{"id":125,"date":"2020-03-06T00:26:32","date_gmt":"2020-03-06T00:26:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sugarthechickendog.com\/?p=125"},"modified":"2021-03-15T23:22:33","modified_gmt":"2021-03-15T23:22:33","slug":"grooming-your-great-pyrenees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/sugarthechickendog.com\/index.php\/2020\/03\/06\/grooming-your-great-pyrenees\/","title":{"rendered":"Grooming Your Great Pyrenees"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the first things you may notice about the Great Pyrenees is their gorgeous coat. So what’s needed for grooming your Great Pyrenees? How do you keep their coat looking so elegant?<\/span><\/p>\n

Because the Great Pyrenees are working dogs, they have a special weather-resistant coat. It may look like a lot to take care of but it just requires some simple maintenance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Brushing is an important step in grooming your Great Pyrenees<\/span><\/h2>\n

Most importantly is to brush your Great Pyrenees. We were very diligent when Sugar was just a few months old then her coat seemed to clean itself (which it does). The dirt and mud just fell right off. I got lazy about brushing her. Now, when I get the brush out, she runs! And trying to get her to do something she doesn\u2019t want to do is nearly impossible. So, when your pup is young, whether they need it or not, I would recommend brushing at least once a week and make it a positive experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"brushing<\/p>\n

Since the Great Pyrenees has a double coat, I thought it was like our Australian Shepherd or German Shepherd\u2019s coat but the texture is different. I used the rake tool, it pulled her hair and she hated it. So, now we use a regular brush or a slicker brush.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The outer coat, or guard hair, of the Great Pyrenees, is coarse, thick, and stiff. It\u2019s longer than the undercoat and protects the skin during cold weather. Their coat also protects from sunburn and helps maintain their body temp in hot weather.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The undercoat is dense and fine. In cold weather, it adds an extra layer of insulation. As the warmer weather approaches, your Pyr will shed, or blowout, the undercoat. Once the undercoat has shed, the Pyr can puff up the outer coat and trap cool air, helping to cool them off.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If their fur becomes matted or impacted, it doesn\u2019t allow the air to circulate. You want to be able to run your fingers freely through the coat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another tool that\u2019s recommended is a big tooth comb. I haven\u2019t tried this since we have issues with the brush.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I want to try the glove and would love to hear any feedback if you used it before.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Matting<\/span><\/h2>\n

Sugar has mats behind her ears \ud83d\ude41\u00a0 Matting can occur when the dog is blowing out their coat and the dead loose hair gets trapped. It can also happen in areas that rub against something. Just another reason why it\u2019s a good idea to brush frequently.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve tried Cowboy Magic, which is a detangler, and it helped some. I rubbed it into the mats and was able to break a few of them apart with my fingers. When working on the mats, start at the bottom, trying not to pull too much.\u00a0 You can also hold the mat at the base of the skin and brush it out. Again, starting at the end of the mat. This will keep it secure and won\u2019t pull on the skin.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"grooming<\/p>\n

As soon as you can tackle the mat the better. It will grow as more and more hair gets trapped inside itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Problem areas where matting occurs are behind the ears, under the collar, armpits, and hindquarters. Sugar also tends to have problems around her elbows.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I did cut one of Sugar\u2019s mats out and may have to do another. If you decide to do this, try and cut away from the skin. Be very careful and maybe have a partner to help you. It\u2019s very easy to cut your Pyr\u2019s skin, especially if they are fidgety.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I cut into the mat and didn\u2019t go all the way to the skin. This detangled it some, I applied more Cowboy magic then worked it with my fingers. She has another good size one behind her other ear that I may have to cut out as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I recently read that corn starch will help loosen the mats. I keep some in my first aid kit (it\u2019s great for stopping the bleeding of wounds) so I\u2019m going to give that a try.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A fun fact about Great Pyrenees: The hair around their neck is the thickest and they will puff it up making them look larger to predators.\u00a0 It\u2019s also difficult for a coyote to bite into the skin with all that hair.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Bathing\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Sugar loves to be in the water and with their amazing coat, the mud and dirt just falls right off. You only need to bathe every 3-4 months. Bathing too frequently strips their coat of the essential oils that give it that self-cleaning ability. If your dog tends to mat, you may want to blow dry. When the hair is wet, it can curl and wrap around itself, causing a mat as it dries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Professional Grooming<\/span><\/h2>\n

You should not shave your Great Pyrenees. As mentioned above, their coat plays an important role in protecting them. If you decide to take to a groomer<\/a>, make sure you find someone familiar with double coated dogs and especially Great Pyrenees. I\u2019ve read so many horror stories in my Pyr Facebook group of picking up a completely shaven Pyr.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some people like to trim the dog’s private areas or “pantaloons” to keep clean or the belly area.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Double Dew Claws<\/h2>\n

Full breed Pyrenees will have double dewclaws on their hind legs. Because they rarely touch the ground, you will need to occasionally trim them. If not trimmed, they can grow back into the skin. I like to use a dog nail clipper with a guard so I don’t cut it too short.\u00a0<\/p>\n

So with a little maintenance each week, grooming your Great Pyrenees doesn’t have to be so hard!<\/p>\n\n\n

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. I may earn a commission on purchases at no additional cost to you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n