German Wirehaired Pointer Club of America

Indiana Mitch · Posted: 10/16/03, 1:21 pm Post subject: Is it always this bad?

Just got back from hunting woodcock here in Indiana. First time I've let my wirehair and I must confess that I was shocked to see how much junk her coat picks up.

We have these little, brown, triangle-shaped seeds that stick to everything like velcro. Sophie must have had no less than 1000 of these things on her by the time the hunt was over, which was just over an hour.

I've been combing them out ever since and she's tired of having her hair pulled.

Is this normal? I've had a GSP for the last 9 years and she would only pick up a dozen of these things in the exact same area... and they would fall off when I touched them.

I'd love to hear from folks who have a solution for this... but please, let it be something that you, yourself, tried.... I don't want to hear about solutions that are only theory.

Thanks!!!!
mitch
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Indiana Mitch
"Are the woodcock down yet?"

Keith · Master Joined: 27 Dec 2002 Posts: 163

It really depends on your dogs coat. If a wirehair has a real good coat they will not pickup very much in the field. But there are plenty of wirehairs with to long coats that gather a lot of seeds and burrs in the field. The easiest way to get the smaller stuff out is with a good slicker brush.

Indiana Mitch · Posted: 10/16/03, 1:54 pm Post subject:

Her body wasn't too bad... but her face was almost completely seeds... along with her neck and backs of the legs.

Shall I assume my dog has a lousy coat?
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Indiana Mitch
"Are the woodcock down yet?"

Keith · Master Joined: 27 Dec 2002 Posts: 163

Not necessarily a lousy coat, just a long one. I have had dogs with both kinds. You can have a real good wire coat that collects almost no burrs. But it is hard to find dogs with perfect coats. Even in the same litter you have dogs with good coats and dogs with coats that are to long or to short. And many dogs don't have the proper undercoat with a good wire outer coat.

Indiana Mitch · Posted: 10/16/03, 7:04 pm Post subject:

Her coat seems fine to me... though I've not seen all that many wirehairs.

The breeder told me (before he knew I was looking for a wirehair) that he was extremely happy with the coat of the litter that my pup came from.

Now... her brothers, who are mostly white and look "wooly" to me... have a very different, softer coat... and it seems too long. But Sophie, my GWP, has a very nice coat over the majority of her body. It's just the beard... eye brows... and inner legs... that seem to really attract stuff.

Can you tell anything from this photo?

Also... it seems to me that a lot of hair came out today, as I cleaned out the junk. Do wirehairs pick up less junk as the season progresses?

I told the breeder earlier today that it took me a long, long time to clean her up... and he said I just needed the right kind of brush. Is this true?

Could someone post a link to the best type of brush to use?

Thanks!
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Indiana Mitch
"Are the woodcock down yet?"

dualgwp · Posted: 10/16/03, 8:36 pm Post subject:

From looking at the photo it looks like your girl has a decent coat, not perfect, but decent.

I would suggest the coat on her head, beard, eyebrows and ears need to be "pulled or stripped" some to get rid of some of that dead coat. If you will just take your forefinger and thumb, and pull throught the coat and take out the soft hairs, you will save yourself a lot of time down the road.

Actually, by combing out the burrs, you are essentially doing the same thing, but it will be easier on her doing it beforehand. Any hair that looks "off colored", or just softer than the rest needs to be removed. Just grab a couple of hairs at a time, and pull it out.

Once this is done, whether by nature or by you, you should find a new and harder coat coming in underneath. That new harsher, harder, coarser hair will hold less "stuff" than the soft hairs.

I keep a Universal slicker in the car at all times, that along with a good (and I mean good) metal comb with half of the teeth close together, and half of the teeth wider apart will do all that you need to do. And for the tough part, try getting a can of coat spray.... something to make them slick and shiny.. it will help to get the little stuff out without too much pain for her.

Always remember to check under the armpits and in between the toes for burrs. A burr in those areas can cause some real problems down the road.

Trust me, as the season progresses, the coat will get trimmed naturally and the hassle should get less and less.

