I got a question about dog's coats in shows...?

I sometimes see dog shows on T.v. I always see the yorkies and the malteses and such...How do they get such long hair...Something I always wondered but forgot until now. Any answers?

I got a question about dog's coats in shows...?

Many of the little dogs like that, with the coats on the floor, do not lead normal lives while they are showing. They live on white paper, since carpet will break the coat. Their coats are wrapped up in paper wrappers to prevent damage. They are groomed daily, using the best conditioners, brushes, shampoos etc. They are fed the best quality diets. And they have the genes to produce that coat.

Once they retire they get to be dogs.

I'm glad I have a breed that can play in the mud one day, and be a show dog the next.

I got a question about dog's coats in shows...?

it grows that long. dogs that are from show stock, that is, their parents, grandparents, etc are show dogs, they are ably to grow hair that long. You can see dogs of that same breed, but not of show lineage and their hair will never get that long. They can even be fed the exact same diet and everything. It's in the genes. long floor length hair gets in the way of working dogs/family pets, so that wasn't something breeders pushed. Once the dog made it to the show ring, their coats started to get longer.

I got a question about dog's coats in shows...?

first off, you start them as a pup, get them used to all aspects of grooming. then you brush daily, bathe weekly with high grade shampoos/conditioners, and study the breed standard for your dog and make it as close to that as possible.

it helps to have experiance with your breed, and to have been around them for a long time. there are so many details in what judges look for in dog shows. it also helps if you know a little something about grooming, at least when it comes to the specific breed you show

I got a question about dog's coats in shows...?

Work, work, work. I've seen tiny little dogs at shows with more products for their hair than an average salon. They get preened and combed and trimmed endlessly. They are always so patient too - used to it I suppose. I've never really understood it myself. I'd far rather, for example, a bichon frise in its natural coat than one that looks like a powder puff with a big square head.

I got a question about dog's coats in shows...?

I knew a shihtzu breeder and she would keep her dogs up on wire all the time. They never touched the ground. Kind of sad to me.

I believe they also roll the air up in sections and wrap it with tissue and small rubber bands.

With my cockers....I always brushed their hair when wet...not dry as that would break the ends of the coat. When feeding them , I always pulled their ears up to keep the hair from getting chewed on. I bathed them frequently to get rid of dirt that could also damage the hair and used lots of conditioner to keep the coat conditioned. But I let them be dogs first, then show dogs...so they got to run around in the yard and go for walks/jogs with me. Their coats may not have been the "best" in the show ring, but they were always in shape and had good muscle tone.