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The Australian Cattle Dog – An alert, intelligent and faithful friend of the drovers of the great Aussie outback, is a breed that has been around for over a 100 years, easing the burden of working the cattle with his quiet and determined attitude. The no-nonsense persona of these types of breeds lends credence to the myths that they don’t need any grooming or attention to coat and that a quick hose bath is all that is needed. What you see is what you get with the Australian Cattle Dog. If you have not done your homework along the way then you will reap what you have sown which you will be hard-pressed to correct on show day.
To maintain and enhance his required rain resistant, double coat, we recommend oiling the coat. Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil will maintain the texture and moisture in the coat and help protect from the harsh outdoors especially in some of the tougher climates where this dog is required to work. Use this in place of a conditioner as conditioners will flatten and soften and this is not an ideal outcome for this type of coat.
Dilute 1 tablespoon into 4 Litres of water and work well through the coat, ensuring you also get right down to the skin with a large sponge. LEAVE IN. DO NOT RINSE. It gives incredible sheen and finish to the hair. This also helps keep any scurf at bay and leaves the coat smelling delightful. We cannot stress enough the wonderful attributes of this product. It is non greasy and totally water soluble making it easy to apply without the worry of build-up. Again leave in and do not rinse.
The silhouette you achieve with this coat also comes from a good even texture on the coat. The best way to do this without the moth eaten appearances some of the coats can get when they shed or even with a rolling of the coat, is to blow dry using a force dryer. We know this goes against the belief of a lot of people who purchase a dog such as this so as not to have to blow dry, but it does do wonders for the coat.
Using a cool, strong, force dryer, after bathing, dry the coat against the coat growth until half dry, then finish with the growth of the coat to settle it back down. This lifts all the dead hair out and allows you to check the skin for any skin disturbances such as eczema, rashes or scurf. This is the perfect time to check him all over for anything unforeseen and know you are doing his coat a great turn at the same time.
An amazing product that not only speeds up drying time but protects the coat is Plush Puppy FAST Blow Dry Spray. FAST dramatically reduces drying time, adds moisture and conditions while protecting the coat. It also protects the coat from damage from sun and heat. FAST is amazing on these coats for a brilliant shine. A light spray to a wet or damp coat, then brush through before drying.
When washing faces always use Plush Puppy Let’s Face It. This is a hypoallergenic sulfate free low foaming shampoo designed just for faces. It’s no tear formula features the highest quality Blue Cypress Extracts, Panthenol with Pro Vitamin B and SugaNate. These special ingredients clean, soothe, add moisture, aid healing and have anti-inflammatory benefits. A small golf ball sized amounts directly to the face and eye area allows you to thoroughly clean without causing irritation. It can also be used in and around the ears with the same benefits. Its low foaming design allows ease of rinsing, yet complete cleaning.
Your regular shampoo should be one such as the Plush Puppy All Purpose Shampoo for both the red speckle and the blues which will give a good healthy sheen. We call this the ‘Shine’ shampoo as it features natural Henna extracts that impart a beautiful gloss and shine to your dog’s coat. It is wonderful to use on normal to slightly dehydrated coats. Use at a dilution rate of 1:5 (1 part shampoo to 5 parts water) for a show bath and 1:10 for home maintenance.
Use Plush Puppy Herbal Whitening Shampoo to impart a good toning effect especially if the red speckled coats tend to burn in harsh sun or just fade out as the coat ages. Again use at a dilution rate of 1:5 (1 part shampoo to 5 parts water) for a show bath and 1:10 for home maintenance. Plush Puppy Herbal Whitening Shampoo works brilliantly to whiten whites and intensify darker colours. It DOES NOT lighten or bleach but instead tones with optical brighteners. It reduces yellowing or warm tones in white coats or white areas of the coat and will negate unwanted tones from sun fading or reddening in the coat. Similarly for darker colours, it will reduce any warm tones to intensify the depth of colour by revitalising any lost cool tones.
Switch to the Plush Puppy Body Building Shampoo when the dog is not in full coat and dilute at 1:5. This shampoo has a bodifying effect to the coat without an artificial feel plus it is wonderful for the coat as it is infused with beneficial plant extracts.
Don’t use conditioner on this coat. Follow any shampooing with the Seabreeze Oil routine.
For mid-week brushing and grooming, you can’t beat an application of a good leave-in moisturiser. Plush Puppy Reviva Coat is wonderful for rehydrating the hair, keeping the scurf at bay, plus retaining texture but still adding moisture. If you wish, you can use it neat or as a grooming spray. Add a golf ball amount into a water spray and top up with 1 cup of water. This is a great spray for keeping up the moisture in the coat.
Brush the coat with the Plush Puppy Ultimate Anti-Static Porcupine Brush which is ½ bristle and ½ dialon. You need a brush that gets down into the coat and doesn’t just skate over the top. This brush will eliminate static electricity and remove and loose coat hair with ease.