Bernee

Keith · Master Joined: 27 Dec 2002 Posts: 163

I think you have a good looking dog with a good looking coat. But that coat is going to require more care than a shorter coat. Personally with all the duck hunting I do given the choice between a coat that is a little long and one that is a little short I would take the longer one. With that coat you will have more care than a shorthair, but on the plus side not as bad as a setter. I spent 2 hours once pulling and cutting burrs from a setters coat after a hunt. You will never spend anywhere near that long on a wirehair.

Indiana Mitch · Posted: 10/17/03, 1:25 pm Post subject:

Great replies... thanks!

Can someone point me to a specific comb and "slicker" on the Web so I can order them right away?

Thanks again!!
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Indiana Mitch
"Are the woodcock down yet?"

dualgwp · Posted: 10/17/03, 7:53 pm Post subject:

If you go to almost any pet supply store either on line, or in person and ask for a "slicker brush" you should be able to find one. A "Universal" is a brand name, and the type I use most often. It's made of plastic, is curved and has little curved metal pins which catch the hairs and pull out both dead coat and the dreaded burrs. There are also flat versions, but I don't find them as effective.

As for a comb, get a good quality shiny metal comb, they aren't cheap, but they are smooth and pull out the bad stuff better. It's best if you get a combination, wide tooth, close tooth. That way you can use it for big burrs and small burrs and also for a general grooom job.

I like Mr Groom coat spray... it makes the coat kind of slippery so the whole job is easier.... and it smells pretty good to boot.

Some people will spray setters with Pam before they go out, probably works good at making the coat pretty slick so stuff won't stick so bad, but it must be make them pretty greasy.

If you go to the post that describes "how to groom your Wire" you can get a good description on how to keep your pooch neat and clean and lose that unkept appearance. I think it was in the "general discussion" section.

have fun chasing them woodcock!
Bernee Brawn
Justa gwp's

trackindog · Posted: 10/22/03, 12:46 pm Post subject:

Mitch - how old is your girl? She has a head very similar to our Gunner. We pull and pull and STILL pull and it seems like the softer brown hair never stops! Would it help to take a stripping comb to the head an ears? He has a wonderful coat otherwise but we just need to get rid of the soft stuff on his head.

Ann

dualgwp · Posted: 10/22/03, 3:32 pm Post subject:

Here's another little tip on getting out that dead hair....
put on a pair of latex rubber gloves (the thin kind, sticky sort of) and pull through the coat with your fingers. You will be amazed how much coat you can get out just using those gloves.

I did this by accident the other day, just happened to have a pair handy and tried it on a bitches head that had that soft, thin head coat. It came out easy and quick!

You can also use the rubber finger tip things that are used to flip paper. Don't know what you call them...... they work also.

trackindog · Posted: 10/22/03, 4:55 pm Post subject:

>>You can also use the rubber finger tip things that are used to flip paper.

Too funny - I never would have thought of that but I do have one right here in my desk. I put it on and it EASILY pulled those whispy hairs out! Thanks for the suggestion!

Ann

Indiana Mitch · Posted: 10/24/03, 11:10 am Post subject:

Slightly new problem.

Hunted Sophie on a preserve on Sunday. The cover was SUPER thick and almost inpentrable.

She wore ALL the hair off her face, just below the eyes. It looks like she is wearing the black things that football players put under their eyes to stop the glare from the sun off their cheeks. Only my dog's patches are bright red, with blood.

Any suggestions?

Anyone seen this before?
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Indiana Mitch
"Are the woodcock down yet?"

Indiana Mitch · Posted: 10/24/03, 11:20 am Post subject:

Vom Britt · Junior Joined: 27 Oct 2002 Posts: 63 Location: Central WI.

Mitch,

I would not worry about the hair loss and redness around the eyes. With a couple of days rest she will be fine. For red spots like you are talking about, especially on the belly of dogs, bag balm/udder balm works great. I have also used it around the eyes but am very careful in its application.

Bob
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Bob