Supplies You'll Need to Groom a Welsh Terrier

Despite outward appearances, your Welshie's flat coat needs regular brushing, as neglecting this important grooming ritual will eventually turn your pooch into a walking mat. His coat regularly loses dead hair that needs to be brushed out to prevent tangles. Use a slicker brush or metal comb to go through his entire coat and remove the loose, dead hair. Even though he doesn't shed heavily, you'll still need to brush him at least a few times a week to keep up with the castoff hair.

Baths should be a rare occurrence with your Welshie, as his waterproof coat repels much of the dirt that would otherwise stick and make him grungy. Once every three or four months is typically enough, unless he's found something icky or stinky to happily roll in. Use a mild dog shampoo that will not dry his skin or strip the natural oils in his coat. Dusting him with dry shampoo between baths can keep him smelling fresh and looking spiffy. Towel-dry him afterward.

Regular brushing will keep loose hair from causing trouble, but two or three times a year your Welshie's coat will completely die. Trouble is, the hair won't actually fall out, and you will need to perform hands-on plucking to remove the dead coat. Stripping knives help to quickly and easily remove his coat during this stage, but can hurt him if not done right. Clipping his coat short will make grooming easier, but can also be tricky to do without hurting your loveable pooch. Seek the assistance and guidance of a professional groomer to teach you how to strip or clip your Welshie safely and properly.

Hair care isn't the only grooming your Welshie needs, and you should check a few other areas as you brush him. Flip his ears over and peer inside to check for signs of redness or unusual odor. Use a cotton ball wet with ear cleaner to wipe down the parts you can see to remove excess ear wax or accumulated dirt. Use another cotton ball and some warm water to wipe away any discharge from his eyes and remove tear stains on his face. His toenails will need to be cut at least once a month with a dog nail trimmer, but inexperienced cutting may nick the vein inside the nails and cause bleeding. You don't want that, as your sweet pooch will yelp and forever associate the trimmers with pain, meaning he'll disappear when next they come out. Ask a professional groomer or your vet to do it for you, or show you how to do it correctly.