removing undercoat

[pretty_green_quaker]

Where I work all of our dogs are either going home from our kennel or come in in the morning. No set appts. We only have one hv dryer and and four groomers so we only get a minute or two to use it them we cage dry with fans otherwise the others groomers would have to be waiting.

So what's a good product that I can buy that helps the undercoat blow and brush out easily? I've been getting alot of dogs with packed in undercoat lately and I've had to spend hours brushing and brushing.

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

I hear Best Shot works wonders. I'd like to try it, wonder if they offer samples?

Tammy in Utah

[Dogmatic1]

Undercoat issues

The HV Dryer is your best friend, however, you need to use it for more than a couple of minutes.

There are alot of good dematting products-Best shot and Kenic (to name a couple).

A great trick; after bathing your dog, put some remoisturizer (deep coat conditioner) on the coat, and make sure it thoroughly saturates the coat. Take your HV dryer and turn it on, using the highest power level. Start drying your dog, going against the coat. You will be amazed at how easy it is to rid yourself of undercoat. Keep drying the dog until most of the loose undercoat is gone. Then rinse off the dog and dry thoroughly. You will still need to brush the coat, but no more than 15 minutes should be required.

[RoosMom]

I like Coat Handler, diluted down as a spray-on. Seriously, though, your boss needs to cough up the $150 to get another HV! To be honest, no matter what you put on the coat, you're still going to be brushing eternally on those double-coated dogs without an HV to take that coat out. Tell him/her their new nickname will be "Squeek" if they don't get at least one more dryer! ;-)

[hairdevil]

Any good brand of conditioner will help, you can try the furminator de shed solutions...also, HV the **** out of them before the bath and during the bath...brush with conditioner in coat then rinse and blowout some more...it helps sooo much! Also, I like the Coat Handler conditoner, but I'm using Spa Lavish Conditioner now, and it works great too, and smellssssssssss soooooooo gooddddddddddd!

[mustluvdogs1]

No samples but 16oz bottles are not expensive....

I know it made a samoyed great but I did do him every other Friday back then. Also use cond and vitalizing spray. They all work together. Furminator spose to be the new shed less thing.

[PoodlePal]

If you have a recirculating bather, use the conditioner and brush with a slicker brush as you run the conditioner down the coat. You will get a tremendous amount of the shedding undercoat out before you HV dry the dog. Personally, in the senario you describe I would invest my own money into a personal HV dryer.

[sheilabgroomer]

Do a good wet brushing w/both shampoo and conditoner on the pooch since it sounds like your time w/the HV is limited. If you are paid commisssion I would start saving my pennies and buy my OWN HV. You would be able to finish so many more dogs and it would pay for itself in a very short time. If thats not possible you really need to start bugging the boss for another one. Splitting one HV between 4 groomers is insane!!!

[Helly]

When you bathe, use a Zoom Groom. Scrub the dog really well and and unless the undercoat is a body cast, it will break up the undercoat. Rinse and apply conditioner (I like DeMat or ReFurbish) and use the Zoom Groom again. Lots and lots of undercoat will be removed when you rinse.

And the other groomers and you need to enter negotiations for another HV or two. One HV and 4 groomers just doesn't cut it. Ideally, you each should have one at your work station.

[Jadenlea]

The best product you can get to help remove undercoat is.........

Another HV!

Save up and get your own if you need to. My opinion: You cant do a *quality* grooming without one.

[scrubapup]

Best Shot works good... you need all 3 products to get the best result. You can get the trial package from PetEdge for $16 and some odd cents. Personally, I can't stand the way it makes the coat feel, but that's just me. When I use it, I usually follow with just a touch of Le Pooch conditioner to soften the coat up. (before using the mist) I'm still a huge Groomers Edge Refurbish fan, but don't even bother unless you get a pump to get the conditioner out of the bottle or you will just find yourself getting aggravated. I've used Furminator in the past but had one to many complaints of "itchy" skin. Havn't tried Coat Handler or Spa Lavish yet. I love my zoom groom and always brush through the coat while the conditioner is still on. But no matter what I use, the HV is still my best friend I just can't imagine fan drying a full coated GS.

[GriffonsMOM]

I've been using the Furminator for two years ..it's a great product. I use the furm, tool on the shorter double coats like shepherds and labs and huskies , but still think the coat king rules for collies, goldens, samoyeds and Newfies. But as everyone else has stated no matter what the HV is still Key. Nothing beats the HV.

[Allan]

You need another HV!! BestShot will loosen all the undercoat but you gotta blow it out.

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

Amen to the idea of buying your own HV dryer. Your bosses are making money off you guys breaking your backs. If you had more than one dryer, you could do a lot more quality work, and less "back work" because your back wont have to do all the work the HV can/will do.

Also, remember, mats are partially held together by DIRT, so the cleaner the dog is, the easier it is to remove the mats as well.

Tammy in Utah
PS: Do you get tips? Ever try to save them? It amazes me how many tips I can make in a month and how fast that dryer would be in my hands if I saved for it. Stop using them to buy fast food or cigarettes, use them to buy EQUIPMENT! I do!

[pretty_green_quaker]

PS: Do you get tips? Ever try to save them? It amazes me how many tips I can make in a month and how fast that dryer would be in my hands if I saved for it. Stop using them to buy fast food or cigarettes, use them to buy EQUIPMENT! I do!

Haha Spikey you hit the nail on the head. Everyday after work I take my tip money, stop at Wendy's then get cigarettes.

Hopefully I win the treasure hunt and win the dryer! I wish I could but one but I can't even afford to sharpen my blades or scissors right now.