All our Tibetans have a luxurious head of hair; and this is probably the reason why we fell in love with the breed. They are very cute and pretty but because of their double coat they need a lot of caring.
When you buy a Tibetan you need to know that this dog's coat will require a lot of attention. It is therefore vital that from an early age the dog gets used to brush and comb.
A Tibetan has a double coat; the undercoat is fluffy and the topcoat of an adult is long and fine, neither soft nor fluffy, but slightly hard. Puppies have a softer coat.
The Tibetan's coat requires a lot of care and this on a regular basis. Brushing must be done regularly and requires self-discipline from the owner. If this is not done thoroughly and regularly, it might be necessary to shave the dog completely. This will require a visit to the trimmer and the coat will have to be cut very short in order to get below the matting.
Caring for a Tibetan Terrier
Apart from combing and brushing your Tibetan, other aspects are also of importance
Combing and brushing
Once you have had the dog for a few days you have to start brushing. At first we use a soft hairbrush so puppy gets used to being brushed. Give your puppy a good hug or a dog sweet after every session; he will then associate brushing with something pleasant. Brush your puppy on a table and put an anti slip mat on the table to avoid slipping. Using a table is better for the back and useful for those amongst us who will be showing. The dog is then already used to sitting/laying on a table. It is less tiring for the dog to lay on its side then to have to stand up all the time. When the dog lies on its side it will be easier to have access to the armpits a place where mats are often formed.
Always start at the bottom of the coat. Best of all at the feet of the back paw. Pick the top layer of the coat up and add layer after layer (take the hair in your left hand and use the comb in your right hand to take the next layer from your left hand) This is necessary to avoid missing the mats.
While brushing also watch out for fleas, ticks, ear infection, long nails etc.
As the puppy gets older you have to use different brushes.
Useful and necessary accessories
- Conditioner to avoid that the hair breaks while brushing
- A hair brush to remove dirt and dust from the coat
- A large comb to check whether all mats have been removed
- A finer comb to get rid of surplus fluff and remove small mats
- A matting comb to remove big mats (try to avoid using this comb)
You must first brush and then comb. Be careful with its hair, try to avoid that it breaks.
It is important to comb the Tibetan till all mats are removed ! This is absolutely necessary and it is better to comb him less frequently but thoroughly then to do it every day but never thoroughly.
Good sprays are available; combing and brushing is less aggressive for the coat when you are combing a "wet" coat. Dry hair breaks easily.
Your dog has no mats if you open the hair at any place and can see the skin without fluff attached to it. Behind the ears in the armpits and the groin are places where mats are frequent. Do not forget to control these areas regularly.
How long you brush depends on you, but also on the quality of the coat and the dog's behaviour.
The more luxurious the coat the longer you will need to brush. If you brush often you will need less time to remove all mats and get a clean coat. If you do not brush often, you will need to brush longer and run the risk of damaging the coat.
Washing a dog
You can wash your Tibetan but always use dog shampoo, this has the correct PH value. Your shampoo and even baby shampoo have different PH values and are bad for the dog's hair. Shampoo should always be diluted. Put some shampoo in a bottle and add water, 6 to 1 is a good average.
When you wash your Tibetan the following points come in handy :
- Your dog should have no mats, you can easily comb the hair with a comb
- Put some cotton wool in the ears to avoid water getting into the ears
- Put an anti-slip mat in the bath or shower to avoid slipping
- Wet the coat thoroughly also the undercoat. Kneed the shampoo into the hair do not rub as this causes mats. Rinse well till the water is clear. Soap rest cause irritation and in the worst case skin infections and scales
- Always use a conditioner, to restore the fat contents of the skin. It also facilitates combing the hair. Leave the conditioner for a few moments and rinse well.
- Remove all remaining water by kneading the hair, dab dry with a towel, do not rub this creates mats.
- It is best to blow dry the hair. First comb the fair, do not put the dryer on high and move it continuously. Be careful not to burn the coat.
- The parting can be made with a comb. Trace the backbone with the comb and make a straight line.
