The Wash Table
All lessons
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Reading the Coat · Lesson 9
What is the undercoat, and what does it do?
The undercoat is the soft, dense layer beneath the guard hairs that insulates against cold and heat, and it needs regular brushing to stay loose, clean and dry.
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Reading the Coat · Lesson 10
How do you check coat condition by touch and sight?
Coat condition is checked by sight and touch together, looking at shine, evenness and skin, and feeling for texture, density, tangles, dampness and lumps.
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Reading the Coat · Lesson 11
What do coat changes sometimes signal, and when do they need a vet?
Coat changes can signal seasonal renewal, ageing or grooming effects, but sudden, patchy, itchy or sore change, or change paired with illness signs, needs a vet assessment.
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Reading the Coat · Lesson 12
How do you match a grooming routine to a mixed or unknown coat?
A mixed or unknown coat is matched area by area, using the more demanding trait in each area, with a trial routine adjusted from tangle, shedding and drying evidence over a few weeks.
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Brushing and Combing · Lesson 1
Which brush and comb suit which coat?
Brush and comb choice follows coat type: slicker and comb for double, curly and long coats, bristle or rubber tools for short coats, pin brush for silky coats, and a comb check for every coat.
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Brushing and Combing · Lesson 2
How do you brush a coat in sections without pulling?
Brushing in sections means parting the coat, holding hair above the working area, and brushing small areas from ends toward skin, so skin is never pulled and tangles are found early.
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Brushing and Combing · Lesson 3
What is line brushing, and when is it used?
Line brushing is brushing the coat in narrow, parted lines from skin outward, used for dense, double, curly and long coats to reach the undercoat and find hidden tangles.
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Brushing and Combing · Lesson 4
How do you comb out a coat after brushing?
Combing after brushing means running a wide-toothed comb through each section to find tangles, packed undercoat and debris that the brush missed, and it is the final check of any brushing session.
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Brushing and Combing · Lesson 5
How often should each coat type be brushed?
Brushing frequency follows coat type and season: weekly for short coats, several times a week for double and wavy coats, every few days for curly and long coats, and daily during heavy shedding.
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Brushing and Combing · Lesson 6
What are tangle traps, and where do mats start?
Tangle traps are friction points where hair rubs, such as behind ears, under collars, armpits, chest, groin and legs, and mats start there when tangles are left and tighten against the skin.
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Brushing and Combing · Lesson 7
How do you brush a sensitive area safely?
Sensitive areas are brushed safely with light pressure, a suitable tool, the skin held gently taut, short strokes, and frequent pauses, stopping at once if the dog shows pain or stress.
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Brushing and Combing · Lesson 8
What should you do when brushing hurts or the dog pulls away?
When brushing hurts or the dog pulls away, stop that area at once, check for pain, tangles, skin problems or a wrong tool, and do not force the brush through, returning only gently or with professional help.
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Brushing and Combing · Lesson 9
How do you clean and care for brushes and combs?
Brushes and combs are cleaned after each use by removing hair, washed when dirty with warm soapy water, dried fully, and replaced when pins bend, bristles splay or teeth break.
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Brushing and Combing · Lesson 10
How do you brush a wet coat, and when should you not?
A wet coat should generally not be brushed, since wet hair stretches, breaks and tangles more easily, and brushing should wait until the coat is damp-dry or dry, except for gentle combing during drying as a groomer directs.
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Brushing and Combing · Lesson 11
What is a slicker brush, and what are its limits?
A slicker brush has fine angled wire pins that work through tangles and undercoat, and its limits are that it can scratch skin, break hair and cause pain if pressed hard, used on the wrong coat, or forced through mats.
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Brushing and Combing · Lesson 12
How do you build a brushing routine a dog can accept?
A brushing routine a dog can accept is built from short, predictable, rewarded sessions, introduced gradually, with the right tools, a calm space, and a pace set by the dog, not by the calendar.
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Bathing · Lesson 1
How do you prepare a dog and a room for a bath?
Bath preparation means brushing out the coat, laying out shampoo, towels and a non-slip mat, checking water temperature, and preparing a warm, calm, draught-free room before the dog steps in.
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Bathing · Lesson 2
How do you choose a shampoo for a dog?
Choose a mild shampoo made for dogs, matched to coat and skin needs, with no human shampoo, and use medicated products only on vet advice for a specific dog.
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Bathing · Lesson 3
How do you wet a coat evenly without soaking the ears?
Wet a coat evenly by starting at the body and legs with gentle, low-pressure water, working toward the head last, and shielding ears with a hand so water runs away from the ear canal.
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Bathing · Lesson 4
How do you wash a dog in a sensible order?
Wash a dog in a sensible order by starting with the dirtiest areas and the body, working in sections, and leaving the head and sensitive areas until last, with gentle, directional strokes.