How to Groom a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

By eHow Pets Editor

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

Natural bristle brush
Pin brush
Slicker brush
Steel combs
Mat splitter
Thinning shears
High velocity dryer

Step 1:
Brush and comb regularly using steel combs, pin brushes, slicker brushes and natural bristle brushes as needed. Start with the more intensive pin brushes and use slicker brushes to smooth out the coat. These dogs have a double coat, and many make the mistake of only brushing the 2 inch topcoat. Make sure to get through to the undercoat or you may overlook lots of matting and tangling.
Step 2:
Remove knots and tangles from the coat with a mat splitter. Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs have a thick undercoat and it may be difficult to work through the mats with a brush alone.
Step 3:
Use thinning shears to remove clumps of dead shed hair from the undercoat. Shed hair tangles when it gets wet or damp. At this point, it's better to remove the hair than try to brush it out.
Step 4:
Bathe your Greater Swiss Mountain Dog with a mild soap or shampoo.
Step 5:
Remove excess water after a bath with a high velocity dryer. Hand fluff dry using a slicker or pin brush.

Tips & Warnings

Although they enjoy chasing after small animals, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are great with children and other pets.
Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs need a weekly general grooming which mostly involves a good comb out. They need a full grooming every 6 to 10 weeks.
This breed has a life expectancy of about 10 to 11 years of age.
Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs suffer from a number of ailments including hip and elbow dysplasia, epilepsy, OCD, eye problems and bloating. These dogs are prone to bloating due to their deep chests.

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