You can wash your TT as often as you like, but do not exaggerate. Is you wash the dog too often the hair becomes dry and matt. A good average is every 4 to 6 weeks or if they are really very dirty.
The ears
Hairs grow in the ear canal and must be removed. Hairs can close the canal completely. The hairs prevent the earwax from leaving the canal and can cause ear infections. Put the hairs between thumb and index and pull. If this does not work use tweezers or an artery clamp. If you do not succeed ask the vet to do it when you take your puppy for its vaccination. Earwax is best removed with a paper handkerchief drenched in baby oil. You can also use special ear cleaner sold in pet shops. Be careful when you use cotton swabs because sometimes you can push the earwax deeper in the ear. Do not touch your dog's ears when they look clean.
Dogs can suffer from ear mites. Symptoms are smelly brown-black earwax. If your dogs suffers from ear mites you must see the vet. Ear mites are not treated can have serious consequences and even cause deafness.
If the interior of the ear is very red or looks as if there is an eczema infection consult the vet as soon as possible.
The eyes
Tear-water or small clots can get stuck in the corner of the eyes. You can remove this easily with a cotton swab drenched in eye cleaner, rose water or boiled water. Always swab towards the nose. You can also use a flee comb in this case always comb towards the nose.
Feet and nails
Our Tibetans have fairly large feet. Hairs grow between their foot soles, you must remove this regularly. This avoids matting and slipping on a slippery floor. It also reduces the amount of dirt he brings inside. Use small scissors to cut this hair.
Nails need to be clipped from time to time. This needs to be done to avoid extreme growth of the nails. Pet shops sell special cutters for this purpose. It is easy to cut white nails. Careful : the pink part of the nail is alive, this must not be cut. Black nails can be cut up to the slanting part. The length of the dog's nails is ok if you can slide a postcard between the floor and the paw without touching the nails. Nails on the front paws grow quicker then those on the back paws. Do not forget to check the fifth nail on the front paw.
The genitalia
Sometimes long hairs grow on the penis. You can cut this for hygienic reasons, but do not cut them too short to avoid irritation. Some males suffer from infection of the foreskin which you can recognise by a yellow secretion.
Some bitches grow lots of hair on their vulva, these can also be cut.
Anal glands
The anal glands are the small sacks on either side of the dog's rectum. Sometimes these are blocked and then the dogs scoot or drag their rear over the floor or bites around the tale. In order to avoid infection you have to manually express the anal sacks. You can also ask your vet to do it for you or take the dog to the trimmers. Do not start too early with this process because it is often the start of a long process. Once expressed you have to do this regularly.
Teeth
Teeth have to be controlled regularly. When the dogs sheds its teeth watch out that they shed their first set of teeth completely. If this is not the case (often the canines) please consult the vet as soon as possible. He will, as far as possible, remove the rest of the first set of teeth.
When a dog gets older he can develop plaque. This must be removed. If you clean their teeth regularly this can be avoided. If you let them chew synthetic bones (Nylabone) plaque will be avoided. Bones made from buffalo skin should not be used, they cause mats around the mouth and on the paws.
If you do not remove plaque it can lead to infections which can be very painful. You can of course ask the vet to clean the dog's teeth.
Parasites
The most well known parasites are of course fleas. Check your dog regularly and carefully for fleas. You can see small round black dots in his coat these are flee's excrements. To prevent and/or cure the invasion of fleas you can use sprays, pills or drops. But first always consult the vet. If your dog has fleas do not forget to also treat the house, its basket and possibly also the car. This is where you will find most eggs. Some dogs are allergic to flee bites and scratch and bite themselves when they have been biten.
Another parasite is the tick. The tick jumps on the dog when it walks in high grass and under bushes. Ticks must be removed. Best use a tick tweezers. Attach the tweezers around the tick and turn the tick against clockwise out of the skin. Do not pull or the head will remain and cause infections.
Other parasites are tapeworms and round-worms. In order to avoid these problems you must worm your dog 4 times per year. If the dog is still affected by worms, you can see these in its excrements or at the small rice grains around his rectum, consult your vet for a sustained worm scheme.
SUCCES WITH LOOKING AFTER YOUR TIBETAN |
