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Great times were had by all on the Plush Puppy stand at Crufts 2003 in early March. The stand rocked! There were so many questions and assistance asked by exhibitors and we all had a wonderful experience giving knowledge to everyone.
The most oft questions asked were how to get a flowing coat to sit - smooth and straight, from a vast number of breeds ranging from Yorkies and Maltese to Am Cockers, English Cockers, Springers, Setters, Beardies & Afghans and lots in between.
It's always gratifying
to be able to offer direct help and engage in problem solving.
The people we gave advice to early in the show, got great results
and passed on the info to others who then flocked to the Plush
Puppy stand and asked for help themselves.
We make a brilliant product,
Swishy Coat, which primarily
relaxes wave in the coat, inhibits static electricity, smoothes
and allows the brush to slide through the coat when drying.
For coats such as Setters and English Cockers, you need less water and you can use as a rule of thumb, 1 teaspoon to 6 cups warm water and leave in and blow dry. So, the thicker the coat, the less dilution and greater concentration is needed.
For an Afghan I recommend 1 tablespoon to 1 cup warm water, apply and blow dry.
The exception to the rule is the American Cocker where one usually wants the coat to hang flat as well. Now for a flat smooth coat, use 1 tablespoon Swishy Coat plus 1/2 cup Plush Puppy Silk Protein Conditioner to 4 liters/1 gallon warm water, squish through furnishings and leave in and blow dry.
For an Afghan that is too
boofy in coat and you want to flatten as well as straighten, add
1 tablespoon Plush Puppy Blow Dry Cream
to 1 cup warm water and apply - leave in and blow dry.
Now somewhere in between the Yorkie and the Afghan your flowing coated breed will fit. It is a matter of adjusting the mix of Swishy Coat for straightening and the Blow Dry Cream if softening and flattening is required to suit the coat. We now run a free worldwide advisory service on our Australian website.
The Blow Dry Cream is an amazing product for a number of different coats where you want to instantly soften and flatten. You can mix this 1 tablespoon to 1 cup warm water and put into a 1 cup size Plush Puppy Spray Bottle which has measurements on the side and spray directly to the coat as a grooming spray.
This is particularly good for coats that are dehydrated and tending to go boofy. I loved the effect an Akita exhibitor achieved on her dog's old coat an hour before the show. The coat looked like a new coat again. She was thrilled and I was happy we had solved another problem.
How much ought one pursue the quest of a perfect coat for a show ring? Is it important to present a dog in immaculate condition? Do Setters and Cockers need their furnishings, featherings to be straight and smooth lying?
It is after all a dog show. It is not a field trial, a coursing event nor an agility ring. It is a conformation show and a bit of a beauty show. One must have a good dog but if it is a good dog then for heavens sake present it the very best that you can. Is it any wonder that a great proportion of the B.I.S. wins go to the Poodles and the Afghans? These are wonderful breeds that look fabulous when groomed and tittified. You can tittify a Working Dog, a Gundog and in fact any dog. It will not compensate for a poor dog but it will make a great dog look magnificent.
I get intense pleasure from assisting people to enhance the presentation of their breed. It is gratifying that a dog we have given advice to goes through to win well. With the right information you can do just about anything.
Many thanks to all the exhibitors who have made my trip to the U.K. and the U.S. such a pleasurable time. I not only give you advice, I learn from all of you too.
CHERYL LE COURT
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