Products to avoid using on your Chow

The Chow Chow's coat is a thick stand off type of hair. You do not want to use a product that will soften the coat. Don't overuse cream rinses after shampoos. Yes use a top quality conditioner after shampooing but only so it can neutralize the shampoo and remove shampoo residue.

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What I use is a "leave in" conditioner that is sprayed on. The one I use is Show Sheen made for horses. It is one of the best dirt repellent and shine enhancers that I know of. If you are wondering where to buy it, try local feed stores or maybe Google will put an ad on here for it. I buy mine online since most of the time it is about half the price of the retail stores near me.

The chow loves to get wet during the summer

Chow Chows are the breed of dog that does not like the heat. They love cold weather. They do not do well in areas that have hot and dry summers. If you live in one of those areas there is one thing you can do that will make your Chow Chow happy.........give them a bath outdoors.

Since the Chow dog takes longer to dry than most breeds, bathing your dog outside will help speed up the drying time. Here are some suggestions for an outdoor bath time:



Don't use a tub of any kind. Just use a hose and several wash cloths along with a good dog shampoo and conditioner. Use the wash cloths to get the lather going and use your fingers to really do some good deep cleaning. If your dog doesn't want to stand still for the event then using a collar and short rope to tie the dog to a sturdy overhanging, such as a tree branch or rafter of a porch. Have some slack in the rope but not long enough to get tangled up in it while you wash your Chow.

Lather up your Chow once then rinse and lather up again. Follow with a good rinse and then put on a good conditioner. The conditioner will help remove any shampoo residue left behind after rinsing. Then rinse out the conditioner and allow the dog to air dry.

How often should I groom my Chow dog?

I can't tell you how many times I have heard that question. I also have been appalled at the wrong answers. The most common wrong answer is - everyday. If you brushed out your Chow thoroughly everyday it would take you several hours - everyday. Remember, to brush out a Chow, you need to brush from the roots out, not just the top fur. The next most common WRONG answer is once a week. If you brushed out a Chow dog either once a day or once a week, then you would break most of the fur/hair and the Chow would look awful. Their fur would look flat and smooth, which is not good.

The true answer is that a Chow should be thoroughly groomed out once every 3-4 weeks. This includes a bath, drying, complete brushing from root of coat to the tip, taking care of the nails and tiding up the coat. The only exception to that is if your Chow suffers from flea allergies and you vet suggest once a week bathing. Of course with the newer spot on flea treatments like K9 Advantix Flea Control or Frontline Plus Flea and Tick there is no need for that once a week bath.

Why teaching your chow to lay down for grooming sessions is so important

The coat of the Chow dog is so thick that just brushing it out thoroughly will take hours. Brushing out the Chow's coat properly means brushing out sections of the coat from root to tip of hair shaft. This process is done in sections. Because it is a long process, Chow dogs are taught to lay down on their sides quietly during the brushing.

Start having your Chow Chow pup lay down on its side while young while you brush its coat. It takes patience and time to get them use to the idea of laying on their side while you brush every inch of their coat.

At the same time you need to give yourself a break in the grooming process as just the brushing will take a toll on your wrists. Often owner will brush out a 1/4 of their dog's coat at each grooming session, breaking it up over a series of days rather than just devoting one day to the complete brush out process. That gives both dog and owner a break.