Compared to many other breeds, your Brittany doesn’t require a lot of brushing to keep his coat clean and healthy, but he does need to be brushed thoroughly two or three times a week. A multi-purpose activity, a good brushing:
- removes loose hair, debris, and dirt from the coat
- distributes natural skin oils that lubricate hair and make it shine
- cuts down on house cleaning (and yes, Brittanys do shed)
- enhances the bond between you and your dog as you focus on one another
- gives you an opportunity to check your dog for lumps, bumps, and other booboos
- keeps your Brittany looking his best day in and day out
The Brushing Procedure
Use your pin brush to brush the hair on your dog’s body, stroking with the direction of growth. Your slicker brush will work well to keep his feathering tangle-free and clean. If the hair is tangled, begin toward the bottom of each section of hair and brush out to the end, removing tangles as you go. Work your way up the section until you are able to brush easily from the roots to the ends. If you have a natural bristle brush, finish up by using it to smooth your dog’s coat in the direction of growth. Voila! Your Brittany is brushed!
How to Bathe
Gather all of your supplies before you start bathing your Brittany. You don’t want a wet dog and no towels! Brush your dog to remove loose hair before you wet him, and if he has any tangles or mats in his feathers, remove them while they’re dry. You need to protect your dog’s inner ears from water and his eyes from soap. You can gently place a cotton ball into the opening of each ear, and you can apply ophthalmic ointment (available from your vet, groomer, or pet supply store) to his eyes.
If you don’t take those precautions, then be very careful not to squirt water into his ears or get soap in his eyes, as either can cause long-term problems.
Get your Brittany into the tub and reward him, then wet him with lukewarm (not hot) water. Apply a mild dog shampoo and gently work it into his fur, beginning at his neck and working toward his tail. Repeat with his chest and belly, up under his hind legs, and under his tail. Don’t lather his face; instead, use a washcloth to wash it gently and a clean one to remove shampoo.
If you’re trying to kill fleas, wet and lather your dog thoroughly, beginning with a “collar” of lather high on his neck to keep any fleas from leaving his body to hide in his ears. You don’t need insecticidal shampoo; regular shampoo left on for about ten minutes to drown the fleas will do the trick.
Shampoo residue can irritate your dog’s skin and leave his fur sticky, so it’s essential to rinse him thoroughly. Then run your hands all over his body to be sure that you got all the soap, which will feel slick and leave bubbles on your hand if it’s there.
Soap loves to hide in doggy armpits, the groin, and the groove along the belly between the ribs, so check those areas carefully. When the shampoo is out, gently squeeze the excess water from your dog’s coat. Then gently pat out as much moisture as possible with a towel or two.
Praise and reward your dog for being so good before you release him, then carefully let him go so that he doesn’t hurt himself or something else with a wild leap. It’s usually smart to put on a collar and leash before releasing a wet dog from a tub to prevent him from running and rolling and rubbing himself on your carpets, walls, furniture, bedspreads – or if you’re outdoors, dirt.
If your Brittany has a very straight, flat coat, you can let him air-dry, or you can speed the process with a force dryer made for dogs or a regular hair dryer set on cool. If his coat is wavy or thick, you may want to blow him dry.