If the coat texture tends to be too harsh due to sun damage, an application of Plush Puppy Blow Dry Cream can help flatten and relax the coat if it has a tendency to stick up a bit. Mix 1 tablespoon of Blow Dry Cream into 1 cup of water in a spray bottle and apply. Dry with your fingers or brush.
For those dogs ‘out of coat’ use Plush Puppy Volumising Spray. This is a ‘Ready to Use’ spray for quicker, easier and fuller coat results. Perfect either before blow drying or used to ‘fluff’ up the coat at the show. Apply a light even spray and brush in until dry or use a dryer. This is a hair thickener to add volume, not a hair stiffener and not easily detectable. It leaves the coat with a natural fuller look and feel.
Due to their ‘ruff’ and ‘tuff’ outdoor lives, Cattle Dogs can get easily damaged and dry coats. For this use Plush Puppy Coat Rescue as an “in between shows” treatment should the coat need that bit extra. When hair is damaged or dehydrated, the outer layer of each hair opens up or has gaps in it. Coat Rescue is like applying a filler to the individual hairs.
Dilute 2 tablespoons of the Coat Rescue into a squeeze bottle of 500ml of water and shake well. Apply with a large sponge to the dehydrated area and leave on for minimum 5 minutes and preferably as long as possible. We tend to leave on for hours whilst we do other dogs, and then rinse clear. Just helps to put some lost structure back into the hair.
For brushing and refreshing the coat use Plush Puppy OMG. This is a revolutionary grooming spray that lives up to its name. A light spray of OMG and brushing in allows this product to refresh the coat leaving it feeling wonderful. It separates the coat and leaves the most amazing finish. OMG is available in a Concentrate that you can dilute to your individual requirements or a Ready-To-Use Formula. Use the concentrate form at 1:30-40 (1 part OMG to 30-40 parts water). The stronger the mix the stronger their effects.
Using OMG can be a one-off at shows or during the drying process after bathing. This is also an amazing product for regular brushing as it hydrates the coat reducing stress and coat loss. Its active ingredients smooth the cuticle and protect the coat.
For this coat type where you still wish to retain texture, use at a higher breakdown. It will still allow you to brush the dog and refresh to coat without over softening. OMG never builds up and never goes stringy. A product that took years to develop using amazing technology for maximum effects. A true necessity for the tool kit.
Now blow dry the legs and body coat quickly up and forwards using the Plush Puppy Ultimate Pin Brush for the pants if preferred. The dog will give a good shake and the coat will settle into the outline or silhouette. Finish off the ends of the coat with a light go over with the Plush Puppy Ultimate Slicker Brush.
Plush Puppy’s Professional Grooming Combs are built for absolute ergonomic comfort in various sizes. The lightweight oval shaped spine combining fine and coarse pins made of hardened stainless steel with anodic oxide finish that reduces drag and static to the coat. Perfect for use for this breed of dog.
At times due to various reasons including the weather static electricity can create flyaways. If this occurs use Plush Puppy Anti-Static Coat Control. This is a lightweight spray using the latest technology is infused with organic extracts of Witch Hazel Leaf, Linden Flower, Birch Bark and Nettle. It also adds to the protection, include a UV filter to stop sun damage and protect against heat strength for the perfect finished look of the coat. This amazing product is idea for this breed and a must for your tack box.
All senses come into play when judging and a good smelling dog is nice to touch. Plush Puppy Odour Muncher is sensational in that it kills the odour and leaves a pleasant scent behind without being to flowery or girly.
Keep on hand Plush Puppy Wonder Wash which is a no rinse wet instant shampoo for “those show day” last-minute emergencies as this will clean up anything, pronto. Just spray foam with the fingers and towel off. Wonder Wash is a brilliant quick self-rinsing bathing alternative solution for quick and easy cleaning without the need for a complete bath. In moments when regular shampooing is not an option, Wonder Wash will clean, whiten and brighten problem areas on all coat kinds.
Now who would not be tempted to add some glints of glamour? Let’s not leave it all to the Poodles and Afghans! Use a sprinkle of Plush Puppy Pixie Dust. Trust me, this does work and used judiciously, looks brilliant. Just don’t overdo it. Simply add a very light dusting onto your Plush Puppy Ultimate Powder Application Brush, give it a light tap to tip of the excess and apply with light edgy strokes to the topline, pants and front of the dog. Keep brushing against the coat to work the powder down into the coat leaving the shimmer behind on the top. This looks brilliant when showing outdoors or under spotlights. It just grabs the pin prick of light down onto your dog.
The point is, you can do something to make this dog even better than before and to help him stand out from the crowd, the balance of power and endurance this breed exudes. The honesty and integrity he displays and the courage and devotion to which he applies to his work and family. Seeing him out in the ring also beautifully groomed and presented and handled with skill that shows what he is capable of. This is a truly admirable breed.
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