead skin cells. Keeping shedding to a minimum will reduce the incidence of allergies, and prevention with smooth-haired dogs is key since their pointed hairs tend to get lodged in bedding, sofas and other fabrics. People with dog allergies may also notice skin irritations from smooth-haired dogs.

If your dog's coat is smooth, the ideal grooming tool to use is a pin brush. As the name implies, the brush has pin-like bristles, and these help lift debris and loose hair. Additionally, the brush helps distribute oil from your dog's skin to make his coat shinier.

When you’re washing your dog's smooth coat, a moisturizing shampoo is best. An all-time favorite and must-have staple for most hair types, our Moisture Unleashed show-quality dog shampoo is great at removing buildup while promoting healthy hair growth with the help of 11 nourishing botanicals. By following up your bathing routine with a complementary conditioner, you’ll be able to provide comprehensive and restorative care that’ll leave your dog's coat shining.

Wire Coats

Regular shampooing and conditioning will keep your dog's hair soft, unless he has a wire coat. Wire coats, also sometimes called "broken" coats, are actually intended to be rough and bristly. There are a range of common breeds that sports the wire hair coat, including many types of terriers, the affenpinscher and the Brussels griffon.
If your dog does not have an undercoat that it sheds and he has coarse hair, your dog’s hair falls into the category of wire coat. Dogs with this type of hair experience frequent tangling and matting issues, which means that you need to brush them frequently.

To start, use a stripping or a de-matting comb to gently remove any tangles. Additionally, it’s recommended that owners or wire breeds invest in a good slicker brush for better removal of debris. Using a slicker brush will help to remove tangles and capture any lose undercoat hair; you can also use a shedding comb for more reach and control. Using de-shedding tools will thin the wiry coat to proactively prevent tangles and mats; brush the coat in layers from the skin outward to get the most out of your grooming sessions.

For bath time, you can start with this popular moisturizing shampoo to hydrate hair and skin and remove buildup, which encourages proper hair growth. Follow your bath with the Unleashed moisturizing conditioner to help loosen or prevent tangles and to nourish the hair with rice protein. Finish your wire-haired dog's grooming with a good oil. Adding an oil such as our clarifying mint oil treatment adds elasticity and shine to coarse hair, and keeps your dog’s hair looking and feeling fresh and tangle-free.

Curly Coats

Dogs with curly coats tend to have thicker hair that curls naturally and lies close to the body. The curls that make up a curly coat can be dense and tight, such as on a curly coated retriever or poodle, or wavy and soft, as is the case with Portuguese water dogs. While these breeds don't tend to shed much and are therefore considered hypoallergenic, some of them do have an undercoat that's prone to tangling.

Regular brushing is essential for all curly coated breeds, whether they have an undercoat or not. Gently using a slicker brush will remove excess undercoat hairs, while also preventing inevitable tangles from forming.
To maintain curly hair and keep it soft and manageable for daily brushing, give your dog the royal treatment! Our Royal Treatment shampoos and conditioners contain gentle detanglers, botanical moisturizers, and rich Moroccan Argan oil.

To add more curl definition without weighing down the coat, you’ll need a special conditioner for curly hair. Our Make it Big conditioner creates softer and bigger curls by lifting and hydrating hair with the help of keratin and other beneficial ingredients. To maximize volume while adding UV protection, finish off the styling process with Make it Big volumizing mist.

If your curly dog has stubborn tangles, we recommend using a de-matting comb in combination with Knot Anymore detangling spray to make brushing easier and much less painful for you both.

Additionally, try the Royal Treatment repair masque for one of a kind deep-conditioning that's designed to rebuild your dog's coat from within. Using a blow dryer to fluff the hair outward to shape it will keep your dog's look fresh for longer.

Long Coats

The term "long coat" can encompass a wide range of dog hair, from coarse to silky; double and single. The ultimate deciding factor for what makes a coat a long coat long is that it’ll drop down from the body. Picture the Maltese, the afghan hound or the lhasa apso.
Since their fur is especially prone to tangling, we recommend you start the grooming process with a wide-toothed comb to remove tangles. When the fur is looser, use a smooth-bristle brush to distribute oil and make it smoother. Brush your longhaired dog with a pin brush to prevent hairs from splitting and thinning, and a slicker brush or detangling comb to systematically brush the hair in layers from the skin out.

Longhaired dog breeds can make grooming more challenging, particularly with the wrong products, but there's simply nothing more luxurious and attention-grabbing than a stunning dog with a gorgeous mane. To keep your dog's coat long and beautiful, proper and regular grooming with high-quality products is absolutely essential.

Be sure you use a vitamin rich detangling spray to help get the knots out while adding plenty of nourishment. To wash your dog's long coat, use this silk treatment shampoo to soften the coat and make it shinier.
A conditioner is a must for any dog with long hair. Show-quality conditioner that softens your dog's fur and reduces frizz will make it easier to comb or brush between baths. If you are a show parent and want to maximize that silky shine of your dog's long coat, use our high-gloss coat polish to provide extra UV protection and attention-grabbing luster. The Shining also reduces drying time on wet hair, but is a versatile product you can apply to dry hair as well.

For White Dogs

There are a few other supplemental products worth mentioning, that may help you maintain your dog's appearance. For example, if your dog has white fur and gets discoloration spots or tear stains, we recommend our popular whitening tear stain powder for quick on-the-go touchups. In between, be sure to utilize the shampoos, conditioners and enzyme powders from our Doggone White collection to reduce and prevent unsightly stains.

Your dog's breed, coat type and environment will determine how often you should bathe and brush. Since every pet's skin and health needs are different, you may want to talk to your vet about how often you should wash and brush your dog's hair.
Pish Pad's show-quality grooming products are safe! Frequent washing and styling with other products can cause excessive skin drying, dull and split hair and even hormonal imbalances. Rest assured that our products do not contain parabens, sodium chloride, alcohol or other harmful ingredients.

Our selection of SHOW Premium shampoos, conditioners, detanglers, masques, keratin and silk treatments were designed after years of our personal experience with inferior products that led us to question not only the efficacy but also the safety of many bath products on the market.
We sought to create products that provide the same results you've come to expect from your own line of professional hair care, and vowed never to sacrifice our commitment to using 100 percent non-toxic ingredients.