Top Grooming Tips for the Neapolitan Mastiff

The Neapolitan Bull Mastiff is a huge dog with a personality to match. When it comes to caring for these large canines, it takes quite a lot of time and effort in most departments which includes making sure their coats are kept looking good. If there is one thing that needs to be done as early as possible with these larger than life characters, it's getting puppies used to bath times"" which is especially true if you decide to get a male because they have pretty oily skin that gives off a musky odour.

Having a grooming routine in place makes life a lot easier for you and your dog. Regularly brushing your dog's coat makes lighter work of the task and it helps strengthen the bond you have formed with them. It's a good idea to invest in good quality tools for your grooming kit because you want them to last as long as possible especially as you will probably be using them every day.

Tools You'll Need in Your Grooming Kit

• Slicker brush
• Steel pin brush
• 2½/ inch comb
• Shedding blade
• Rubber curry brush
• Rubber bristle brush
• rubber grooming glove
• Baby oil or a detangling product

Daily Brushing

It's a good idea to give your dog a once over every day even though they have short coats and this is especially true at certain times of the year when they tend to shed more hair which is in the Spring and Autumn. It's also important to brush through coats making sure you get right down to the skin so that you get rid of the dead hair found deeper in the coat.

Start off with a slicker brush and then finish off using a rubber curry brush which takes out any lose hair that might have been missed. When brushing around your dog's face, you need to pay particular attention to the folds. It's best to use a baby wipe to clean out any excess grease or dirt that may have built up in the folds before gently brushing their faces with a rubber grooming glove.

Once you've done the face and head, it's time to brush the coat starting at the neck and working your way down the sides to the hindquarters paying particular attention to their bellies which are more sensitive areas of your dog's body. If you have a male, you need to be very gentle when brushing in front of their sheaths and you should always check for sore areas that may need attention.

Repeat the process on the other side before gently wiping your dog's tail with a rubber grooming glove being extra careful on the underside where there might be a build up of dirt and grease stuck to the hair which if pulled, might hurt your dog.

It's also a good idea to use a detangling spray once your dog has been brushed which helps bring out a nice natural shine in their coats. To finish off, wipe your dog down with a rubber bristle brush.

Weekly Grooming

Once a week it's a good idea to check ears, paws and nails. If you notice any nasty smell coming from your dog's ears, it could be they have an infection which might need to be looked at by a vet. Because the Neapolitan Bull Mastiff is such heavy dog, they do tend to get sore paw pads so it's important to make sure they or not cracked or sore.

Nails often wear down unevenly which means you may need to trim them from time to time. If you don't feel comfortable doing this yourself, it's best to leave it up to the experts namely a dog groomer or vet.

Bathing Your Neapolitan Bull Mastiff

As previously mentioned, these large dogs and more especially males, tend to have very oily skin which can give off a musky odour. As a rule of thumb, you should bath your dog every 3 months or so, although sometimes and more especially in the warmer summer months, you may find your dog needs bathing more frequently.

Before bathing your dog, it's a good idea to give them a thorough brush first to remove all excess dead hair found in their coats. The tools you'll need include the following:

• Slicker brush
• Bristle brush
• Steel pin brush
• Dog shampoo
• Dog conditioner
• Rubber bath mat
• Lots of towels

You should start at the head being extra careful not to get any shampoo in your dog's eyes, ears and nose. Most dogs if they have been bathed from a young age actually enjoy the experience because massaging their skin is relaxing. It's really important that dogs be thoroughly rinsed off because if not, any shampoo left in their coats could trigger a nasty skin infection.

This is particularly true around their faces and jowls which you need to gently dry off using a clean towel. Moisture left in folds provides the perfect breeding ground for bacteria so these need to be gently and thoroughly dried off. One of the biggest challenges is not only to keep a Neapolitan Bull Mastiff's wrinkles clean but dry too.

Conclusion

These magnificent dogs take a bit of looking after and even though they have short coats, they still need to be regularly groomed. Setting up a routine makes things a lot easier and coats kept in good condition are that much easier to groom. The biggest concern with the Neapolitan Bull Mastiff is keeping the folds on their faces and jowls clean and dry because if left dirty and wet, it's the perfect breeding ground for bacteria which could end up with your dog suffering a nasty skin and painful skin infection and one which can take a long time to clear up.

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