Bouvier Tips?

[Maggy]

I haven't been posting much, naturally my computer decides the internet is the enemy right when there's a contest that involves being online all the time. (Which I'm usually too good at, haha)

Anyways, I did my first bouier the other day and was wondering if you guys had any tips on grooming them?

I started by thinning the coats out a bit with a mat king, then I used a snap on to leave the body 1" long, then used one comb length down reversed on the head. I trimmed the 'brows' part of the fall, and any part of the fall that went past the nose. I scissored the legs but they weren't much longer than the body. I also found that the coat king helped thin the beard out, I was really careful not to catch the lip with it though.

She was very good aside from marching in place on the table the whole time.

[Poodlefluff]

It sounds to me like you did a great job. This breed it one of my least favorites to groom, beause they are so stubborn. I had one bust my lip one time(he didn't want his ears touched)or his feet or his but or to be brushed...
I did one the other day and I coat kinged the body as well. Then did a 5/8 blade down back and head. Mine didn't have much leg hair either. I like to shave the outside of ears with a 10 blade and inside with a 30 blade. .

[pamperedpups]

Wow, so you're saying there's at least one nice Bouvier out there? Don't get me wrong, I think they're beautiful, wonderful dogs... except the couple I've had to groom! And from the sound of it, you didn't have to spend hours dematting this dog? Wow. LOL

[Maggy]

I think she had a little matting, but it came out with the mat king. Its easy to say she was good after the fact, but I was getting frustrated with the marching in place at the time. I found it helped to just scissor slowly and let her march because if I tried holding her leg still she pulled too much to do anything anyways. :P

She came in with a little schnauzer that I was amazed how good he did, he stood like a statue for me.

Its kind of funny, just the other day I was thinking "I never get any big dogs to groom!" Then I walk in and see a bouvier sitting in the cage with her Schnauzer buddy...Be careful what you wish for!

[RevWind]

We have 2 regular bouviers. One's a young one who is relatively good, but still puppyish, and the other is an enormous older one who's GREAT except for ocassional prancing for drying feet. I usually do a #4 on his back(because he's so fat) and do a very long boot attachment over his thighs and scissor the rest. I think they're supposed to have a rather round look to them from the back view.

[bow_wow_wheels]

All ya'll are braver than I. First one I ever tried to groom nearly ate me alive! I refer them to someplace that has 2 + who can handle them as they're too much for me in my van by myself.

[Kim in SD]

Good thing your client didn't want him hand stripped. You all are getting off lucky. (sighs)

[sheilabgroomer]

Sounds to me like you did a great job, I wish you had picts to post! I have never had a problem w/my Bouvier's and always enjoyed them, aside from the leg prancing thing you mentioned..lol.. Unfortunately I haven't seen one in a few years. When I was in FL we had several, but I have only had two since moving here. From what you all are saying maybe I have lucked out and just don't realize it..lol

[amysue2638]

I have a relatively new Bouvier customer who has been coming in every 2 weeks for a bath and brush out. This dog is great though -- he's actually a registered service dog so he is very well behaved. They keep him in full coat...right now his back is about 2-3 inches and legs 5 inches! He usually has some mats but the owner does a pretty good job of brushing in between grooms. I can't wait to fully groom him because I've never done a bouvier.

[ejmj30]

I have 3 bouv's that I do: one always matted, one not badly matted cause owners do a lot of work at home, and one new one who has just gotten onto a 6 wk schedule with pretty short trim. Anyway, I did a 1/2 comb back, and A comb legs on the new one, only to even him off from what the last groomer did. I find that they matt quickly esp if owners do nothing at home. So cut tthem a little on the short side to save yourself the trouble. I do a 4 on the top of the head, 10 on the outside of the ears, and a 40 on the inside. Usually for their falls, which no one wants to keep, I do a normal fall, but then trim above the eye the same length as the rest of the head. So really the fall is mainly between the eyes, and a little on the upper inside corner. That way owners can see the eye, but they get the silouhette they're looking for.

For some reason, all 3 I do are horrendous for feet and nails. One of them I don't even try to do nails anymore. She freaks. I've often wonderd if it's breed related.

[rapuzzled]

We do a few, but they are all shavedowns, thankfully, because even then they come in with mats. They are all pretty good too beside the dancing others mentioned.

[nicshred]

Sounds similiar to what I would do with a pet. Have four wonderful bouviers myself and groom a few others. My crew are hand stripped for the show ring. When they finish I take them down abit ,especially the ones with fuzzy full coats.

Will say I love grooming bouviers, yep if you let them take control they will do whatever they can get away with...hehehe... they can be stubborn but I love them any way.

Trish