Please can you other Aussie people give me some tips on how to make Tyler look his best for Crufts?

I know how to do his hocks & tail (I think), & the hair around his neck upto his withers are okay. But the hair on his back is short & wavy so doesn't lie flat, it keeps sticking up. I was wondering if you could tell me of ways to groom him so that it looks nice & flat like all the other Aussies.

Thanx in advance

Louise & Tyler

Hi I dont have Aussies but border collies and rough collie I mist them with a water spray and place a towel over their backs to straighten and smooth down their coats it works a treat Best Wishes Gillian

Thanx, I shall give it a try.

Hi Louise! Does the coat actually have to lie flat then? I know Aussies can have differing coats, from shorter, wavier, to longer. Does using a hairdrier make any difference (I will be trying this myself, as up till now I have left Cody to just dry off naturally). There is a website with tips and photos of trimming Aussies which I found a few weeks ago whilst looking for grooming info - it's sealevelas.homestead.com
Don't think it mentions how to flatten a wavy coat though!
Hilda

Hi Hilda. Thanx for the website, I shall have a proper look in a bit. I don't know if the coat HAS to lie flat, but all Aussies that I have seen don't have stcking up hair (maybe some on the croup, but that's about it). Most of me doesn't care what he looks like in the ring or if he gets placed, I just do it 'cos I enjoy it, but there is that little part of me that is so paranoid about what other people think that I want him to look his best.

Hi Louise! Let me know what you find out - as a novice to showing (and we have a show next Sat!), I'd be interested to know if the waviness is a problem - personally I think it looks lovely like that!
Hilda

Hiya guys,
Can't really help with this one, as both my aussie girls have nice flat coats, but if I do end up with a bit sticking up, I do use a water spray and a towel.. I also trim feet, bob tail and feathers at the back as well as thinning ears out, and also trim up to the stop pad on the front legs....
You need Applethorn for this one.......she may have some more ideas... will try and catch her later....
Gabrielle

Hello there.
My mum has 2 aussies both boths but with different coats.
I trim both of them the only parts I trim are the feet hocks and the ears.
Frankie has a very curly coat which is worse after bathing, I use either towels, cardigans, tights or a dog drying coat on him.
When you bath him get him as towel dry as possible then use comb or slicker brush to flatten the coat down first the cover him with tight clothes{tights are great one pair on the fron and one on the back making sure the coat is lying the right way.
And leave him to dry until bone dry, you can use a hair dryer through the tights.
If you take them off too early and the dog lays wrong you will still get sticking up bits.
I wash my goldens this way but got a dog drying coat for xmas which means saving on tights!! :) if you need any help please feel free to email me

Emma - where did you get your dog drying coat? It sounds just the thing for our Aussie s - I've actually got a hot brush that I use on Loki & Thor when I want to straighten out the curls - Thor in particular curls up all the time - I'm just glad that we're not showing him just now :-)

Loki's coat seems to be not so curly since having her pups - but I bet she'll blow it all just before Crufts!!!

Margot

(I'm just imagining putting tights on Thor - I bet he'll think he's gonna do a bank job :-) )

the ladies name is ann hall 01790 763574 http://www.drydogcoats.co.uk
she is very good and makes coats to measure you own dog.
Forgot to add DO NOT leave your dog alone with any coat/tights ect on as they may get caught up or get a nail caught in the fabric

small world isn't it !!!

I go to ringcraft with Ann :) The coats are great and I am ordering one for Phoebie ;) I saw some she'd made at the last match night and was so impressed I've been saving my pennies for one. It's Pheebs birthday on 20th Jan so it's her pressie whether she likes it or not lol

SaraW

DryDogCoats

Thanx for all your help guys. I think I shall invest in one of those dry dog coats, they look really good.

The tights trick works wonder with curly top coats. We used it all the time with our Sh.Ch. E.S.S.
it also puts the most unbelievable shine on their coats.

The only difference to u Em, was that we used one pair cut a hole in the toe, popped that over the head, and then cut leg holes and pulled them down over the rest of the body, hole for tail and the necessary bits, then tied other leg round body loosely. Covered over with towelling coat, which helps the drying process and let dry naturally.

Jayne

Hi Freeway & Hilda

Grooming your aussie ... well where do I start its pretty hard explaining without being able to show someone what you mean ....( and without being able to use your hands to gesticulate LOL)

Ok here is what I do , I trim bottom of feet , between the toes, back of pasterns , ears, whiskers, back of hocks, bobtail. And if necessary take any excess rear feathering hair out please note I thin the rear feathering Never cut it and also the rump hair can be thinned out too you know that piece that always sticks up over the ruump !!!

