By Marissa Armstrong
To groom your Eurasier at home, you will need the following basic tools:
- A metal comb (I like the Chris Christensen #000 fine/coarse)
- A pin brush (Again, I like the Chris Christensen #27 oval)
- A slicker brush
- Trimming shears
- Nail clippers or dremel
- Undercoat rake (Not one with a blade)
- Grooming spray (I like Plush Puppy OMG spray) or a mist bottle filled with water
- Dog shampoo
A high velocity dryer is also a very helpful tool to have, but they are a bit of an investment. Avoid tools such as the Furminator as they cut and damage the coat.
The first step for grooming your Eurasier is to thoroughly line comb the coat.
This is made easier with a good grooming spray. If you don’t have any, mist the coat with some water before you start. Brushing a completely
dry coat can result in broken hair and static.
To line comb, hold a section of hair down with one hand and with the other, comb down to the skin and out, pulling forward a small section of hair at a time. I start on the back legs and work my way towards the head, spraying the coat as I go. Don't forget between the back legs and the belly. Start with the coarse end of the comb and then move on to the fine. This should be done once a week.
If your Eurasier is prone to matting behind the ears, a quick comb through with the fine end of the comb every day will eliminate this problem. If a mat has already formed, carefully cut the mat out with the shears.
Once the coat is all combed, use the pin brush to brush out the tail and pantaloons. Use the slicker to brush around the face and on the legs. If your Eurasier is blowing coat, use the undercoat rake at this time to remove any extra loose coat that did not come out during the combing process.
Finally, it’s time to clip the toenails and clean up the fur on the feet. Maintaining proper nail length is important to the overall health of your dog. Nails that are too long alter the way your dog stands and moves, which can cause unnecessary wear on the joints. The nails should be short enough so that they do not touch the ground while standing. I prefer to use a dremel as it is easier to get the nails to a good length and with little risk of “quicking” the nails. Use the shears to trim the hair between the foot pads and any long hair on the top of the feet. Eurasier coats should not be trimmed anywhere else.
It is fine to bathe your Eurasier if you’d like to. As long as you use a high quality dog shampoo, there is no risk of drying or damaging the coat with regular bathing.
Show Grooming
Grooming for show follows the same process, however there are few additional steps. After the initial line combing, you should bathe your Eurasier thoroughly so that the skin and coat are clean. I don’t typically recommend using a conditioner, just a good shampoo. After towel drying, I use the high velocity dryer to blow dry against the growth of the coat, while simultaneously brushing with the pin brush until completely dry.
