Do you ever wonder what it takes to create fullness in your Pomeranian’s coat? Some Pomeranians, after their early puppy phase begin to show signs of a very thick coat. Others don’t begin to show their full coat for a year or even two years, according to the expertise of handlers and breeders.
Ultimately the thickness of their coat is dependent on what they inherit from their parents. One thing that they all have in common, however is that they have a double coat.
How you brush your Pomeranian’s coat and what equipment you use, can make a difference. Here I will talk about the best brush for a Pomeranian as well as other tools that help to intensify the volume of your fur baby’s coat.
Important things to know about the double coated dog
The Pomeranian’s double coat does more for the Pomeranian than keep the dog warm in cold weather. The double coat is important in hot weather as well. Dogs don’t have sweat glands (except on the pads of their feet) to keep them cool like humans do. The undercoat acts as a kind of insulator by keeping cool air close to the skin when they are in warmer temperatures. Dogs also cool themselves off by panting and drinking cold water.
The guard hairs, or outer coat helps to protect the dog from the elements such as snow, but also from the ultraviolet rays from the sun.
A common misconception is that the dog feels like humans do
Important note: Walking your dog when the pavement is hot is a big no no. Their pads can get burned and they will overheat. If you cannot place your bare hand on the pavement for 5 full seconds comfortably, you should not be walking your dog on that pavement. As a rule, I try to avoid walking my Pomeranians, who have their full coats, even if the ground is warm. If I take them out with me when I’m out and about when the pavement is hot, I pull them along in a wagon or their doggie stroller.
It can be very tempting when your double coated dog has an especially thick coat to want to have it shaved off in the summer, thinking that it cools off your dog. A double coat however, is not like a sweater or a jacket to be taken off when it’s hot. Since dogs don’t sweat to cool them down, they need the protective undercoat that helps regulate their body temperature in order to cool them down. Without it they will get sunburned out in the sun and subject to heat stroke.
When shaving/clipping the double coat it puts the coat at great risk for not growning back properly. What occurs when the shortened coat grows back, the undercoat grows much faster then the outer coat (guard hairs) which can stunt the growth of the outer coat. As your dog’s coat starts growning back it has a fuzzy appearance. What you see is the overgrowth of the undercoat which has a propenstiy for matting a lot easier.
The best way to handle the double coat when it’s hot it to brush it properly and regularly. This pulls out any loose undercoat that helps to bring air through the coat and to the skin.
When the coat isn’t brushed regularly, the undercoat acculmulates becomes thick, keeping the air from flowing through the coat. The solution to heat is brushing your Pomeranian regularly and more often in the summer.
Best Brush, tools and product to help fluff your Pom’s coat
This post is about the brushing process. I will share other fun grooming info with you in other posts.
That being said, how do you begin to brush out your Pomeranian’s coat?
There are varrying opinions, but the best way to begin your brushing session with your Pom is to use a conditioning, detangling spray. This makes it a little easier to get through the coat which also helps to protect the hair from breaking as you start pulling a brush or comb through it.
By far my favorite detangling spray that I use as a professional groomer as well as for my Pomeranians is the FURminator detangling waterless spray. You can get it on Amazon. It really helps to work the brush and comb through the coat and any knot/mats you come across.
My favorite brush for separating out the individual hairs and pulling out loose undercoat is a small flexible double sided slicker brush. The flexible brush makes the process much more comfortable for your fur baby and is easier on your hands and writsts.
I have two favorite combs: The English style, wooden handle shedding comb that I use initially to get through little mats and knots and then I use a steel fine tail comb to work through mats a little at a time by carefull working through the mat with the tail or pic end and then holding the knot and carefully working through it with the comb so as to not hurt the dog.
If the mat is very tight then I will cut through the mat with a thinning shears or blender shears making sure to cut through the mat with shears parallel to the skin being very careful to only cut through the mat and only once. I then continue working through the knot with the fine tail comb.
Sometimes and if the mats are significant you have to give your fur baby a break and you may have to finish on another day since you don’t want to stress them out too much. This will make it more difficult the next time you have to work on their mats.
The key is to stay consistent with the brushing so that you don’t have to detangle mats. Better for you and better for your fur baby.
How to effectively spray the detangler
Always start at the back end of your dog. With the detangling spray in one hand, use the other hand to back brush the fur against the direction of growth spritzing the coat. Spritz the tail, the fur on their low back and work your way toward the head in the same manner by back brushing the fur with your hand so as to get the spray into the coat. Lightly spritz, don’t soak the coat. Some areas that typically have mats are behind the ears, under the arm pits, areas where a harness or colar come in contact with the coat. Also in the area of the haunches and/or anywhere the dog comes in contact with a surface when sitting or lying down.
When it comes to any solution you use on the head and neck, don’t spray directly on coat since it can get into the dogs eyes. Spray the solution on your hand, rub hands together and then work into the coat. Remember, this is a detangler, use it where there is fur you are going to run the brush and comb through.
Brushing technique
Line brushing is most a effective method of brushing for a double coated dog. Again you start at the back end of the dog. You want to make sure that you cover the whole surface of the dog. Begin by lifting the coat in the back of the haunches, exposing the legs. Hold the hair up with one hand while you brush in the opposite direction with the slicker brush using quick gentle strokes to get through the hair. Repeat this in each area until the coat looks and feels smooth. If you come across a mat, then first use your shedding comb and if necessary use the fine tail comb to get through the mat. Hopefully you can easily get the mat out without having to cut through it. Finish one haunch, hip area and then go to the other side. Then the low back and continue working your way around their body, front of the leg, shoulder, chest, collar. Using the same method, lifting up on the fur and holding it with one hand while you brush in the opposite direction.
Conclusion
There are many other tools that are helpful in dematting and brushing but here I’ve shared with you my favorites. Safety is of the utmost importance when grooming your dog. If you don’t feel comfortable using certain tools I would recommend that you seek out a professional groomer to groom your Pomeranian.
A quick note, be sure to brush and demat your Pom before bathing. If you leave the loose undercoat behind, it can create mats and if you wet mats that are already there, they will get tighter and even more difficult to get through. At first you might think it’s a short cut to get the dog in the tub and brush later but these two things make the job much longer when doing a full groom.
Stay tuned for my blog on how to bathe and dry your Pomeranian’s coat.