How to Keep a Welsh Corgi's Coat Looking Good

Welsh Corgis are feisty little characters which are the favourite dogs of her Majesty the Queen. They are extremely loyal, intelligent and although not terribly big in size, they make good watch dogs and soon let you know when strangers are around.

These lovely little dogs boast pretty dense double coats which consist of a coarser top coat and a much softer undercoat. It's the undercoat that sheds the most which is why regular grooming is so essential. If you have just got a Welsh Corgi, you will have to put in a little time when it comes to keeping their coats looking good, remembering that it's in the spring and autumn that your dog will shed the most and when your dog may need grooming on a daily basis to prevent pet hair from being left around the home.

Setting Up a Grooming Routine

You may find it much easier to groom your dog every other day to begin with. However, the more your brush them, the less time you would need to spend on each grooming session. The other thing is that when a dog's coat is in good condition, the longer you can leave it in between each grooming session. In short, you'll find you only have to brush them on a weekly basis apart from when they are shedding the most that is.

Tools You Will Need

• A good quality fine comb
• A wire slicker brush
• A pair of shears
• A pair of scissor ideally with rounded tips

How to Brush Your Corgi's Coat

It's far easier to work in sections when you brush your dog's coat. You need to use the fine comb to start off with and begin by gently brushing their hind legs working your way from their hocks right down to their paws. Next, you have to brush along their flanks all the way to their front legs always brushing the coat the way the hair naturally lies. Next, you have to brush along their backs, finally finishing off under the belly before repeating the process on the opposite side.

If you find any matted or tangled hair, it's easier to de-tangle the clumps with your fingers rather than use the comb which could end up pulling the hair a little too much and hurting your dog. The last thing you want is to make them resent being brushed which has to be an enjoyable and relaxing experience for them each and every time.

How to Trim Your Dog's Coat

If you find areas of their coat which are ragged looking and just too long, you can trim these using a pair of scissors with rounded tips. You need to focus on their back-ends, their bellies and the hair that grows between their paw pads which are all areas that tend to get grubby and easily tangled.

It's more the outer coat that needs to be trimmed more than the undercoat and this includes on the underside of your dog's tail. When trimming, you should always go in the direction the hair grows without pulling on the coat whatsoever.

If you find long hairs in your dog's ears, you can very carefully trim these but only on the outer ear and never on the inside. Sometimes, Corgis have long hair growing around their eyes,which again you can carefully trim with a pair of blunt ended scissors to prevent it getting in their eyes which could cause an irritation and even an infection.

Keeping on Top of Shedding

As previously mentioned, all dogs shed more during the spring and the autumn which are the most challenging times when it comes to keeping on top of all the hair that gets left around the house. The best way to keep on top of things it to set up a regular grooming routine which ideally should be every day when your pet sheds the most.

By grooming your dog on a daily basis, it helps prevent the hair from their undercoat from forming into pockets and getting lodged in their outer coat. This is often referred to as “packing” and which if not removed, can lead to all sorts of nasty skin conditions

The best tool to use to remove all the loose and shedding hair is a good quality slicker brush making sure that when you brush your dog's coat, you go right down to the skin. This ensures you are brushing the undercoat thoroughly enough to remove all dead and loose hair that might be caught in their outer coats.

Bathing Your Corgi

You may find that you need to give your dog a bath on the odd occasion, but never too often. If however, you find their coat is very greasy, then a bath might be the order of the day. It's really important to use a dog specific shampoo which boasts a correct PH balance otherwise your dog may end up with a nasty skin allergy.

If your dog's coat is very tangled and matted, bathing them before you brush them makes it that much easier to remove the tangles without hurting them, especially if your use a dog specific detangler when you've finished bathing them and before you attempt to brush them.

Conclusion

Welsh Corgis are charming little dogs that for a long time have been the favourite breed of the Queen. They are intelligent and very loyal dogs that boast being quite easy maintenance on the grooming front. However, like all other dogs, they do tend to shed more during the spring and the autumn. By setting up a regular grooming routine, you effectively keep on top of the situation and as a bonus you strengthen your bond with your dog. If a Welsh Corgi's coat is in good condition each grooming session should not take that long and you could even get away with just brushing your dog on a weekly basis.