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GROOMING PART TWO

© Kathi Mitchell

We are going to continue our discussion on grooming in this article. Last week, we talked about the care of the Lhasa Apso's coat.Today, we will talk about other aspects of grooming the Lhasa Apso.

Trimming is as important with the Lhasa Apso as coat care. Hair must be kept out of the eyes to avoid nasty eye infections and even possible blindness. The hair should be clipped between the eyes and up above the eyebrows. Hair should be carefully removed from the corners of the eyes. This can be a very dangerous process if you do not know what you are doing or if the Lhasa is not used to being groomed. One slip can cause severe injury to the eyes. If your Lhasa is not used to being groomed, or if you are not absolutely sure of your ability to accomplish this task safely, have a professional groomer or veterinarian do this for you. The hair should be removed from the bridge of the nose and the top of the sides of the nose to prevent hair from getting in the Lhasa's eyes. I use tiny, rechargeable clippers that fit neatly between the eyes for the nose and between their eyes and round-tipped safety scissors for the corners. Since my Lhasas have been subjected to in-depth daily grooming almost from birth, they do not jerk or fidget; however, many Lhasas are not accustomed to such ministrations and may not cooperate with them.

Clippers should be used to remove the excess hair on the stomach, around the genitals and anus. Take care not to scratch, cut or burn the Lhasa with the clippers. The hair on the bottoms of the feet and between the pads should be clipped to prevent injuries or irritations to the feet. Safety scissors should be used between the pads and care must be taken not to cut the skin between the pads.

If you keep your Lhasa clipped, you can do it yourself or have it done. If you do it yourself, be sure that you have a good quality clipper that will not pull or scratch and take the time to check them periodically so the blade does not become hot enough to burn, especially sensitive areas.

The hair on the underside of the ears and beneath the ears should be kept clipped so that it does not trap dirt in the ear canal or restrict the air flow to the ears. Don't forget that the Lhasa Apso's ears are very sensitive and easily injured.

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