Home Grooming Tips for the Socially Distancing Kerry by Lynn Travers
So, Covid left most of us without many services of luxury during quarantine! But really, are services like nails, hair and dog grooming luxury or necessity?? I'm sure we could all make a comical case for our cause...but to stay safe we must obey the stay at orders! In many states, along with hair dressers and nail salons....dog groomers have had to shut down...leaving the inexperienced dog owner to their own devices...or not!! Specifically the Kerry Blue terrier coat that in just the amount of time we've been in quarantine has become a hairy nightmare! Feeling uncomfortable about sharp scissors near a live moving object can be daunting without training. Or what about those toenails clicking across the floor!!? Here are a few tips to get you through until you can get to a professional groomer. The nails...if you have a "matter of fact" attitude and maybe someone who can help hold your dog...go ahead and cut the nails! If you don't have a grooming table...Stand your dog on a table or counter covered with a rubber bath Matt so they won't slip. Cut the nail just to the curve or hollow of the nail. When you decide where to cut...just CUT, the hesitation or twisting will worry the dog more than the actually cutting...so just do it! If you nick the quick don't panic but make sure you have septic powder ( Quik stop ) on hand BEFORE any cutting takes place. If you aren't brave enough to cut the nails...try your husbands dremmel tool. It can be kinder but just as touchie for the uncooperative Kerry. Let them hear the sound but make sure someone is holding his head up so he can't put his face near the dremmel or that glorious beard will be a twisted mess! Brushing your Kerry's coat can be your best friend for now. The Irish farmers probably didn't trim the coat like we do now...but you do have to keep it Matt-free and the burrs and twigs out!
Use a good slicker brush and metal comb. Any coat detangler spray can help make bushing a little easier....spritz through out the coat and let sit for a few minutes before you start. Make sure to brush all the way down to the skin over the entire dog...especially undercarriage, underarms and leg hair that is down in the wet and dirt. Check the coat with the comb...it should go through like butter. You should brush your Kerry thoroughly at least once a week! Eye care...important especially with all that face hair that could be out of control like a werewolf right about now. Flush the eyes routinely with saline to remove any irritants that can get in the eye to create infection. Try putting a dab of Vaseline under the eye at the tear spot to help make the hair lay down and the eye matter won't get stuck there. Also try a scrunchie to tie up the fall if it's getting bushy....they might look a bit like a unicorn...but it's practical for now. Bath time....using a spray handle, like in your kitchen sink, saturate and wet the entire coat. Use a quality dog shampoo or you can use baby shampoo to get a good lather! Rinse rinse rinse and rinse some more! You can use a lite conditioner through out the coat, do a 20 second rinse to disperse thru the coat for manageability. Towel dry...then you must brush and dry the dog with a blowdrier. If the coat is left damp it will matt...so make sure it is thoroughly dry, then check with the comb all the way down to the skin. Create those beautiful marcel waves that are the Kerry Blue Terrier trademark.
Trimming the coat: The Kerry Blue trim is a specialized style...even experienced groomers unfamiliar with the breed have a hard time getting the lines right...but for now, to survive this pandemic you have to consider what's practical! If you own good clippers with interchangeable blades or one of the new cordless handheld clippers with the comb attachment...use a 1/2" comb and clip thru a clean coat. Follow your way through the curls straight down the back then around the ribs...and right down the legs for a practical same-length trim! Just remember grooming is a skill and it takes lots of practice to get the hang of it...and after all... it's just hair and it will grow!
This sure has been a trying time on all fronts...but with a little effort you can keep you Kerry comfortable and manageable until the professionals get beck to business! Hey, maybe you'll even enjoy this special time with your Kerry...or at least have a better appreciation for your professional groomer! Stay safe!
About the writer: Lynn Travers/LYNMAR Kerry Blues and Standard Poodles, owner of Artistic Dog Grooming. Professional all breed dog grooming for show or pets in Brookline, New Hampshire for over 35 years.
