A couple of years ago, a friend of mine adopted his first dog, Betty. It was a Finnish Spitz puppy.
He read everything about Finkies, about their breed, their personality, their barking, and their proper care. The grooming, bathing, and care for Betty was the question that worried him the most. To help others, here is what I have researched about it, let us find out.
How to groom a Finnish Spitz? First you need to bath him. Grooming works best with a clean coat. Then you start brushing beginning with his tail and work up to his neck. Remove all hair tangles. Last trim the hair underneath his paws if necessary.
In their native Finland, Spitz’s or Finkies are still used primarily for hunting.
On the other hand, in Europe and America, they are a companion dog. In fact, they are great companions, but they also do require special attention and grooming care.
Finnish Spitz’ are medium-sized dogs with a pointed muzzle, short erect ears, and lush golden-red or honey-colored coats. Home loving and friendly, they are playful, patient, and loyal to the owner or family. They need plenty of exercises and frequent brushing and grooming.
If you want to read more about how much the Finnish Spitz sheds, we have an entire article about the topic here.
General Health Care Is Connected With Grooming
General health care is connected with grooming your Spitz friend. It is the foundation of all grooming. The annual cost of general health care can range from 1000 to 5000 dollars.
Finkies should see the veterinary doctor for a full diagnosis, shots, and heartworm assessment every year. They must see their doctor, naturally, when they are injured or ill.
You can use a dog toothbrush, baking soda, or dog-friendly toothpaste and water for dental care. It would be best if you brushed your dog’s teeth once or twice per week.
Your Finnish Spitz will need oral exams. Periodontal diseases, commonly known as gum diseases, often affect Finnish Spitzes.
They can have dental plaque problems too. Dental plaque is a consequence of unhealthy bacteria in your dog’s mouth. It brings a terrible breath smell and professional treatment.
Grooming your fur baby is also not enough. It would be best if you regularly or even daily check for fleas and ticks, especially during late spring, summer, and early autumn seasons.
Other general health care includes regular bathing, ear cleaning, nail trimming, and trimming pads.
Grooming Tools Needed To Groom a Finnish Spitz
Like most dogs, there is not just one tool that works best for use with a Finnish Spitz. Their coat is composed of an undercoat and a topcoat, which suggests that grooming Finnish Spitz needs time, care, and patience.
If your grooming session includes a bath, then there are a few tools that may work well with a Finkies. Tools you will need for bathing and grooming:
- Comfortable bath towels
- A dog bathing tool
- Natural dog shampoo and conditioner
- Grooming wipes
- A hair dryer
- Slick Brush
- Pin brush
- A Scissor and A clipper
- Grooming comb
- Grooming Rake
Like traditional shower heads and hoses, a dog bathing tool gives you control over the water flow for a clean and quick wash.
A unique formula for your dog’s skin and coat has to be a must in your dog’s shampoo and conditioner. Buy a non-toxic, biodegradable, and concentrated shampoos and conditioners.
For keeping your dog’s face clean and neat, use gentle and hypoallergenic grooming wipes.
Letting your Finnish Spitz wet in winter or summer is a bad idea, at least it can lead to skin irritation. Instead, use a hairdryer on the lowest temperature setting, or, even better, a dryer designed especially for dogs.
Hair Dryers for dogs are safer and won’t dry out your Finnish Spitz skin.
For removing loose hair and dirt from your Finkie’s skin and coat using a slicker brush. For penetrating deep into his undercoat, use a pin brush to remove debris and loose hair.
If washing, drying, and grooming doesn’t rid your Finnish Spitz coat of knots, or the coat is hanging in his face, you will need safety scissors with rounded tips to finish up the grooming.
How to groom a Finnish Spitz?
Step one, bathing
Finnish Spitz’ need bathing rarely, only bathe your dog when necessary. Bathing Finnish Spitz’ too often removes the natural oils of their skin and coat.
Make sure that your Finkie has a good non-slip surface on which to stand.
Gather bathing tools near to the bathing area.
During the bathtime, check your Finnish Spitz for bumps, parasites, fleas, and skin irritations. Check up the water temperature; make sure that it is neither too hot or too cold for a dog.
Wet and rinse your Finnish Spitz’ coat, then gently shampoo your dog.
Rinse and apply conditioner, then rinse your dog’s coat again.
During the bathing process, you can use your grooming wipes.
Towel dry your Finnish Spitz when done bathing him, and when you are in a grooming station, use a dog dryer.
Step two, grooming
Your Finnish Spitz will need to have a proper brushing every week. Short grooming sessions must be introduced from a very early age.
On a regular weekly basis, set up a grooming area. Make sure that the grooming area has a non-slip surface.
When your Finnish Spitz is completely dry, go over the entire coat with your hands to see if there are inconsistencies in the coat’s density.
Brush your Finnish Spitz, beginning at his tail and working to his neck, using a pin brush for penetrating deeper into his undercoat. Brush against the hair growth, and from the skin out. Remove any knots.
Use a slicker brush through the coat, work on specific areas, remove all knots, and then move forward. Pay particular attention to excessive hair and knots in the shoulder, the tail, and the beginning of the ears areas.
Fluffy dry your Finnish Spitz again.
Use a normal or a slicker brush while holding a dog dryer over the area.
Use the slicker brush and your hands to remove loose fur.
Finish the grooming up, brushing all the coat of your Finkie with a slicker brush.
Step three, trimming and cutting
If your Finnish Spitz fur does need trimming underneath the paws, then it is time to do it.
Trimming your Finnish Spitz paws keep your Finkie looking neat and tidy and minimizes the risks of grass seeds, burrs, and mud getting caught up in the paw’s fur.
Hair that bunches between the pads is uncomfortable and can cause your Finnish Spitz to slip and slide.
Prepare a towel and a pair of scissors with rounded tips. Have your Finnish Spitz lying down. Gently hand your dog’s leg and paw. Careful, cut with a rounded tip scissor, trim the fur in the shape of V.
Conclusion
Bathing, grooming, and trimming your Finnish Spitz are essential aspects of regular dog care. These good hygiene habits are necessary for a healthy Finnish Spitz.
Make this the occasion when you check your dog.
If you notice any injuries or wounds of any kind on your Finkie, call or schedule an appointment with the vet. Please do not attempt to treat them yourself.
The same goes If you notice any foreign object in your Finnish Spitz mouth, eyes, ears, nose, or paws. Please don’t attempt to remove them yourself, instead, consult a veterinary doctor.
The last recommendation is not to use other than dog hygiene products, such as shampoo, conditioner, wipes, and toothpaste.
Many human products can be toxic to the Finnish Spitz.
We have an entire article on everything there is to know about the Finnish Spitz. You can read it here.