I always start the process off by bathing in a good shampoo and then condition the coat with a good conditioner, I blast the coat dry ( or if you don't have a blaster towel dry the excess water out of the coat) then blow dry with a hand held hairdryer brushing the coat the way it naturally falls , don't try and brush the coat the opposite direction to what it wants to go , gently brush it as it dries into the direction you want it to go ... after the dog is completely dry , do your trimming ... then at the show take a water spray with you , gently fine mist the dog and brush the coat again this time with a bristle brush .to smooth the coat down...

Aussies have wavy coats , straight coats ,, both are correct , but both are very different to prepare for the showring , my old boy Diamond Rio has a very wavy coat .. he is a nightmare to groom , but I will bathe him 2 days before I show him as his coat settles and flatten naturally .. making it easier to groom him for the show , my other boy Climate Controlled has a slightly wavy coat I bathe him the night before a show.

Damp towels are a good way to flatten the coat , but I found with my old boy that they made his coat go too flat . But thats my personal opinion.

Freeway don't worry about what other people think about your aussie , if you love him thats the most important thing , as long as he is clean and tidy he is presentable for the showring , if anyone criticizes you or your aussie then they aren't worth bothering with , we should all help people like you out , we all started out needing someones help ... I was lucky I had a good breeder in the US and was lucky enough to be able to visit her and learn from her all that I know ... I know not all aussie people agree with the way I groom and trim my dogs but what the heck I love the way they look and I don't think its done us any harm in the show ring ...

Ok here I go , putting my neck out now .. Gabrielle you are totally to blame for this !!!

I am hoping to run a beginners grooming and show handling day for aussie owners sometime in the near future , I just have to check out available dates , so if anyone is interested let me know , if you want a relaxed and fun filled day learning how to groom your aussie and the basics behind show handling and presentation in simple terms with a crazy woman then this day is definately a day for you ..
BUT you must have a sense of humour !

Jayne - please put US at the top of your list - both for the grooming course and the showing course (remember Thor shaking hands with the Judge & Crufts & then rolling over for a belly rub????) WE NEED IT!!!!

Do let us know when you're aiming to do this - we'll be there with bells on - email me - please (pretty, pretty please:-) :-)

Margot

Hi Jayne!
Thanks for the tips! I was actually brave enough to trim a little bit of hair around Cody's bob this week, but probably took too much off his back legs! We are definitely interested in a 'grooming/show handling' day, so put us on your list PLEASE!!
Hilda

Oh how did I forget to mention trimming round his 'bob' silly me!!!!!

Well, I knew I'd get the blame!!!!!!!! :-)
Have to say though, Applethorn has taught me everything with my aussies and is a mind of information, as well as a proud ''Granny Jayne'' to my two girls!!!!
What does she say, ''some people don't like the way she trims and grooms'' ooeeerrrrr, her show record and critiques speak volumes!!!!!!!
We''ll be there as always Jayne, but yes, anyone else who fancies coming, the woman is MAD!!!!!!!, good for a laugh, full of info and completely fun loving, so yes, a sense of humour is compulsory!!!!!:-)
Gabrielle x

Hi Jayne,
Could you please add us to your grooming/show handling day also ? Thanks.
Christine.

Hi Teeny

Drop me your email addy so I can contact you with details etc.

Are you the lady I met in Scotland with one of Sarahs import puppies , the lovely Black tri bitch ?

Just to let you all know I have your names listed I will confirm date as soon as the venue can give me firm dates, it will be at a venue in the Midlands so its easy for everyone to get to. You will need to bring your dogs with you and I will limit it to 15 handlers and groomers to keep it up close and personal LOL That way we can concentrate on having 15 excellent handlers and grromers at the end of the day !

By the way Freeway are you coming to join us we would love you to come and join us for the day .

Hope to see you all very soon
Jayne

Thank you for your kind words Jayne. YES, me & Tyler will definately be there.

Hi Freeway

Excellent , now my little band of people is complete .. we will have lots of laughs ..believe me , even I get it wrong .. and to prove it I will show you a video of me showing an aussie back in 97 that will make you all feel a whole lot better !!!

Believe me when I look back I laugh at myself .. I think I looked great at the time ... even when I look back to the show clothes I used back in the late 80's I used to think I was dead cool ... God only knws what some of our all rounders thought about them LOL

Freeway they are not just kind words they are truly meant , I have been real lucky in my success , yes some of it is hard work and dedication , but I have been lucky that I had good mentors who taught me how to look good, present a dog well , groom it and condition it, my success now will only be complete when I can pass that knowledge onto others and see them succeed too. Just as someone helped me now I want to help others.

By the way Freeway I checked out your webpage , your boy has a wonderful head profile and are ALL those presents under the tree his ????? LOL

Talk to you all soon
Jayne

Thanks again, Jayne.

I always thought that Tyler's head was a bit Collie looking, it's nice to hear that you don't think so (I've tidied his ears up since that photo was taken so he looks a bit better).