It can be nice to have a dog curled up in your lap while your run a brush through his coat, but some dogs have fur that makes brushing a genuine chore! You can brush and brush and brush til your arm falls off and your dog may still not be fully brushed! These dogs have coats that need extra attention and extra time – but the love and companionship they give you will make it totally worth it.
#1 – Cocker Spaniel
Depending on the owners individual taste, the Cocker Spaniel may be trimmed short or retain its long, full coat. Either way, this breed requires daily brushing and regular baths to maintain a healthy coat.
#2 – Kerry Blue Terrier
Daily brushing and weekly baths are required for these Irish imports. Pay particular attention to the beard, which is prone to getting food stuck in it. These terriers should visit the groomers once every couple of months.
#3 – Maltese
A Maltese coat is incredibly soft, daily brushing and combing are required to prevent matting. A professional groomer should be retained for regular bathing and trimming.
#4 – Newfoundland
These gentle giants need daily brushing with a hard brush to strip away clumps of hair. In the spring they shed their beautiful coat, which is more like an explosion of fur. Professional grooming is only necessary if the owner is not up for a rigorous brushing regimen.
#5 – Old English Sheepdog
To keep the Sheepdogs coat from bunching up, regular brushing is required. If the brushing doesn’t penetrate down to the dense undercoat, matting and skin problems will arise. Professional grooming is recommended.
#6 – Pekingese
The breed of royalty needs a royal grooming regimen consisting of daily brushing to the long double coat. Eyes and face need cleaned regularly. The hair between the paw pads need regular inspection for small objects embedded in the hair.
#7 – Puli
The intricate corded coat needs to be pulled and separated weekly. Rinsing the Puli after a bath, it is necessary to make sure all shampoo has been rinsed away from each dreadlock. Shampoo residue may cause skin irritation. Generally a Puli coat takes several hours to dry with a blow dryer, or a few days on its own.
#8 – Shih Tzu
Not only does the Shih Tzu require daily brushing, but they also need daily attention paid to cleaning the ears and the wiping the eyes. Keeping this dog’s coat trimmed would lower the thorough brushing needed.
#9 – West Highland White Terrier
Typical of most terriers, a Westie wears a short haired double coat. Without weekly brushing, monthly trims and bi-yearly strips, a Westie coat will grow enough that the owner won’t be able to tell one end from the other.
#10 – Yorkshire Terrier
These little bundles require daily brushing to keep their coats free from matting. Unless trimmed, bangs are tied in a top knot to keep hair out of eyes. Some owners opt to keep long coats trimmed, for easier brushing.
