Deciding between long hair puppies and short hair puppies is a personal and kinda big choice.
We say “kinda,” because there is, undoubtedly, some work involved with their day-to-day maintenance. It’s a task that requires some TLC, for sure. Below we are defining and sharing information on those lovely long hair puppies!
Long hair puppies can be divided into three categories. They are: long-coated small dogs, long-parted coats, and long-coated large dogs. Each category has somewhat different grooming specifications.
Long-Coated Small Dogs
Long-coated small dogs have hair that is not parted along their back, which can still be a challenge to groom. These long hair puppies should be groomed on a daily basis.
Once you’ve given your small pup a bath, you should towel dry his coat and immediately blow dry it. This will greatly reduce the chances of tangling. Simultaneously while blow drying, use a pin brush to continually brush and fluff his hair. When it’s completely dry, trim the underside of your dog using an electric clipper. This should be done in the pattern of how your dog’s hair lays. Next, you’ll want to trim his paw pads and feet, and do this just enough so that it reaches the ground around his paw. The last step is to brush and comb the hair on and around your dog’s head and face.
These are some popular long-coated small dogs:
- Pomeranian
- Havanese
- Pekingese
Long-Parted Coats
These long hair puppies have a long-parted coat with long hair that should be especially separated in a straight part along their back. The biggest complaint about these long hair puppies is that it’s quite difficult to groom the part in a precisely straight pattern.
After you have bathed your long hair puppies, towel dry and then blow dry it to keep the hair tangle-free. Once the coat is dry, stand behind your dog and guide the tip of a comb just over the nose. Very slowly, begin moving the comb over the crown of the head, down the neck and back towards the base of the tail. It’s important to make sure that you’re moving the hairs to the proper sides, forming the part as you go. After you’ve attained a perfectly straight part (and you will!), spray the entire coat with conditioner to set it.
Here are the only breeds that fall into this category:
- Shih Tzu
- Afghan Hound
- Yorkshire Terrier
- Maltese
- Lhasa Apso
- Skye Terrier
- Tibetan Terrier
- Silky Terrier
Long-Coated Large Dogs
The grooming requirements of these long hair puppies are very similar to that of long-coated small dogs. The only significant difference is that long-coated large dogs are more likely to have more dirt and tangles in their coats, from spending more time outside. Other than that, you can follow the same grooming techniques, as referenced earlier.
